What once was a thriving mall, opened in 1991 is now a series of abandoned stores.

Charlestowne Mall remains a central part of the corridor being discussed, even as the debate has focused more broadly on future development.

Charlestowne lost several tenants in 2017, including Sears, Kohl’s, Carson Pirie Scott and JCPenney due to the rise of online shopping, rapid decline in tenancy, mismanagement, and competition from Geneva Commons. The Krausz company — the owners of Charlestown Mall — eventually closed most of the property, with only Classic Cinema Charlestowne 18 and Von Maur remaining.

More recently, city leaders have been discussing how development along the Route 64 eastern corridor — including areas near the mall — should be handled moving forward. These discussions by the St. Charles City Council have focused less on the mall itself and more broadly on what types of new businesses should be allowed in the eastern corridor. One proposal included a temporary moratorium on developments such as car washes, gas stations, and drive-thru businesses, though it ultimately did not pass.

These discussions come as new developments, including the Fox Haven Square entertainment district, are bringing renewed activity to the eastern corridor.

The mall itself has not been used besides serving as a filming location for a 2022 advertisement for Toyota.

Many are looking forward to the possibility of redevelopmenof the mall, though past plans have stalled. Plans proposed to the city of St. Charles included adding shopping stores, entertainment, dining, townhomes and apartments to to revitalize the east side of the mall, but those plans did not move forward due to a lack of financial support.

St. Charles alderman Jayme Muenz, who proposed the moratorium, argued the measure would allow the city more time to evaluate development in the corridor, while others, including alderman Bryan Wirball, expressed concerns about limiting business growth.

“Because the property is privately owned, the vision for the property really depends on the ownership of the property, and their ability to redevelop,” St. Charles alderman Bryan Wirbal said.

With Fox Valley Mall being about 30 minutes from St. Charles and Woodfield Mall being around 35 minutes away, redevelopment of Charlestowne Mall could potentially provide access to nearby citizens –107,893 within a 5 mile radius – to a closer indoor regional shopping center and new spaces that could bring back the abandoned mall.

While city officials debated limiting certain types of businesses, some community members remained focused on what redevelopment of the mall itself could look like.

Adrian Perez, a former employee at Classic Cinema 18, said that he felt “jealous” when he saw other malls with attached movie theaters.

“I think if the mall were to re-open then it would give more life to the theater and make it look more lively,” Perez said.

Charlestowne and its redevelopment face many issues, such as lack of financial support, finding a developer, impact on surrounding neighborhoods and communities, and construction going on while keeping Classic Cinema Charlestowne 18 and Von Maur operating.

City officials have also emphasized that, because the property is privately owned, their control over redevelopment decisions is limited. Instead, they can guide development through planning documents and zoning decisions rather than direct action.

“The city does not have ownership of the property and has limits to what it can dictate to any developer… residents have many thoughts and ideas, but those ultimately require an investment by a developer,” Muenz, who originally proposed the moratorium, said.