A symbol of the hard times at Lincoln Mall will soon be erased as the Matteson village trustees have approved demolition of the long-abandoned Lincoln Mall Cinema building.
Once a hot-spot for first-run movies during the mall’s heyday, the theater at the northwest corner of the mall near U.S. Highway 30 and Cicero Avenue has been shuttered for years as the village waged a legal battle with owners to raze the building.
Village President Mark Stricker said at Monday’s Village Board meeting that demolition of the theater will be the “the first major step” in a highly anticipated redevelopment of the mall.
Last April, the village struck a $45 million redevelopment agreement with Texas-based America Realty Group, the mall’s owner. Plans include changing the face of the shopping center and retooling it with new stores, restaurants and a state-of-the-art movie theater.
Officials are scheduled to meet with American Realty officials in two weeks to hash out further details of the project. Construction of a new ring road around the mall could possibly begin this spring.
“This is not something that can happen overnight, and we have to be patient so we can get the kind of mall we want,” said Trustee Carol Marshall.
Demolition should be completed some time next month, officials said.
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