Plan to replace Ford City Mall with industrial complex set for Chicago Plan Commission vote

For decades, Ford City Mall was a major shopping destination on Chicago's Southwest Side.

Now, the mall is closed and its future is at the center of a debate over what comes next.

Ald. Derrick Curtis (18th), whose ward includes Ford City, supports a plan to turn the former mall into a four-building industrial complex.

"It's a no-brainer for me," he said. "We're talking about brand new streets, brand new lighting, new construction."

Curtis said the site can't continue to sit vacant.

"It does us no good to have this mall in this condition," he said. "We want someone to come that will benefit, that will put Ford City right back on our tax rolls."

On Thursday, the Chicago Plan Commission is slated to consider the proposal. Chicago-based Kurv Industrial is now looking for a zoning change to make it happen-

The developer has also added a public plaza and a new CTA bus stop to the proposal.

"That was the number one thing they asked for and that was the number one thing we gave them – community space," Curtis said.

The alderman believes the surrounding businesses around the mall will stay with this renovation of the site. He said it also means keeping taxes down.

Curtis said the developer will pay for tearing down the mall and dealing with the building's interior flooding issues.

"They're willing to take on that burden.  Who else is going to do it?" Curtis said. "If we don't take this on, what I'm afraid of is this place will sit like this with the same landlords, and we're going to have the same problems we're having every weekend."

Those problems include a fatal shooting in June, and what Curtis said are frequent car takeovers – illegal street racing events involving drifting and other stunts – in the parking lots. 

Despite that, not everyone wants to see the mall come down and warehouses go up in its place.

"Warehouses should be at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to new development," said Glenford Flowers Jr., co-founder of the Southside Flourish Movement, a resident-led community coalition that plans to protest before the Chicago Plan Commission on Thursday. 

Flowers also is running against Curtis for 18th Ward alderman in next year's election.

"We can't leave Ford City the way how it is right now. Something has to be done, but it has to be done through the community," he said.

Southside Flourish Movement is asking the city to halt the redevelopment process and conduct updated studies of the property before moving forward.

"We ask that they stop and reconsider," said Tammy Chavez, who is also an organizer with Southside Flourish and is hoping to get on the ballot to run against Curtis next year.

She said she's concerned about what the project could mean for the surrounding community: 

"It will bring lots of noise. It will bring lots of backup traffic. It will be a parking lot," she said. "Once the industrial complex is here, we know the value of the properties will start creeping down."

Opponents of the current plan want to see a full entertainment district replace Ford City Mall to make the site more of a destination.

"To sort of give out this massive parcel of land away to industry seems like its missing out on what could be a lot bigger investment for the Southwest Side,"

The developer has said a traffic study that found an industrial park would generate significantly less total traffic than the former mall.

Thursday's meeting is an early step in the city's review of the proposal. If approved by the Chicago Plan Commission, the project would still require approval from the City Council.