The developer that wants to transform the shuttered Ford City Mall into an industrial campus could receive its first city approvals this week, after broadening its plans to include a public plaza and new CTA bus stop.
Chicago-based Kurv Industrial, formerly Bridge Industrial, plans to demolish Ford City Mall and build a four-building industrial campus. The project will be considered by the Chicago Plan Commission on Thursday.
Kurv’s plans submitted to the Plan Commission show a new Ford City heritage plaza that celebrates “over 80 years of Chicago history,” with landscaping and seating. It also shows a new CTA bus station along Kostner Avenue, east of the mall.
The plaza and bus station could make Kurv’s plans more appealing to commissioners. Warehouses and industrial plans often face steep community opposition for their lack of public use and spaces, along with concerns of increased traffic, noise and air pollution.
Ald. Derrick Curtis (18th), whose ward includes the mall, said in a letter to constituents, posted on his website, that the mall’s closure represents “the end of an important chapter,” but it must also mark the beginning of something new and better.
“My priority is to ensure that this property does not remain neglected,” Curtis wrote. “We must pursue responsible redevelopment that protects our neighborhoods, creates economic opportunities, strengthens our tax base and brings productive new investment to the 18th Ward.”
Kurv was under contract to purchase Ford City Mall from Namdar Realty Group in July 2025; the buildings nearby like the AMC Ford City 14 movie theater weren’t included in the deal. The developer announced plans to turn the Southwest Side mall into an industrial campus, zoned for warehousing or light manufacturing. Kurv estimated the redevelopment would cost $150 million — and it would need the City Council to sign off on rezoning the mall site from a shopping district to industrial.
Plans now put the redevelopment at $200 million, likely due to the new plaza, bus station and additional infrastructure work. Under the updated plans, 76th Street would be reconstructed as a public thoroughfare.
Kurv didn’t respond to a request for comment.
The four buildings would vary in size, with the two largest spanning more than 300,000 square feet. The remaining two buildings are roughly 200,000 square feet and 100,000 square feet.
A traffic study conducted for the site found there would be “significantly less total traffic” at an industrial park compared to Ford City Mall.
The mall was ordered to close June 22, following a court hearing. Greg Janes, assistant corporation counsel for the city of Chicago, said during the hearing that all parties in the case agreed to the June 22 shutdown.
Namdar Realty Group had previously been given seven days to present a plan to either close the mall’s businesses or vacate the building, following its court-ordered shutdown. The company had failed to make repairs to the deteriorating mall, including fixing a malfunctioning fire suppression system and preventing constant flooding. There were also concerns about exposed wiring and possible sinkholes.
The forced closure came after years of declining sales. At the time of its closing, the mall had about two dozen retailers — including its last anchor tenant, JCPenney. Other stores included Foot Locker, Sam’s Furniture and Victoria’s Secret, though many merchants already left the mall prior to the court order.