The Richland Mall development has moved from demolition into active construction in Forest Acres, marking a visible shift for one of the area’s most watched redevelopment sites. As of September 2026, construction had officially begun at the former mall property, with footings and building slabs being installed for the apartment portion of the project, according to HERE Columbia reporting.
The work follows the full demolition of the approximately 930,000-square-foot mall, which was completed by May 2026, according to the same report. For Forest Acres residents, nearby businesses, and Richland County observers, the change is more than a construction milestone. It is a test of how a long-vacant retail property can be reused for housing, grocery access, public space, and neighborhood-serving retail.
Southeastern Development is leading the roughly $100 million mixed-use project on a site reported at about 30 to 32 acres. The State reported that about 30,000 tons of concrete from the demolished mall is being repurposed on-site, largely for foundation work, connecting the cleanup phase directly to the new buildout as reported by The State.
Richland Mall Development Enters The Building Phase
Richland Mall Development Work Now Visible On Site
The most recent construction activity matters because it confirms that the site has moved beyond planning, demolition, and public presentations. Footings and slabs are early-stage work, but they are also the physical base for the apartment segment. That makes September 2026 an important date in the project’s local timeline.
The former mall had been a major Forest Acres landmark for decades, but the research record shows its last tenant, Barnes & Noble, closed in December 2023. Southeastern Development purchased the site in early 2023 for about $18.6 million, according to the project research. The developer later sold a six-acre parcel to the City of Forest Acres for $3 million so that it could be developed as a city park, according to the same research record.
Those steps help explain why the redevelopment is drawing attention beyond the property line. It combines private investment with a city-owned public-space component. That means residents will likely judge the project not only by whether apartments and retail open, but also by how the public park is delivered and maintained.
What The Construction Start Signals For Forest Acres
For Forest Acres, the construction start is a practical signal to nearby property owners and local businesses. A site that had gone through tenant loss, sale, demolition, and site preparation is now being rebuilt for a new mix of uses. That can affect expectations around nearby commercial activity, future traffic patterns, apartment demand, and public amenities.
The research describes plans for 380 luxury apartments, a Kroger Marketplace grocery store with a fueling station, and about 40,000 square feet of other retail space. Those elements place the project between a traditional shopping center and a residential district. The Richland Mall development is not being rebuilt as a conventional enclosed mall; it is being repositioned as a mixed-use site that links housing, shopping, parking, and public gathering space.
What Is Planned For The Former Mall Site
A Mix Of Apartments, Grocery, Retail, And Parking
The plan described in the research includes several pieces that will affect daily use of the property. The apartment segment is already tied to the first construction work now underway. The grocery component, identified in the research as a Kroger Marketplace with a fueling station, would add a major anchor use. The planned retail space, listed at about 40,000 square feet, would give the site room for other commercial tenants.
The parking structure is also part of the reuse strategy. According to the research, the developer plans to reuse a portion of the existing parking garage for resident parking and for retail and grocery users. Some wings of the garage are expected to be demolished and replaced with four-story residential units. That choice keeps part of the former mall infrastructure in service while clearing other portions for new construction.
The reuse of 30,000 tons of concrete on-site is another notable part of the project. While residents may see construction equipment and new slabs first, the material reuse shows that demolition debris is being tied back into the foundation work rather than treated only as waste. The State attributed that figure to reporting on the redevelopment and the former mall’s demolition material.
The Public Park Component
The six-acre public park is one of the most civic-facing pieces of the redevelopment. The research describes plans for a playground, amphitheater, reading garden, walking paths, and ADA-compliant features. Because the City of Forest Acres purchased the six-acre parcel, that portion of the project sits apart from the purely private commercial and residential elements.
The park timeline has shifted with the rest of the project schedule. The research states that the full development was originally expected by fall 2027, but is now projected to wrap up in April 2028. The public park segment is expected around spring 2028, according to the same research. Those dates should give residents a clearer yardstick for following public updates, especially if city meetings or notices address park construction, accessibility, programming, or maintenance.
- Site: Former Richland Mall property in Forest Acres.
- Scale: Roughly 30 to 32 acres, based on local reporting in the research.
- Investment: About $100 million for the mixed-use redevelopment.
- Housing: Plans call for 380 luxury apartments.
- Public Space: A six-acre city park is planned for completion around spring 2028.
Why The Project Matters For Local Economic Planning
From Enclosed Mall To Mixed-Use Site
The shift from a 930,000-square-foot enclosed mall to a mixed-use property reflects a local land-use decision with economic consequences. The Richland Mall development is designed around multiple daily uses rather than a single retail format. Housing can bring consistent activity to the site. A grocery anchor can draw regular trips. A park can create a public reason to visit beyond shopping.
That mix may be especially significant for Forest Acres because the former mall site occupied a large, visible piece of land. Large retail vacancies can weigh on nearby corridors, public perception, and private investment decisions. Active construction does not answer every question about tenant mix, traffic flow, or long-term management, but it does show that the property is moving into a new economic phase.
For readers tracking how major property decisions connect with broader county business planning, the site’s progress fits with ongoing discussion of a Richland economic development strategy focused on coordination among development, workforce, infrastructure, and civic oversight.
Public Oversight And Community Questions
Because part of the site is becoming a city park, the public has a direct stake in at least one major element of the redevelopment. Practical questions remain appropriate for residents to follow: how the park will be funded beyond construction, how accessible features will be delivered, how walking paths connect to nearby streets, and how the amphitheater may be used once opened.
There are also questions for nearby businesses and residents about construction impacts. The research confirms the start of building work and the revised completion projection, but it does not provide detailed traffic management plans, tenant rosters for the smaller retail spaces, or final operating details for the public park. Those items should be tracked through future city communications, developer updates, and public meeting records.
For regional readers who follow civic reporting across related communities, ITPR offers additional insights as part of the same public-interest information network and offers another place to watch connected development and community issues.
Schedule And Civic Markers To Watch
Key Dates Already Reached
The project has already passed several firm milestones. Southeastern Development purchased the property in early 2023 for about $18.6 million, according to the research. Barnes & Noble, identified in the research as the last tenant, closed in December 2023. The former mall was fully demolished by May 2026. By September 2026, construction had begun, with apartment footings and building slabs underway.
Those dates matter because redevelopment projects can appear stalled to the public during periods of demolition, permitting, grading, and infrastructure work. The visible construction stage gives Forest Acres residents a clearer indication that the project has entered the buildout period.
Dates Still Ahead
The research states that completion expectations have moved from fall 2027 to April 2028 for the full project. Around spring 2028, the public park segment is expected to be completed. Because schedules can shift during large construction projects, residents should treat those dates as projections rather than guarantees unless later public filings or official notices confirm them.
The Richland Mall development will likely remain a prominent local issue until those pieces are delivered. The apartment buildings, grocery use, smaller retail spaces, reused parking garage, and city park each carry different public impacts. Taken together, they make the former mall site one of Forest Acres’ most consequential redevelopment projects of the decade based on the scale and investment described in the research.
Former Richland Mall Site Sets A New Local Test
The former Richland Mall site now offers a practical test for Forest Acres: whether a large retail property can be rebuilt into a working mix of housing, retail, parking, and public space without losing sight of everyday community needs. The construction work that began by September 2026 is the clearest sign so far that the plan is moving from paper to pavement.
For residents, the next useful steps are civic rather than speculative. Watch for city updates on the six-acre park. Track any public notices tied to access, construction staging, and park amenities. Follow developer announcements for confirmed retail tenants beyond the grocery anchor described in the research. Ask how the reused parking garage, apartment access, and retail traffic will function together once the site opens.
The Richland Mall development is no longer only a discussion about what should replace an aging mall. It is now an active construction project with a projected April 2028 finish, a planned public park around spring 2028, and a mix of private and public pieces that will shape daily life around Forest Acres for years after the equipment leaves the site.
