The Grove at Bloomingdale Takes a Major Step Forward: What’s New at the $375 Million Stratford Square Redevelopment

BLOOMINGDALE— The transformation of the former Stratford Square Mall is starting to look less like a redevelopment plan and more like a new town center taking shape.

The Village of Bloomingdale is moving forward with The Grove at Bloomingdale, a $375 million mixed-use redevelopment planned around housing, restaurants, entertainment, recreation and public gathering spaces.

The latest milestone came September 9, when Bloomingdale announced five restaurants that will help anchor the development. But the larger story is what is happening across the entire former mall site.

Stratford Square has been demolished except for the freestanding Kohl's, infrastructure work is underway, construction has begun on a major indoor recreation complex, and the first major openings are expected in 2027, with additional phases continuing through 2030.

What Is Planned at The Grove?

The vision is much broader than replacing an enclosed mall with another shopping center.

Plans call for a pedestrian-oriented district with:

• 280 modern luxury residences

• More than 400,000 square feet across retail, restaurant, entertainment and residential uses

• A large man-made lake with water features

• Lakeside restaurants

• A central event lawn

• A winter ice-skating rink

• A dog park with a walk-up food and beverage concept

• Outdoor gathering areas

• Walkable streets and landscaping

• On-site stormwater management and permeable paving

The development was shaped through resident surveys, public meetings and Village Board discussions after Bloomingdale began planning a replacement for the struggling mall property.

One of the more important design choices is the emphasis on public space.

Instead of recreating Stratford Square as a collection of stores surrounded by parking, the plan centers restaurants and entertainment around a lake, lawn and pedestrian areas intended to host concerts, markets, festivals, movies and seasonal events.

That gives The Grove a different purpose from the mall it is replacing: it is being designed as somewhere people can spend time even when they are not shopping.

The First Major Pieces Are Already Moving Forward

The clearest sign of progress is Bloomingdale Yard, a roughly 100,000-square-foot indoor sports and family recreation facility now under construction near the remaining Kohl's.

The facility is expected to offer indoor fields, sports leagues, training, children's programming and a full-service child care component. It is targeted to open in the first half of 2027.

The September 9 announcement added another major piece of the puzzle.

Five restaurants are now planned:

• GIA MIA

• Hacienda Real

• A new contemporary Greek concept from Forte Hospitality Group

• Game On!

• Loretta's Last Call

The mix is intentionally broader than conventional suburban dining.

Game On! is expected to combine sports-bar dining with games and more than 50 televisions, while Loretta's Last Call will bring live music, line dancing and Southern-inspired food. The new Forte concept is expected to focus on Greek and Mediterranean cuisine.

The five restaurants are targeted to open by the fourth quarter of 2027.

Bloomingdale is also working toward apartments and townhomes, along with a planned 33,000-square-foot building for additional fast-casual restaurants and retail.

How Stratford Square Got Here

The scale of the redevelopment makes more sense when compared with what happened to Stratford Square.

The mall spent years losing major department stores and tenants as traditional enclosed malls struggled with changing shopping habits.

Bloomingdale ultimately acquired the mall property for approximately $17.1 million in 2024, closed the remaining mall operation and moved forward with demolition.

By June 2026, the mall itself had been removed apart from the standalone Kohl's, and Bloomingdale had already installed major water, sewer and stormwater infrastructure needed for the new district.

That history makes The Grove more than a routine commercial redevelopment.

Bloomingdale is trying to turn what had become roughly 1 million square feet of vacant or underused mall property back into an economic and community center.

The project is being developed with Segovia Partners, Gravity Architecture & Design, Peak Construction Corporation and Christopher B. Burke Engineering.

What The Grove Could Mean for Bloomingdale Real Estate

For homeowners and buyers in Bloomingdale and surrounding DuPage County communities, the most important part of The Grove may be the combination of new housing and new amenities in one location.

The project introduces hundreds of residences while also adding restaurants, recreation, events and public spaces that could change how nearby residents use this part of Bloomingdale.

The real estate impact should not be reduced to a promise that surrounding property values will automatically rise. Large redevelopments can also bring construction activity, traffic changes and new housing competition.

But replacing a long-vacant regional mall with an active mixed-use district can materially change how an area is perceived and used.

The timeline is also important.

The Grove will not open all at once. Bloomingdale Yard is expected first in 2027, followed by restaurants later that year, while residential and additional commercial phases are expected to continue as the district develops through 2030.

For buyers considering Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Glendale Heights and other nearby western suburbs, that means today's surrounding real estate market could look quite different once The Grove is substantially built out.

The Cory Tanzer Group at Option Premier helps buyers and sellers evaluate not only current homes and comparable sales, but also the major developments that could change amenities, housing choices and neighborhood activity across Chicago and the western suburbs.

Stay Connected

Ranked among the top 1% of real estate teams in the Chicagoland market, The Cory Tanzer Group at Option Premier is recognized for proven sales performance, neighborhood expertise, and consistent results across Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.

In the 2026 RealTrends Verified rankings, based on 2025 sales data, the team completed 181 transaction sides representing $79.28 million in sales volume. The Cory Tanzer Group ranked No. 13 in Illinois by transaction sides, No. 20 in Illinois by sales volume, No. 270 nationally by transaction sides, and No. 439 nationally by sales volume.

The team also earned The CARLY, the highest honor for Platinum Sales Dollars and Platinum Units Sold, at the Chicago Association of REALTORS® Sales Awards.

Led by Cory Tanzer, the team helps buyers, sellers, investors, landlords, and renters navigate real estate across Downtown Chicago, the North Shore, and the Western Suburbs, with local expertise in University Village, University Commons, South Loop, West Loop, Little Italy, Pilsen, and surrounding Chicagoland communities.

Connect with The Cory Tanzer Group at Option Premier for trusted local market insight, personalized guidance, and a proven strategy for your next Chicago real estate move.