Calumet City Mayor Eyes River Oaks Mall Redevelopment

Pictured is the rendering of the River Oaks Roaring Rivers Water Park. The Water Park is part of the new redevelopment slated for the River Oaks Shopping Mall in Calumet City. Joining Roaring Rivers will be a Hotel, Rooftop Bar and Restaurants. The River Oaks Roaring Rivers Water Park will take over the former Sears site located on the East side of the mall. Photo provided by Jackson Nuckolls Group.
Pictured is the rendering of the River Oaks Roaring Rivers Water Park. The Water Park is part of the new redevelopment slated for the River Oaks Shopping Mall in Calumet City. Joining Roaring Rivers will be a Hotel, Rooftop Bar and Restaurants. The River Oaks Roaring Rivers Water Park will take over the former Sears site located on the East side of the mall. Photo provided by Jackson Nuckolls Group.

 Calumet City Mayor Eyes River Oaks Mall Redevelopment

By Tia Carol Jones
The Calumet City Council voted unanimously to approve $22 million in funding from a $41 million bond to start redevelopment of River Oaks Mall. The overall amount of the redevelopment project is $79 million and would include a water park, a hotel with a pool, restaurants and a rooftop bar.

While Calumet City already owns the 27-acre Sears site at the East side of River Oaks Mall, the city is attempting to negotiate with the owners of the mall site. The plan is to sell the Sears site to Jackson Nuckolls Group, LLC, to redevelop. The entire River Oaks Mall site is 200 acres.

River Oaks Mall opened in Calumet City in the late 1960s, as an outdoor mall, similar to the Oakbrook Center and the Old Orchard Shopping center in Skokie. In 1994, River Oaks Mall became an enclosed mall. In 2013, anchor stores Carson Pirie Scott and Sears closed. River Oaks Mall is currently owned by Namdar Realty Group, which Is based in New York.

The Calumet City Spokesman said Mayor Thaddeus Jones believes the vote is an encouraging sign in the process of completely overhauling the mall, which has fallen into disrepair in the last few years. He is grateful to the Alderman who saw his vision for redevelopment and has vowed to lobby them until the end.

In late October of 2021, there was a public hearing in Calumet City regarding the city’s intent to seek the use of “quick-take” eminent domain powers from the Illinois Legislature. At the time, Namdar Realty sent the following statements about that process.

“We are remaining committed to working alongside the Mayor and Calumet City local officials on charting a path forward for the River Oaks Center. Following our meeting with the Mayor last week, several members of the Management team were on the ground this week to meet with Chief of Staff Deanne Jaffrey, Chief of Police Kevin Kolosh, Alderman Gardner, and Building Commissioner / Deputy Director of Inspectional Services Sheryl Tillman in-person to further address their ongoing concerns related to the property. We are working swiftly and diligently to turn around the items we are able to address immediately and will be putting plans into place regarding any others through a continued, open dialogue with local leadership." Jelson Santos, said Director of Operations of Namdar Realty Group.

"Namdar Realty Group and Mason Asset Management always strives to work with the communities they are located in to provide the necessary facilities. The ownership group was always open to a mixed-use development and after meeting with Mayor Jones, both parties agreed this was the best way forward for the River Oaks Center,” said Jim Coleman, Director of Redevelopment & Government Relations at Mason Asset Management.

The next Calumet City Council meeting is on Thursday, Aug. 11th, at City Hall, located at 204 Pulaski Road.

Latest Stories

Latest Podcast

A.L. Smith - Harold Washington Legacy Committee