Stratford Square Mall renovations to cost more than $30 million
Bloomingdale's Stratford Square Mall is in line for a $30 million-plus makeover that officials hope will lure more shoppers, restore its regional prominence and provide a sales tax boost for the village.
The redevelopment plan calls for adding amenities that include revamped entrances, upgraded finishes, new landscaping, more seating, and new stores, restaurants and outdoor cafes to the mall that already offers roughly 1.3 million square feet of retail space, officials said.
The first addition most guests will see is the 40,000-square-foot Round One Entertainment complex, featuring bowling, billiards, games and karaoke. The facility is expected to have a soft opening next week, said Anthony Giannini, senior vice president of development and acquisitions at StreetMac, LLC, one of the firms investing in the redevelopment.
Five Mile Capital Partners, LLC, also is investing in the renovations.
The cost of the Round One facility is not included in the $30 million renovation figure, Giannini said.
Officials said they hope to have the rest of their redevelopment plans finalized this fall with an eye toward starting construction next spring.
Stratford currently houses a 16-screen Century Theatre complex along with anchor stores such as Macy's, Sears and Burlington Coat Factory.
"The goal is to bring Stratford back to the regional prominence it once had and to re-establish the property as a destination for families to enjoy shopping, entertainment and restaurants," according to an email from Giannini.
The plans piggyback on the previous owner's efforts to improve the shopping center, which "stalled during the 2008 financial crisis," according to a news release.
"What we're trying to do is elevate the quality of stores and the quality of the entertainment, restaurants and shopper experience," Giannini said.
Bloomingdale Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jane Hove said improvements to the mall will be great for the village and bolster its sales tax revenues.
"It will bring people from other communities into our community," Hove said, "and we have many shopping corridors."
Bloomingdale Village President Franco Coladipietro said Giannini and his partners at StreetMac have a "great redevelopment vision" for Stratford.
"They're trying to transform the face of Stratford Mall, take it to a new level, a new shopping experience, so they can keep up with the new shopping patterns and trends of consumers," Coladipietro said.
"A successful Stratford Square Mall is something that helps the community as a whole and helps all the surrounding retail in our community," he said.
The village president said he wants to see a "more vibrant mall" emerge.
"I think it generates an enthusiasm with residents of the village to see that kind of redevelopment and that kind of progress take place at the mall," he said.