Let’s visit Regency Mall in Racine, half of which might be demolished for redevelopment

UPDATE (4/22/23): The $39.4 million plan to redevelop Regency Mall—and demolish 400,000 of its 800,000 square feet—was approved by the Racine Common Council. Work is expected to begin in June 2023, and be completed by the end of 2025.

Regency Mall in Racine (5538 Durand Ave.) isn’t a “dead” mall. It’s open, it has stores, and there’s even a Hot Topic and one of those FYE places. But, like most malls in the 21st century, Regency Mall isn’t doing particularly well. As of this writing, the roughly 800,000-square-foot mall—first opened in 1981—is about 60% vacant.

The owner of Regency Mall, Georgia-based Hull Property Group, recently unveiled a multi-phase, $71 million redevelopment plan to turn the once-mighty shopping center’s fortunes around. Roughly 400,000 square feet of the mall’s eastern section would be demolished to make way for a grocery supercenter, a gas station, and a convenience store. Apartments would be added to the site—approximately 279 of them—as well as high-end restaurants and new retail. Would the project need anywhere between $22 million and $39 million in city financing? You bet it would. The city of Racine will consider the plan soon.

Until then, let’s pay Regency Mall a visit! Here are 31 pictures showing plenty of vacant space, some activity and foot traffic, and a still-hanging-in-there mall that may not be long for this world.

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