Ford City Mall Shuts Main Building June 22 by Court Order as Safety Failures End 60-Year Run
Updated
Updated · Chicago Tribune · Jun 22
Ford City Mall Shuts Main Building June 22 by Court Order as Safety Failures End 60-Year Run
3 articles · Updated · Chicago Tribune · Jun 22
Summary
Noon Monday will mark the permanent closure of Ford City Mall’s indoor main building after a Cook County judge sided with Chicago in a yearslong safety case.
City filings cited a malfunctioning fire-suppression system, burst sprinkler heads, major water leaks, open wiring and poor lighting; JCPenney said it will close by June 21 because the landlord did not fix those hazards.
Outdoor businesses — including Planet Fitness, IHOP and AMC Ford City 14 — were not covered by the order and are expected to remain open, though some North Mall tenants still fear disruption to shared water and fire-protection service.
The 1965 mall, once home to more than 100 stores, was bought by Namdar Realty Group for about $16 million in 2019 and has since emptied out as online retail eroded traffic.
Redevelopment is unresolved: Kurv Industrial wants warehouses on the site, while neighborhood groups are pushing for housing, outdoor retail, green space and other community uses.