Ford City Mall in Chicago has closed ahead of its scheduled deadline due to safety concerns. The mall, located at 7601 S. Cicero Ave., was set to close on Monday, but customers found its doors locked on Sunday.

Safety Concerns

The closure comes after city officials filed an emergency motion to evacuate the mall due to a defective fire suppression system, which posed an “imminent health and safety risk.” City inspectors found large vacant spaces, flooding, open wiring, dirty conditions, and poor lighting at the property.

Many businesses had already departed the mall leading up to its closure. The mall’s 16 remaining tenants included anchor tenant JCPenney, the last JCPenney store in the city.

Future Plans

Officials and neighbors are considering new plans for the site. A plan to bring an industrial campus to Ford City Mall has been received positively by Ald. Derrick Curtis. The campus would include four 40-feet-tall warehouses and house small- and medium-sized businesses.

However, many Southwest Side neighbors have protested the plan, with over 1,000 people signing a petition to stop the redevelopment of Ford City Mall into an industrial park.

Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.