Plan brings restaurants outside Charlestowne 18 Theater

The Classic Cinemas Charlestowne 18 Theater may be the most popular attraction at the former Charlestowne Mall in St. Charles. But there are no dining options on the mall property, turning the staple date-night activity of dinner and a movie into just, well, a movie.

But city aldermen Monday night inched forward plans to help correct that problem.

Aldermen gave preliminary approval for The Krausz Companies Inc., which owns the mall, to divide the property and create five outlots along Main Street. Those five outlots will potentially be five new dining options for fans of movies at the mall.

There are no specific announcements yet about what restaurants may occupy those spaces. But city officials already started smiling two months ago when mall owners broke ground to relocate the ring road that surrounds the mall property and upgrade utilities.

That's the kind of cash investment in the property the city never saw under previous ownership. Heavy construction equipment still sits in the parking lot visible from Main Street, but the initial work is slated for completion by the end of the year.

Next year, the mall owners plan demolition work and reconstruction of portions of the actual mall building itself, now known as The Quad despite signs that still read "Charlestowne Mall."

City officials are still waiting to see full architectural building elevations for the mall structure as well as landscape, lighting and signage plans. But the city staff indicated Monday night that everything is still moving according to schedule.

Aldermen already approved a rebate, in May, of up to $20 million in sales taxes to the new owners to help fund the infrastructure improvements. The mall must actually generate taxes from sales to receive that money.

The full city council must still approve the subdivision plan for the new outlots. Aldermen had no comments or questions about the plan Monday night, indicating final approval is a mere formality.