Construction crews on-site at former Sears space

With new building permits recently filed with the city of Springfield, construction work is underway at Battlefield Mall at the former Sears site.

Springfield Business Journal this morning observed construction crews on-site at the northwestern side of the former Sears, itself on the northwest side of the mall. Concrete excavation was being performed and debris was being removed.

The building permits filed last week with the city indicate the commercial infill project would allow for a "Sears conversion to Dillard's" at 2825 S. Glenstone Ave. CDI Contractors LLC, a subsidiary of Dillard's, is named in the permits. Dillard's currently has two spaces in Battlefield Mall, to the north and southeast, according to Simon.com.

A spokesperson with Little Rock, Arkansas-based Dillard's Inc. (NYSE: DDS) indicated she was seeking information in response to questions from SBJ, but she did not provide details by deadline. Battlefield Mall officials did not respond for comment this morning.

An online map of the mall at Simon.com does not currently list a new tenant for the Sears space. Where elsewhere on the map are names of stores, the former Sears space has a message asking customers to "stay tuned" for "more shopping, dining and entertainment in the works."

In May, SBJ reported that building permits on file with the city appeared to show Dillard's could be taking over the former Sears space. The nearly 180,000-square-foot space, which makes up around 15% of the roughly 1.2 million-square-foot Battlefield Mall, was vacated by Sears in 2020. Sears had been an anchor tenant of the mall for nearly four decades.

At the time, a Dillard's spokesperson said the retailer is "respectfully declining comment for now."