Orland Square Mall

Orland Square Mall
Location Orland Park, Illinois, United States
Address 288 Orland Square
Opening date 1976
Developer Homart Development Company
Management Simon Property Group
Owner Simon Property Group
No. of stores and services 150+[1]
No. of anchor tenants 4
Total retail floor area 1,210,000 sq ft (112,000 m2)[2]
No. of floors 2 (Macy's has 3 floors)
Website Orland Square

Orland Square Mall is an upscale, enclosed shopping center in Orland Park, Illinois. It is the largest mall in the southwest suburbs of Chicago, covering an area of over 1.2 million ft².[3] The mall has been a hub for commercial activity and development, driving dramatic growth in the surrounding area for the past 20 years.[4] It serves as a major retail destination for the communities of Frankfort, Homer Glen, Mokena, New Lenox, Oak Forest, Orland Hills, Orland Park, and Tinley Park.

Contents

History

Orland Square Mall opened in 1976; originally developed by Homart Development Company, it was eventually acquired by Simon Property Group. Orland Square underwent a major renovation in 1995, in an effort to keep its luxury image. It has not received any remodeling since then and, although the mall is maintained well, the design is becoming dated.

In 2001, the 6-screen theatre at Orland Square closed due to competition from a newly opened Orland Park Theatre by Marcus Cinemas. The structure has remained empty for nearly a decade, and various ideas for other uses have never been realized. As of January 2011, plans are being made by the village's board for a special zoning permit that would allow a Dave & Buster's restaurant to fill the vacant building.[5][6]

Events

Property Assessment & Tax Dispute
Multiple lawsuits regarding the mall's property assessments have been ongoing since 2005. The mall's owner Simon Property Group has disputed the assessments made from 2005 to 2009, which were used as a basis to determine their tax liabilities.

Property Assessments ($ million)
2005-2007 2008 2009
Actual Assessment $31.8 $33.0 $33.0
Simon (claim) $22.8 $22.8 $15.0

In late 2010, all of the lawsuits were consolidated, and hearings have been scheduled to resolve the issue. If Simon Property Group is successful in arguing that it has overpaid taxes for five years, the affected districts would refund approximately $11.8 million to the mall owner.[7][8]

Anchors

References

External Links