The Skokie Mall, which started undergoing a “massive” redevelopment plan in 2022, has seen a slew of new stores and restaurants move in — including Alo Yoga, Psycho Bunny, and outposts of several popular Chicago Restaurants — along with the return of mall favorite Barnes & Noble, which opened at the mall in 1994 but shuttered in 2021.
Editor's Note: The video in this story is from a previous report.
Westfield Old Orchard Mall in Skokie on Tuesday revealed updated details, timelines and photos of what the center's new apartments and residents could soon look like under an ambitious and "transformative" redevelopment plan.
According to a press release, local developer Focus has been tapped as the co-developer on the project, which is expected to break ground in 2025 with the construction of approximately 400 luxury apartments and 15,000 square ft. of street-level retail set to front an outdoor park and event space.
"When complete, the new residences, eateries, wellness facilities, and outdoor amenities will create a North Shore destination unlike anything else in Chicagoland, dramatically enhancing the center’s existing offerings," the release said, adding that apartments are slated to open to residents in early 2027.
According to officials, apartments will range from studios to three-bedroom units, with amenities including a pool, lounge, fitness center, pet spa, co-working spaces and a dog run.
The expansive redevelopment first began in 2018 when Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield acquired the mall's former, vacant Lord & Taylor department store, which will soon be home to Arhaus, Puttshack, ZARA and Pottery Barn among other retailers, the release added.
"Our bold new vision for the center will dramatically enhance its offering and further establish it as the preeminent live, work, shop, and play destination on the North Shore," Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield executive vice president of operating U.S. development, design & operating management, Geoff Mason said in 2022. "By creatively unlocking the potential of the center, this development will bring new life, energy and choices to Old Orchard and provide experiences that are even more engaging and meaningful for the local community.”
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Meanwhile, new stores and restaurants at the mall continue to open.
Popular clothing and lifestyle retailer Urban Outfitters was the latest in a sew of new stores to open at the suburban mall. The 8,252 sq. ft. store, which opened earlier this month, is located next to Banana Republic on the north and west sides of the mall, the spokesperson said.
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The mall has also recently seen the addition of several new higher-end retailers and dining options, including Louis Vuitton, Tory Birch, Alo Yoga, Capital Grille, Bar Siena and more.
Old Orchard also saw the return of long-time center favorite bookstore Barnes & Noble, which originally closed its doors there in 2021.
And earlier this year, while mall anchor Bloomingdale's shuttered, Bloomie's the department store's smaller, "curated shopping concept" opened.
Bloomingdale's opened at Old Orchard mall in 1995. Only two other department stores remain at the mall: Macy's, which took over the former Marshall Field's store in 2006, and Nordstrom's.
Here's a look at the most recent renderings of the redevelopment at Westfield Old Orchard Mall:
