West Dundee Mayor Chris Nelson

We've received many inquiries asking about the ongoing construction in and around Village Hall.

🔶 The improvements consist of some much-needed masonry and concrete repairs to the brickwork and the front entrance stairs.

🔶 In addition, the retaining walls along Second Street and Route 72 (Main Street) are being replaced and clad with a stone veneer. This also includes replacing the cracked limestone caps at the front entrance stairs and where the ornamental Dundee luminaries sit.

🔶 Provided is a visualization of the completed repairs. Work should be completed before the Dickens in Dundee activities, which are scheduled for December 5.

✴️ Note: Village Hall is still open to the public during normal business hours. For entry, please use the walkway ramp and door found at the southeast corner of the building.

This Friday - 5/30, the West Dundee Pump House is not just a French Market, it's also the location of our "Finally Friday" summer concert series!

-4:00pm - 8:00pm: French Market
-5:00pm - 9:30pm: The Village Squire selling food and drinks in the Pump House
-7:00pm - 9:00pm: Finally Friday concert w/ Local Motive

See you all at the West Dundee Pump House!

Today (May 5, 2025) was Richard (Rick) Paul Day in West Dundee. I proclaimed the day in honor of retiring Fire Marshal Rick Paul in recognition of his decades of commitment to the fire service. Best wishes for a long and healthy retirement, Marshal Paul.

You're invited! We look forward to meeting with the community for coffee and conversation at McDonalds (386 S 8th Street). Coffee with a Cop this Friday at 7:00am.

🎄 Join Us for Dickens in Dundee! 🎄

🗓 Date: Saturday, December 7, 2024
🕒 Time: 12 PM – 3 PM
📍 Location: Grafleman Park

Celebrate the season with FREE family fun! Here's what you can look forward to:
🎅 Visit Santa at the Gazebo
🍪 Cookie Decorating
🎄 Lions Trees
☕ Hot Cocoa
✨ Festive Fun for Everyone!

Don't miss this magical event to kick off the holidays! 🎅❄️

I recently filed for a fourth term. The filing period ended today and, thankfully, I do not have a challenger. Election Day is April 1, 2025.

Update - Fall 2024

SPRING HILL MALL

Demolition of the mall is likely to being in February 2025. Prior to that, we will have an on-site auction of mall elements. Look to the village website and page for details as they become available.

BOB'S TRADING POST + RIVERSIDE UPHOLSTERY BUILDINGS

The village's acquisition of these two buildings is hoped to have been completed by the end of the year. Our team has offered the owners of Riverside Upholstery a couple of in-town options for relocation. Upon acquisition, the village plans to first remove the "Happy St. Patrick's Day" signage from the windows of the defunct Bob's Trading Post. After that, the village will issue an RFP for redevelopment of the two buildings.

HUNTLEY ROAD DEVELOPMENT

Site-grading has begun in earnest for an owner-occupied townhome development on the south side of Huntley Road just west of the Spring Hill Mall area. Lennar is the builder.

SECURE TRUCK HOLDING FACILITY

A recent report in the paper touted a "truck stop" in West Dundee. Unfortunately, the report was a bit misleading: the actual development is a secure truck holding facility. It will be gated and will not be open to the public. Located on a disused Elgin landfill that closed in 1970, the site includes a number of environmental enhancements to mitigate the landfill runoff that was occurring before the development occurred. The facility will also be located along Airport Road and is adjacent to I-90.

VILLAGE WELCOMES SHAWN GREEN AS POLICE CHIEF

Earlier this month, Shawn Green was sworn in as police chief for the Village of West Dundee. Chief Green joins West Dundee from Schaumburg, where he served in a variety of police roles for over 20 years.

The Wall That Heals, a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial along with a mobile Education Center, will be on display from May 24-27, 2024, at Randall Oaks Park in West Dundee. The memorial will be open 24 hours a day and is free to the public.

The presence of The Wall That Heals serves as a powerful memorial for the members of the U.S. armed forces who served and died in the Vietnam War, and it is an honor for our community to host this traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

With Spring Hill Mall having closed just over a week ago, I wanted to provide an updated set of FAQs.

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Spring Hill Mall FAQs
March 2024

Does the village own Spring Hill Mall (SHM)?

Not yet. Here is the current ownership breakdown as of March 2024:

• Sears (anchor store): The village of West Dundee has acquired this property. Vacant.
• Macy’s (anchor store): The village of West Dundee has acquired this property. Vacant.
• Carson’s (anchor store): The village of West Dundee will be acquiring this property at some point in 2024 (exact closing date TBD). Vacant.
• Interior Mall: The village of West Dundee will be acquiring this property at some point in 2024 (exact closing date TBD). Vacant.
• Theater: The village of West Dundee will be acquiring this property at some point in 2024 (exact closing date TBD). Remains in operation. The village will seek to keep the theater operating. Located in West Dundee.
• Kohl’s: (anchor store): Owned by Kohl’s. Remains in operation. Located in Carpentersville.

Is the mall located wholly in West Dundee?

No. The mall is located in both West Dundee (85%) and Carpentersville (15%). For the purposes of this document, “the village” will refer to West Dundee unless otherwise specified.

When West Dundee acquires property that is located in Carpentersville, will the former seek to annex the subject property?

No. The only property the village will own after acquiring the mall from Kohan will be the former Carson’s.

Does the village want to operate the mall once West Dundee fully acquires the mall properties?

No. Like Stratford Square Mall in Bloomingdale (which itself was acquired by a municipality and will be closing in April 2024), there simply are not enough tenants in Spring Hill Mall to cover the costs of operating over 750,000 square feet of enclosed space.

Why would the village acquire these properties?

To clarify ownership rights, reconcile access issues, and to provide for a simpler acquisition process for future private development. The village’s primary concern is that, absent municipal intervention, the property could fall into major disrepair and disuse, creating a situation where redevelopment would be made that much more difficult.

Are the structures that currently comprise the mall likely to be preserved?

No. Demolition is the next step. That will occur by 4Q2025.

Will the Spring Hill name continue to be used in some fashion?

No. The village intends to decommission the name. The logo on the adjacent water tower will be removed by early 2025. Any subsequent development will use a different naming structure.

Will the village auction elements from the mall?

That is being explored.

What will happen in the near-term once the village closes on the mall space?

The parking lots will be cordoned, except for the lots nearest Kohl’s and Cinemark. Access to the interior spaces will be restricted.

What are the factors that typically impact the success of a retail establishment or a mall?

• Residential density.
• Household incomes.
• Daytime population.
• Average Daily Traffic.

What about an outlet mall?

When outlets came into vogue in the 1980s, they were genuine locations for past-season-retail (PSR) or irregular products that retailers would otherwise like to have sold in traditional retail settings.

As the outlet concept matured, however, it became what it largely is today: a place where made-for-outlet products are sold. This evolution has made many outlets just another sales channel for retailers and less of a bargain space for shoppers. Concurrently, retailers such as TJ Maxx, Ross, and Marshall’s have taken on some of the early-era-outlet qualities.

And so it is with that in mind that discussions regarding a conversion of SHM to an outlet space have perennially been tepid. Adding to the complexity was the fact that covenants signed with mall anchors (such as Macy’s) prohibited outlets in the mall itself. Such covenants remain in place, in concept, but are unlikely to be enforced by retailers that no longer have an operational presence at SHM.

Most importantly, outlets tend to be super-regional developments—meaning that you might have only one or two of them in a geographic region like Chicago (for discussion, this is defined as within 90-minute-or-so drive from Chicago proper). Using that criterion, Chicago already has a saturated outlet market, with outlet malls in the Gurnee/Kenosha area; in Rosemont; and in Aurora. This is evidenced, in part, by the failure of the outlet mall in Huntley. Moreover, the outlet mall market is dominated by Simon Properties, and they own two of the aforementioned outlet malls.

What about a large entertainment venue like Navy Pier or Great America?

This is unlikely. For Navy Pier, it is adjacent to a city of 2 million people and bordering Lake Michigan. Renovating the space into what we see today cost developers in the early 1990s upwards of $300 million in current dollars and was backstopped by taxpayers. That’s a tall order with no guarantee of financial success—for the developer or for the taxpayers who would likely be supporting it. Similarly, Great America is a substantial draw on its own, and would be a very difficult concept with which to compete. Locally, there is also Santa’s Village in East Dundee.

What about a water park?

Like the concepts mentioned above, water parks require substantial investments without a guaranteed return on investment for developers. Water parks in Rockford and Arlington Heights failed within the past decade. A water park had long been proposed for Hoffman Estates, but ultimately failed to materialize. Gurnee has a recently renovated water park, but the community also has the added attraction of Great America nearby that likely contributes to the park’s viability. Locally, again, there is also Santa’s Village in East Dundee.

What about an Apple Store?

The area lacks the income levels and residential density required by Apple to deploy an Apple Store.

Somebody should put (insert concept here) there. Why hasn’t it happened?

Every store, restaurant, or attraction costs money to deploy. (For example, just opening a small Jimmy John’s can cost upwards of $250,000—and that figure does not include the cost of rent.) And every time a new concept is opened, someone is risking real money in the hopes that the concept works in a given area. If a concept isn’t opened in a specific area, it is likely that the demography of that area fails to meet the criteria a developer/store operator/restauranteur/franchise has established so that a person can reasonably expect a profitable return.

What happened with the redevelopment project from 2016?

The village negotiated with then-owner Rouse Properties to invest over $30 million in the mall in hopes of revitalizing the space. Much of the renovations focused on the west end of the mall, resulting in the removal of the former JC Penney’s anchor store and the nearby food court. In their place, a new wing was constructed that featured a movie theater (Cinemark) and new retail spaces (originally occupied by H+M and Victoria’s Secret).

The improvements did appear to impact the longevity of some stores, with many remaining at least an additional 24 months in the hopes of improved activity in the mall. Ultimately, the investment did not yield hoped-for results, especially during an overall downturn in the retail sector.

What did the village spend on the 2016 improvement project?

Nothing. The incentives offered by the village required the mall to generate revenues in excess of those received prior to the implementation of the improvements mentioned above. The changes did not elicit the expected revenues, so the village did not rebate any funds back to the developer. With the recent sale of the property to a new owner, the incentive deal will likely be eliminated entirely. As a result, all of the costs of the improvements made to the mall in 2016 were borne by Brookfield.

So, what should the future hold?

From a village perspective, redevelopment of SHM into a mixed-use site (featuring housing, office, retail, and commercial structures) is the only path forward. The process of redeveloping the area will likely take a minimum of 5 to 10 years. Private development costs would likely exceed $150 million.

Will the village accept incremental or interim uses?

No. Warehouses, data centers, truck depots, exotic vehicle storage, sports complexes---the village will not accept these. The reason stems from the fact that the mall is located in the center of the community, and any use akin to the ones mentioned would be detrimental to the overall culture of West Dundee. These uses are allowed elsewhere in the community, so developers interested in deploying such concepts in the area have other locations from which to choose.

What can the village do to help redevelop the mall?

• Continue to sharpen the redevelopment concept plan adopted by the village board in 2018.
• Finalize acquisition of key parcels to ensure appropriate, positive, and timely redevelopment.
• Encourage residential and office developments in and around the SHM area.
• Collaborate with Carpentersville on a uniform development process.
• Curate a roster of respected and sophisticated developers to contact once ownership issues are resolved.
• Establish financial incentive mechanisms (i.e., and enterprise zone or a TIF district) to support positive development.
• Make clear to prospective developers the types of uses that will be considered and those that will not.

As the Daily Herald reported today, Spring Hill Mall is closing. Cinemark and Kohl's will remain open.

The village had sought to coordinate the closure announcement with the current owners, but as is their right, the current owners elected to contact their tenants directly this morning. The village still plans to acquire the mall property; wholesale redevelopment is the primary goal.

More to come.

Spring Hill Mall to close at the end of March Spring Hill Mall will close by the end of March, a mall official said Thursday. Tenants have been notified about the pending closure of the largely vacant mall, which straddles Carpentersville and Wes...

Update - Fall 2023

Bob's Trading Post
As many are aware, the space occupied by Bob's Trading Post has been sitting inactive for several years. At village prompting, Bob's Trading Post is having a liquidation sale through the end of November. The village is strongly encouraging the redevelopment of the storefront, along with its companion space--owned by the same person--that is currently occupied by Riverside Upholstery.

Congratulations to Jack Festen
Dundee Rotary Club member Jack Festen has been awarded the Village of West Dundee Community Service Award for 2023. Jack has invested much of his time and energy making West Dundee a better place. Congrats, Jack.

Spring Hill Mall
A lot has happened here since I last posted. In recognition of that, I am recapping updated mall FAQs. Should you have any questions about the mall area or the village's plans, please reach out to us at village hall at 847-551-3800.

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Does the village own Spring Hill Mall (SHM)?

Here is the ownership breakdown:

• Sears (anchor store): The village of West Dundee has acquired this property. Vacant.
• Macy’s (anchor store): The village of West Dundee will be acquiring this property in November 2023. Vacant.
• Carson’s (anchor store): The village of West Dundee will be acquiring this property in November 2023. Vacant.
• Kohl’s: (anchor store): Owned by Kohl’s. Remains in operation. Located in Carpentersville.
• Interior Mall: The village of West Dundee will be acquiring this property in First Quarter 2024. Remains in operation.
• Theater: The village of West Dundee will be acquiring this property in First Quarter 2024. Remains in operation. The village will seek to keep the theater operating. Located in West Dundee.

Is the mall located wholly in West Dundee?

No. The mall is located in both West Dundee (85%) and Carpentersville (15%). For the purposes of this document, “the village” will refer to West Dundee unless otherwise specified.

Will the village keep the mall operating in 2024?

The mall will continue operating at least through the 2023 holiday season.

Why would the village acquire these properties?

To clarify ownership rights, reconcile access issues, and to provide for a simpler acquisition process for future private development. The village’s primary concern is that, absent municipal intervention, the property could fall into major disrepair and disuse, creating a situation where redevelopment would be made that much more difficult.

Is SHM likely to be re-tenanted?

No. Occupancy levels are likely in the 20% range, which would imply that the mall is beyond recovery. This is due, in part, to the sea change in the retail marketplace. For starters, there are simply fewer national retailers available. Additionally, remaining national retailers are concentrating their ever-smaller store footprints in areas that have the highest density and/or greatest income concentrations. There might be some local-ish retailers the new owners might seek, but these are typically not retailers with a strong enough draw to get people to enter an enclosed mall.

What are the factors that typically impact the success of a retail establishment or a mall?

• Residential density.
• Household incomes.
• Daytime population.
• Average Daily Traffic.

What about an outlet mall?

When outlets came into vogue in the 1980s, they were genuine locations for past-season-retail (PSR) or irregular products that retailers would otherwise like to have sold in traditional retail settings.

As the outlet concept matured, however, it became what it largely is today: a place where made-for-outlet products are sold. This evolution has made many outlets just another sales channel for retailers and less of a bargain space for shoppers. Concurrently, retailers such as TJ Maxx, Ross, and Marshall’s have taken on some of the early-era-outlet qualities.

And so it is with that in mind that discussions regarding a conversion of SHM to an outlet space have perennially been tepid. Adding to the complexity was the fact that covenants signed with mall anchors (such as Macy’s) prohibited outlets in the mall itself. Such covenants remain in place, in concept, but are unlikely to be enforced by retailers that no longer have an operational presence at SHM.

Most importantly, outlets tend to be super-regional developments—meaning that you might have only one or two of them in a geographic region like Chicago (for discussion, this is defined as within 90-minute-or-so drive from Chicago proper). Using that criterion, Chicago already has a saturated outlet market, with outlet malls in the Gurnee/Kenosha area; in Rosemont; and in Aurora. This is evidenced, in part, by the failure of the outlet mall in Huntley. Moreover, the outlet mall market is dominated by Simon Properties, and they own two of the aforementioned outlet malls.

What about a large entertainment venue like Navy Pier or Great America?

This is unlikely. For Navy Pier, it is adjacent to a city of 2 million people and bordering Lake Michigan. Renovating the space into what we see today cost developers in the early 1990s upwards of $300 million in current dollars and was backstopped by taxpayers. That’s a tall order with no guarantee of financial success—for the developer or for the taxpayers who would likely be supporting it. Similarly, Great America is a substantial draw on its own, and would be a very difficult concept with which to compete. Locally, there is also Santa’s Village in East Dundee.

What about a water park?

Like the concepts mentioned above, water parks require substantial investments without a guaranteed return on investment for developers. Water parks in Rockford and Arlington Heights failed within the past decade. A water park had long been proposed for Hoffman Estates, but ultimately failed to materialize. Gurnee has a recently renovated water park, but the community also has the added attraction of Great America nearby that likely contributes to the park’s viability. Locally, again, there is also Santa’s Village in East Dundee.

What about an Apple Store?

The area lacks the income levels and residential density required by Apple to deploy an Apple Store.

Somebody should put (insert concept here) there. Why hasn’t it happened?

Every store, restaurant, or attraction costs money to deploy. (For example, just opening a small Jimmy John’s can cost upwards of $250,000—and that figure does not include the cost of rent.) And every time a new concept is opened, someone is risking real money in the hopes that the concept works in a given area. If a concept isn’t opened in a specific area, it is likely that the demography of that area fails to meet the criteria a developer/store operator/restauranteur/franchise has established so that a person can reasonably expect a profitable return.

What happened with the redevelopment project from 2016?

The village negotiated with then-owner Rouse Properties to invest over $30 million in the mall in hopes of revitalizing the space. Much of the renovations focused on the west end of the mall, resulting in the removal of the former JC Penney’s anchor store and the nearby food court. In their place, a new wing was constructed that featured a movie theater (Cinemark) and new retail spaces (originally occupied by H+M and Victoria’s Secret).

The improvements did appear to impact the longevity of some stores, with many remaining at least an additional 24 months in the hopes of improved activity in the mall. Ultimately, the investment did not yield hoped-for results, especially during an overall downturn in the retail sector.

What did the village spend on the 2016 improvement project?

Nothing. The incentives offered by the village required the mall to generate revenues in excess of those received prior to the implementation of the improvements mentioned above. The changes did not elicit the expected revenues, so the village did not rebate any funds back to the developer. With the recent sale of the property to a new owner, the incentive deal will likely be eliminated entirely. As a result, all of the costs of the improvements made to the mall in 2016 were borne by Brookfield.

So, what should the future hold?

The mall at Spring Hill is in decline. Without functional anchors or strong national retailers in the interior, the decline will be precipitous and irreversible. More globally, the enclosed-mall concept is struggling, with only those malls in dense, income-rich areas seeing gains.

From a village perspective, redevelopment of SHM into a mixed-use site (featuring housing, office, retail, and commercial structures) is the only path forward. The village has and will continue to advocate for that with mall ownership---past, present, and future.

The process of redeveloping the area will likely take a minimum of 5 to 10 years. Private development costs would likely exceed $150 million.

Will the village accept incremental or interim uses?

No. Warehouses, data centers, truck depots, exotic vehicle storage, sports complexes---the village will not accept these. The reason stems from the fact that the mall is located in the center of the community, and any use akin to the ones mentioned would be detrimental to the overall culture of West Dundee. These uses are allowed elsewhere in the community, so developers interested in deploying such concepts in the area have other locations from which to choose.

What can the village do to help redevelop the mall?

• Continue to sharpen the redevelopment concept plan adopted by the village board in 2018.
• Acquire key parcels to ensure appropriate, positive, and timely redevelopment.
• Encourage residential and office developments in and around the SHM area.
• Collaborate with Carpentersville on a uniform development process.
• Curate a roster of respected and sophisticated developers to contact once ownership issues are resolved.
• Establish financial incentive mechanisms (i.e., and enterprise zone or a TIF district) to support positive development.
• Make clear to prospective developers the types of uses that will be considered and those that will not.