City Members, to raise revenue, high end retailers, family sit down eateries, a mini Target/Walmart & something unique that only this mall will offer. Strengthen beautification within all boundaries of the district. No fast foods/strong spirits to avoid the attraction of the 'wrong' elements. The approoriate clientele is everything, therefore, to continue or improve revenue, provide job growth and supporting consumers with retailers that offer high value and convience; City Members need meet with a strong untity of the minds and stay strong on their platform of what is best for Sr. Charles.

I agree with the other comment. NO MORE fast food attractions!!! There is a huge push to opt for a "healthier" life-style; so lets try to encourage that!! Take a look at other thriving towns. There is a Cozi & Tangerine restaurants in downtown Naperville; offering healthier, fast, sit down, family options.
Look at what areas like Streets of Woodfield & Yorktown did to shopping areas that were dead years ago!! The shopping areas offer more upscale shops, dining & family options to an area that once no one would think of going to.

I would hope that any discussions regarding Charlestown Mall did not include Kohl's and Von Maur stores,

The investment group who bought the property has a history of buying failing indoor malls in rural suburban areas, making BIG promises (an ice rink? c'mon..) and doing nothing with them. If the city would have researched the groups track history to begin with, they would have sold it to the local investors who were interested in the property when it was up for sale.

So if the city council is asking for public input on the matter, why did it pay a CONsultant $24,750 for the report that told them what everyone already knew? Our tax dollars at work!

How about a few mid-to high-end stores that will balance out the goodwill, savers, ross and dollar store all within 4 blocks??? WHOLE FOODS or another higher-quality food store... smaller shops/ boutiques, an independent book store, coffee shop, the TREEHOUSE for kids (Lake Zurich)...

BTW: the meeting is at the Council Chambers at City Hall... August 9th at 7pm.

Cut out the middle of it. Add gardens, art center, something for children, and an Internet coffee & cafe.. It is currently uninviting and very dated an Apple store would attract alot Of people! You need a major overhaul if not you will be throwing good money away there is slot of property there and if laid out better it could be done well if not don't waste time or money.

Wow...I love it when people spout off about the mall...and blame the city. Here's a flash: St. Charles doesn't own the mall, and had no say in who bought it from the previous owners. Nor, legally, do they have a lot of sway with the present ones. (There's always eminent domain, but that's a last resort.)
The mall has been "troubled" since the day it opened, but as Von Maur, Kohl's and the theaters prove, give people what they want, and they'll come.
The biggest problem with rejuvenating the mall is perception; it's been 80% empty so long getting folks back in will entail a major change in mindset.
There are a lot of good suggestions for its future, but the real question is this: Will you go back?

I love shopping at Kohl's in the mall! I'm not a fan of driving up and down Randall to shop and I prefer going to Charlestown. I not big on the food court so I miss the regular restaurant that used to be there.
As I recall several years ago Yorktown Mall was a dump and nearly a ghosttown and now look at it. So it's possible that Charlestown can make a comeback too. I hope so.

Here's some ideas! Get a Whole Food's, a Starbuck's,Trader Joe's, Old Navy,Apple,or any of the latest retailer's, who don't have a presence at Geneva Commons, to rent there! It could be so much more, then it already is! All of the above would enhance the already "classy' presence of VonMaur ,and Carson's! The movie theater already brings in people, give them a reason, to stick around! Its really not rocket science! Personally, I miss Sears! (even though it was , more and more, becoming a Kmart) Giving a nice discount ,for a start up rent, would, "sweeten up the deal,as, its better collecting a discount rent, then none at all!! To bad the city does not really control this property!

Malls are an outdated concept, all across the US this problem has surfaced.
The New Mall is www.insert_favorite_store_here.com. There are several isolated strip malls that are doing ok(streets of woodfield) for example but nationally all inclusive malls are continuing to spiral downward as fast as the rotary phone & the ford pinto.
The whole mall concept as well as will be extinct eventually, and rightfully so.

This is JUST an idea, but how about a large "public" indoor park -- at least for the next 3-5 years? It would offer a place for children to ride their bicycles in the winter months (and when it's 102 degrees out), volleyball or pickleball courts, walking trails, etc. along with some healthy snack/eatery places plus a couple of sports equipment/fitness stores. Maybe even an indoor dog park in the vacant Sears building...

A friend of mine told me that in the town he grew up they ended up tearing down their mall and rebuilt it as a one story facility where shoppers could park right in front of the store they wanted OR on the interior it remained a 1 story mall. So there was entries to each shop from the parking lot or by going inside the mall. Worked like a dream and the mall thrived. Pretty ingenious idea I think. Not cheap though.
Just wish I could recall the name of the town, duh! I'm sure it'll come to me as soon as I submit this.

There have been some good ideas expressed here. Unfortunately, it is all an exercise in futility unless the mall's owners are willing to do something. The City has no control over the mall and its owners (in fact, I understand that the Mayor and the City staff have so antagonized the current mall ownership, that they probably would not do anything suggested by the City because of it) and cannot force the mall owner's to do anything. Now, the City could attempt to use eminent domain to attempt to purchase the mall but does the City have the multimillions of dollars it would take to purchase the mall? It the City just paid almost $1 million for an acre of swamp land, how much would it cost to buy the mall, if the owners didn't want to sell?

Also, eminent domain cannot be used to make profit.. so the mall land would have to be public use... which our city cannot afford. But, please remember, there are other pieces of property to discuss... tin cup passing for instance... the Bakers Square lot... rumor has it that is going to include a car parts store... in my opinion, that is one thing we do NOT need!!!

Maybe the city should direct it's energies to previous issues before moving down the list. How about finishing First Street development and finding a use for the St. Charles Mall land?! Starting to seem a bit like a homeowner with ADD who starts several projects, and never completes one!

I don't think the city has any more control over the St. Charles Mall property than it does the Charleston Mall. I believe it would have to be up to Shodeen to come up with a plan for the old mall property. Which they haven't been able to do after all these years.

First, we need to get both sides working together and stop acting like children. I am a big believer that you are only limited in your ability to achieve by your ability to dream. Second, change the name of the mall...eliminating the current one gets rid of a horrible image. Third, think quality! Getting high end stores into the new mall has to be a priority. Nieman Marcus, Nordstroms, Bloomingdale's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Barney's New York are some great department stores. Apple would be an excellent investment in the mall. We need a quality book store like a Barnes and Noble. Get an ABT electrical and appliance in the mall, they do things the right way. Why not actually attract fine dining? A fine steak house with a well-known name. Get a sporting goods store like Cabela's. Give them real incentives to come! Try to attract a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. Those stores may be more expensive to purchase food, but they offer organic, safe product. Yes, we can have a kid's play area, but place it near the food court area. I fully understand it isn't an easy task to get all these stores under one roof or even the city and the mall owners. But, we have to at least try! We are only limited by our dreams.

Lois to some degree the City does have some say in getting the old mall property developed. They could stop leading Shodeen on and tell him flat out no residential as the residents have requested and then maybe he would develop another plan. The Mayor was the one who continued to direct Shodeen that the residential proposal was appropriate.Even now with the Comprehensive Plan meetings the residents continue to stress no residential and yet the consultant continue to be directed to put in residential. If clear direction of no residential developement was given I bet shodeen would develop another plan more appropriate for that site.