Racine's Regency Mall demolition begins

RACINE, Wis. - In Racine, Regency Mall is getting a major makeover.

The mall was once bustling, but a change in shopping habits has had an impact on the mall. 

Minerva Navarro holds on to sweet memories made during some of Regency Mall's better days.

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"I was 15 years old. They were doing tryouts for modeling," she said. "My mom brought me here. I was so excited."

Regency Mall

Monday, March 4, the mall and Racine leadership celebrated the start of phase one in the redevelopment process. The renovation process is expected to cost around $120 million. 

"It’s been dead for the past 15 years," Navarro said.

Crews will tear down the eastern portion of the mall. 

Leaders say a five-acre Woodman's grocery store will be built in its place.

Future of Regency Mall

John Mulherin said the development also includes around 280 apartment units on the property, retail and restaurants.

"Today is a great day," he said. "We have a lot of work to do in the next four months. We’ll tear down approximately 400,000 square feet. We already moved tenants. It’s a transformation of not only this property but the entire retail corridor."

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The mall’s reimagining isn’t easy for everyone.

Regency Mall

"I was sad. Like I was really, really sad," Navarro said. "This was my mall."

The Woodman’s is expected to open in 2025.

"I’m looking forward to taking something away that was once there to build something anew that can be bigger and better than what we had before," Racine Mayor Cory Mason said.