June 25, 2007

Existing main entry

Proposed main entry lighting

Brookfield Square is turning 40 and some big changes are under way. It’s no simple face-lift, but rather an extensive renovation and rejuvenation that has been in the works for several years. The makeover includes the addition of several new restaurants and stores, both inside and outside the mall. The changes are coming at a time when Bay Shore and Mayfair shopping malls have made significant changes and upgrades. And, it comes as the owner of the Pabst Farms development at Highway 67 and I-94 is planning a 1-million-square-foot upscale shopping center.

It is time for the changes, says Scott Oleson, general manager of Brookfield Square. "The last total interior renovation was in 1996, so we are very excited about it," he says.

What’s New Inside?

"The mall owners, CBL & Associates Properties Inc., and its mall partners have been pursuing this vision with a long-term strategy to make the area the premier shopping location in the region," according to Daniel Ertl, director of Community Development for the city of Brookfield. The Bravo Italian Restaurant was the first new restaurant to be added, south of The Limited. In addition, the first H&M clothing store in the area recently opened inside the mall.

Proposed main entry

Work began in May on other interior changes, including a 1,900-square-foot, 1950s-style hamburger "joint" called Johnny Rockets, a national chain. The restaurant will sit between the existing food court and Sears; it will reuse 600 square feet of existing space and 1,300 square feet of new space inside the mall.

Another national restaurant new to the area will be added to the east side of the mall near space formerly used as loading docks. Claim Jumper, a restaurant chain with an 1849 Gold Rush atmosphere, serving steaks, ribs and other American fare, is planning to open an 11,700-square-foot restaurant sometime in 2008, according to Oleson. "The entire east side of the mall will look different," Oleson says.

What’s underfoot and above your head will also change. Interior mall flooring, fixtures and lighting will be upgraded. The food court will be outfitted with new tables and chairs as well as new restrooms. None of this will cut into your shopping time, Oleson says. "We’re putting in new lighting and a new porcelain tile floor, but most of the work is being done at night so shoppers will not be affected."

Outside Changes

As for what’s going on outside, you’ll soon see some dramatic changes. Earlier this year, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, a fine dining restaurant, opened on the north end of the mall property along Bluemound Road. Another restaurant, Abuelo’s Mexican Food Embassy, will open later this year. Yet another restaurant, Mitchell’s Fish Market, will open this summer, situated near the mall’s east entrance. Mitchell’s is a national chain with a menu that will appeal to seafood lovers.

Existing food court entry

Proposed food court entry lighting

And, for something completely different, Fresh Market, an upscale specialty grocery store, is slated to open shortly. The high-end food market will be located in the parking lot north of Boston Store along Bluemound Road, on the west side of the mall, and will offer an alternative to markets like V. Richards and Sendik’s.

Plans call for new streetscaping and landscaping on the east side of the mall as well, along with a two-story signature entrance with a tower between Barnes & Noble and The Limited. "The new entrance will represent a big change for us. We will have a canopied drop-off area for shoppers," Oleson says. Eventually, mall owners would like to build a parking structure and provide shuttle buses to carry shoppers to and from the mall. There will also be a new monument sign on Moorland Road.

Watch for changes on the south side of the mall, too. "The most significant change would be what happens to the Sears parcel, which has the greatest open space for redevelopment," Ertl says.

Pros and Cons

Why so many new restaurants? "When I have talked to constituents in recent years, I kept hearing, ‘We need restaurants.’ Now we have more restaurants so people have more options," Brookfield Mayor Jeff Speaker says.

By adding these new restaurants and a grocery store, mall owners are aiming to keep Brookfield Square shoppers on their property for a longer period of time. "We are making everything closer for people who are shopping with us. We’re hoping to become a one-trip shopping experience," Oleson says.

Scott Oleson stands outside the Barnes & Noble on the east side of Brookfield Square.

However, not everyone is enamored with the idea of more stores and more shoppers. Kate Kotecki, a Brookfield resident who lives with her husband just north and west of the mall, is concerned about the lack of green space and possible additional congestion. "I think the upgrades sound lovely, but it seems like they’re jamming too much onto the Brookfield Square property. The latest additions actually make me want to visit the mall less often because of traffic and parking congestion, a closed-in feeling and loss of open or green space," she says.

In answer to some of those concerns, Ertl notes that a traffic impact study was prepared in 2006 by Traffic Analysis and Design of Cedarburg. "As a result of recommendations made by that study, a new traffic signal was added near the McDonald’s restaurant on North Moorland Road and $100,000 was set aside for traffic improvements on Bluemound Road," he says. CBL has also dedicated a three-acre site located to the west of the mall for a public square and green space.

The mayor notes that he is hearing positive things about the changes. "Brookfield is moving ahead and looking great. Brookfield Square is going to have a big impact in the next few years," Speaker says.

In addition to the changes at Brookfield Square, the overall strategy is to promote the introduction of apartments and condominiums in areas near the mall, in order to build a "24-hour city," according to Ertl. "The city of Brookfield looks forward to working with CBL to realize a shared vision of the rejuvenated Brookfield Square mall. Our strategy is to remain competitive."