RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Ohio — The demolition phase has begun at the historic Richmond Town Square Mall in Richmond Heights.
The shopping center opened as "Richmond Mall" in 1966 and survived for over 50 years through several renovations and ownership groups. The shopping mall portion of the building has been closed since 2021 after the COVID-19 pandemic dealt the final blow to the already struggling former retail giant that had seen both of its major retail anchors (Macy's and Sears) close in 2015 and 2017.
The demolition of the Richmond Town Square Mall building will make way for the Belle Oaks Marketplace.
According to DealPoint Merrill, owner of the property, the Belle Oaks Marketplace will be a "mixed-use development offering a campus-like environment with a wealth of amenities." The nearly 1,617,800 square feet of land will feature restaurants, retail stores, a Meijer supercenter and a luxury multi-family community on the grounds of the former mall.
Approximately 40,000 of the square footage available will be allocated to dining locations, 315,000 square footage will be allocated to grocery and retail stores and 791 luxury apartments will be built on the location.
The area will also be rebuilt from the ground up with plans to build an estimated $10 million on a landscaping plan that will bring "lush greenspaces and top-tier recreational amenities" to the new community center.