BROOKFIELD, Wis. — The development of the former Boston Store at Brookfield Square mall will feature offices and a medical facility - and possibly a hotel, restaurant and apartments, developer Irgens said Tuesday.
Irgens submitted the conceptual plan to Brookfield, our partners at the Milwaukee Business Journal report. Crews would have to tear down the vacant Boston Store building at the north side of the mall and demolition could happen as early as this year, executive vice president Tom Irgens said.
In its place, developers are considering a six-story building with 170,000 square feet and a parking structure with 925 stalls. A green space would connect the office building and a conceptual hotel to the mall's entrance (which as the BizJournal points out is currently an asphalt space).
“People who are using our development can really have a nice, walkable environment either through the interior of the mall or from the exterior sidewalk to take advantage of the amenities,” Irgens said.
Brookfield Mayor Steve Ponto said the plan would advance the ongoing mall development and set up new uses for the space beyond what people typically associate with a classic mall.
In December Irgens purchased 16 acres including the former Boston Store's building and parking lot. Boston Store's former owner, The Bon Ton Stores Inc., closed in 2018 and vacated all of their Milwaukee area stores.
Brookfield has already created a TIF district to help Irgens redevelop the former Ruby Farm property into "The Corridor." That includes two completed office buildings, a Portillo’s restaurant, two hotels, a ProHealth Care clinic and a fitness center.
