River Oaks Center

River Oaks Center is a regional shopping mall in Calumet City, Illinois, a suburb south of Chicago. The property totals approximately 1.38 million square feet, making it one of the largest malls in the Chicago metropolitan area and the largest mall historically associated with Chicago's southern suburbs. The center currently has more than 60 stores and two operating department-store anchors, JCPenney and Macy's. Two additional anchor spaces are vacant following the closures of Carson's and Sears. The mall opened in 1966 as an outdoor shopping center developed by KLC Ventures, a firm associated with Philip M. Klutznick and his son Tom Klutznick. Philip Klutznick was a significant Chicago-area real-estate developer whose earlier projects included Park Forest, Oakbrook Center, and Old Orchard Shopping Center. River Oaks originally combined department stores, local and regional retailers, a supermarket, a drugstore, and a discount department store. Its initial major anchors were Marshall Field's, Sears, and Edward C. Minas Company, an Indiana-based department-store operator. During its early decades, River Oaks reflected the retail culture of the Chicago area. Its tenant roster included Chicago retailers such as Chas A. Stevens, Kroch's and Brentano's, and C.D. Peacock, alongside national and regional chains. Jewel and Osco Drug operated at the southern end of the center, while an S. S. Kresge store occupied space near Sears. Changes in the retail market led to the departure of several original tenants. Kresge closed in 1987 and its space was later adapted for entertainment use. The Jewel location was eventually replaced by a McDonald's restaurant and another theater complex. A major expansion took place in 1985 when JCPenney relocated its store from downtown Hammond, Indiana, to a new building on the northwest portion of River Oaks Center's parking area. A connecting wing and lower-level food court were added as part of the project. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, owner JMB Corp. considered more extensive expansion plans, including enclosing the outdoor mall, adding a second level, and potentially creating another department-store anchor. Those proposals were connected to broader expectations for commercial development around the proposed Lake Calumet Airport, but the airport and the more ambitious mall plans did not proceed. JMB initiated a smaller redevelopment in 1993. Completed in 1994, the project enclosed the mall's common areas, added approximately 80,000 square feet of gross leasable space, and refreshed the tenant mix. The redevelopment brought in new retailers and positioned River Oaks as a more upscale destination for the southern suburbs. The completed property reached approximately 1.38 million square feet. The center later experienced the department-store contraction affecting many American shopping malls. Carson Pirie Scott, which had taken over the Edward C. Minas location in 1982 and was later known as Carson's, closed its River Oaks store in January 2013. Sears followed with a closure on June 9, 2013. JCPenney announced in June 2020 that the River Oaks store was among locations slated for closure during the retailer's bankruptcy-related restructuring, but the store was removed from the closure list and remained open. A proposed Southland Live Casino project was announced in late 2019 as a possible new anchor for the former Carson's wing. The concept called for a temporary casino in the former department-store space, followed by a permanent casino of approximately 150,000 square feet and a 200-room hotel, subject to approval by the Illinois Gaming Board. The review was delayed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and state regulators rejected the casino proposal in October 2021. Separately, redevelopment planning has been reported for the former Sears parcel, including demolition of the vacant anchor building and creation of a mixed-use project. River Oaks Center remains an active retail property managed and owned by Namdar Realty Group and Mason Asset Management.

River Oaks Center opened in 1966 in Calumet City, Illinois, as an outdoor shopping center developed by KLC Ventures. The development team included Philip M. Klutznick and his son Tom Klutznick. The elder Klutznick had previously been involved in major Chicago-area developments including Park Forest, Oakbrook Center, and Old Orchard Shopping Center. The original center combined three principal department-store tenants: Marshall Field's, Sears, and Edward C. Minas Company. Marshall Field's occupied a large store, while Sears and Minas provided additional department-store coverage. Other early tenants included Jewel, Osco Drug, S. S. Kresge, and several Chicago-area specialty retailers. The center's early tenant mix reflected both national department-store retail and the established commercial institutions of the region, including Chas A. Stevens, Kroch's and Brentano's, and C.D. Peacock. Edward C. Minas Company's space changed ownership of operations in 1982 when Carson Pirie Scott took over the store. In 1985, JCPenney moved from downtown Hammond, Indiana, to a new location constructed on the northwest section of the River Oaks parking area. A new wing linked the JCPenney building with the rest of the center, and a lower-level food court was added. JMB Corp., then associated with the property, explored a substantially larger redevelopment during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Proposed elements included enclosing the outdoor mall, adding a second level, and possibly adding another department-store anchor. These plans were tied in part to expectations that the proposed Lake Calumet Airport would stimulate office and commercial development nearby. The airport-related development did not materialize, and the larger mall expansion was not built. Instead, JMB began a more limited redevelopment in 1993. The project was completed in 1994 and enclosed the mall's common areas while adding approximately 80,000 square feet of gross leasable space. The renovation also introduced additional retailers and shifted the center's tenant mix toward a more upscale profile. At completion, the property measured roughly 1.38 million square feet and was described as the largest shopping mall in Chicago's southern suburbs. Several original or long-standing tenants later departed. S. S. Kresge closed in 1987 and its former space was converted for cinema use. The Jewel supermarket eventually closed, allowing the site to be reused for a McDonald's restaurant and another theater complex. Carson's, the successor name for the former Carson Pirie Scott operation, closed its River Oaks location in January 2013. Sears closed on June 9, 2013, leaving both former department-store anchor spaces vacant. In 2019, developers proposed Southland Live Casino as a possible replacement anchor for the former Carson's space. The proposal envisioned a temporary casino in the vacant department-store building, followed by a permanent approximately 150,000-square-foot casino and a 200-room hotel. Approval was subject to the Illinois Gaming Board. The decision was delayed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the state rejected the proposal in October 2021. JCPenney's future at the center also became uncertain during the retailer's 2020 restructuring. The company initially identified the River Oaks store for closure as part of a nationwide plan, but later announced that the location would remain open. The center continues to operate with JCPenney and Macy's as its principal active department-store anchors, while redevelopment planning has been associated with the former Sears parcel. Reported concepts include removing the vacant Sears building and replacing it with a mixed-use development. Namdar Realty Group and Mason Asset Management are identified as the property's owners and managers.

• 2021

  Casino proposal rejected

  [1]River Oaks Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Illinois regulators reject the Southland Live Casino proposal after pandemic-related delays.

• 2020

  JCPenney closure plan revised

  [1]River Oaks Centeren.wikipedia.org

  JCPenney initially identifies the location for closure but later retains the store.

• 2019

  Southland Live Casino proposed

  [1]River Oaks Centeren.wikipedia.org

  A casino, hotel, and phased redevelopment concept is proposed for the former Carson's wing.

• 2013

  Carson's closes

  [1]River Oaks Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The Carson's department store closes in January, creating a vacant anchor space.

• 2013

  Sears closes

  [1]River Oaks Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Sears closes its River Oaks Center store on June 9, leaving another vacant anchor building.

• 1994

  Enclosed mall redevelopment completed

  [1]River Oaks Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The center completes its redevelopment, adds approximately 80,000 square feet of gross leasable area, and reaches roughly 1.38 million square feet.

• 1993

  Enclosure redevelopment begins

  [1]River Oaks Centeren.wikipedia.org

  JMB begins a smaller-scale redevelopment focused on adding retail area and enclosing the mall's common spaces.

• 1987

  S. S. Kresge closes

  [1]River Oaks Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The Kresge store closes and its former space is later adapted for use as a movie theater.

• 1985

  JCPenney relocates to River Oaks

  [1]River Oaks Centeren.wikipedia.org

  JCPenney moves from downtown Hammond, Indiana, to a new northwest-area store connected to the mall by a new wing and food court.

• 1982

  Carson Pirie Scott takes over Minas location

  [1]River Oaks Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Carson Pirie Scott assumes operation of the former Edward C. Minas department-store space.

• 1966

  River Oaks Center opens

  [1]River Oaks Centeren.wikipedia.org

  KLC Ventures opens River Oaks as an outdoor shopping center in Calumet City with Marshall Field's, Sears, and Edward C. Minas Company as principal department-store tenants.

A large enclosed regional shopping center serving Calumet City, Chicago's southern suburbs, and nearby communities, with department-store anchors, specialty retail, food, and services.

• Department store · 1985

  JCPenney

  JCPenney is one of River Oaks Center's two currently operating department-store anchors. Its River Oaks location opened in a purpose-built northwest portion of the property in 1985 after relocating from downtown Hammond, Indiana. The store offers the broad department-store categories associated with the chain, including apparel, footwear, home merchandise, beauty products, and family-oriented goods and services.

• Department store

  Macy's

  Macy's operates as one of the center's principal active department-store anchors. The store provides broad general merchandise and helps maintain River Oaks Center's role as a regional shopping destination for the southern suburbs of Chicago.

• Former department store · 1982

  Former Carson's anchor

  The former Carson's space originated as the Edward C. Minas Company store and was taken over by Carson Pirie Scott in 1982. It later operated under the Carson's name before closing in January 2013. A proposed casino project sought to reuse the vacant space, but the proposal was rejected.

• Former department store · 1966

  Former Sears anchor

  Sears was one of the original major anchors when River Oaks Center opened in 1966. The store closed on June 9, 2013. Subsequent redevelopment planning has contemplated demolishing the former anchor building and replacing the parcel with a mixed-use project.

• 2020

  Retain JCPenney locationOther

  Background

  JCPenney announced a nationwide closure program during its bankruptcy-related restructuring and initially included River Oaks Center's store.

  Action taken

  The company later removed the River Oaks location from the closure list.

  Aftermath

  JCPenney remained one of the mall's two operating department-store anchors.

  Source

• 2019

  Propose Southland Live Casino redevelopmentOther

  Background

  The proposal sought to reuse the vacant Carson's anchor and create a new entertainment-oriented destination.

  Action taken

  Developers proposed a temporary casino in the former Carson's space, followed by a permanent casino of approximately 150,000 square feet and a 200-room hotel, subject to state approval.

  Aftermath

  The review was delayed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Illinois regulators rejected the proposal in October 2021.

  Source

• 1993

  Redevelop and enclose the shopping centerStrategy

  Background

  Earlier, more ambitious plans for a second level and additional department-store anchor did not proceed.

  Action taken

  JMB pursued a smaller redevelopment that enclosed common areas and added retail space.

  Aftermath

  The work was completed in 1994, adding approximately 80,000 square feet and repositioning the property as a larger enclosed regional mall.

  Source

• 1985

  Add a new JCPenney wing and food courtStrategy

  Background

  The center sought to strengthen its department-store offer and expand its regional draw.

  Action taken

  JCPenney relocated from downtown Hammond to a new store connected to River Oaks Center by a new wing, with a lower-level food court added.

  Aftermath

  The project expanded the center and brought a major anchor into a dedicated northwest location.

  Source

1. 1River Oaks Centeren.wikipedia.org
2. 2River Oaks Center official websiteshopriveroakscenter.com