Story perspectives

Judge Vacates Ford City Mall, JCPenney Closure Spurs 5,400-Job Warehouses

6/22/2026

Summary

Judge Vacates Mall

A Cook County judge vacated Chicago’s Ford City Mall after the city reported the fire-suppression system had failed for two years.
JCPenney’s last Chicago store closed Sunday, prompting the mall’s closure the next day and ending a 61-year run.
A developer proposes demolishing the site for warehouses that could create 5,400 jobs, while the Southwest Action Network petitions for a park or YMCA.

Summary

Court Orders Evacuation

Court ordered interior retailers to vacate by noon June 22 because a two-year fire-suppression leak threatens a sinkhole.
Alderman Derrick Curtis said basement pipes are dumping thousands of gallons daily, endangering the structure.
Chicago Department of Law filed an emergency motion citing fire-system failures and soil-undermining leaks.
City leaders earlier agreed with the owner to clear tenants from the main mall area while mixed-use, retail or green-space plans remain undecided.

Summary

Curtis Demands Maintenance

Alderman Derrick Curtis said Namdar Realty Group, which bought Ford City Mall in 2019, must maintain the fire-suppression system until a court orders otherwise.
Curtis added that the mall’s redevelopment could exceed $200 million and would create many jobs, a point he raised at a recent community meeting.
Residents warned that millions of gallons of water leak daily from the basement, fearing damage to nearby condos.

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Judge Vacates Mall

A Cook County judge vacated Chicago’s Ford City Mall after the city reported the fire-suppression system had failed for two years.
JCPenney’s last Chicago store closed Sunday, prompting the mall’s closure the next day and ending a 61-year run.
A developer proposes demolishing the site for warehouses that could create 5,400 jobs, while the Southwest Action Network petitions for a park or YMCA.

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