As malls across the United States adapt to new consumer expectations, 2025 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for shopping center transformation. Leading developers are investing millions to reposition retail real estate into experience-first, mixed-use destinations that combine shopping, dining, entertainment, housing, and hospitality.
From major overhauls of legacy malls to ground-up redevelopments in fast-growing cities, these projects reflect a clear trend: the role of shopping centers is expanding – and so is the need for real-time, location-based intelligence.
As shopping centers evolve into multi-use destinations, understanding how visitors move through these spaces is becoming increasingly important. Tools like Wi-Fi analytics and foot traffic intelligence are helping stakeholders across marketing, leasing, and operations make more informed, data-driven decisions.
Here are six U.S. shopping center redevelopments to watch closely in 2025:
1. Tysons Corner Center – Virginia
Investment: $100 million
Completion: Phased through 2025
One of the most iconic malls in the country, Tysons Corner Center is undergoing a $100 million refresh to create a more walkable, lifestyle-driven district. The transformation focuses on enhancing the west end with:
- A curated luxury market
- Expanded flagship stores (Apple, Zara, Uniqlo)
- Experiential dining and social entertainment
As Tysons becomes more urban and mixed-use, digital infrastructure – including guest Wi-Fi and behavior analytics – will be key to attracting and retaining visitors across its evolving footprint.
2. The Center (Former CNN Headquarters) – Atlanta, GA
Investment: $400–500 million
Completion: Early 2026 (ahead of FIFA World Cup)
Located in the heart of downtown Atlanta, “The Center” is a bold adaptive reuse project converting the former CNN headquarters into a world-class destination featuring:
- A multi-story atrium with dining and retail
- A large-format food hall
- 230,000+ sq ft of commercial space
This project underscores how entertainment, commerce, and culture can converge in high-traffic environments.
3. Crabtree Valley Mall – Raleigh, NC
Investment: $60 million (post-acquisition upgrade)
Completion: 2025–2027
Following a $290 million acquisition by Macerich, Crabtree Valley Mall is being reimagined as a flagship property in the growing Triangle region. Renovation plans include:
- Modernized common areas
- Retail upgrades
- Enhanced digital infrastructure
4. Enfield Marketplace – Enfield, CT
Investment: $250 million
Completion: Breaking ground in 2025
The redevelopment of Enfield Square Mall into Enfield Marketplace will bring a hybrid mix of:
- Residential apartments
- Hotel accommodations
- Anchored retail
- Recreation and community amenities
Backed by state funding and civic support, the project demonstrates how small-market centers are embracing mixed-use urbanism.
5. Downtown Chesterfield – Chesterfield, MO
Investment: Over $300 million
Completion: First phases 2025–2026
Replacing the now demolished Chesterfield Mall, this mixed-use project includes:
- Retail promenades
- 1,000+ multifamily residential units
- Office space and civic amenities
“Downtown Chesterfield” is a case study in suburban reinvention – replacing single-use retail footprints with walkable neighborhoods.
6. Monmouth Square – Eatontown, NJ
Investment: Undisclosed
Completion: Phased through 2026
Brookfield and Kushner Companies are transforming Monmouth Mall into Monmouth Square, a vibrant, open-air town center with:
- Grocery and dining anchors
- High-end residential units
- Community green space
This redevelopment aligns with the rise of “retail villages” that blend lifestyle, convenience, and experiential design – where real-time visitor intelligence becomes a foundational tool for success.
Rethinking Wi-Fi in Shopping Centers
As these six projects show, 2025 is a turning point for shopping center redevelopment in the U.S. Mall owners and developers are no longer just building places to shop – they’re creating connected environments designed around movement, behavior, and digital-first experiences.
In this new landscape, visitor intelligence is becoming essential. Understanding how people navigate physical spaces, where they dwell, which zones attract traffic, and how patterns change over time, can shape everything from leasing strategy to marketing activation.
At the core of this transformation is the ability to build a verified, privacy-compliant visitor database. Unlike traditional footfall counters or aggregated mobile data, Wi-Fi-based solutions offer property teams real-time, location-specific insights tied to first-party interactions. This enables a more accurate view of customer behavior over time – critical for both operations and personalization.
To help industry stakeholders stay informed, Aislelabs also curates a monthly Property Database, tracking new coffee shops, hotel, and mixed-use developments across the globe. It’s designed to support expansion planning, prospecting, and tenant engagement ahead of property openings.
At Aislelabs, we work with malls, REITs, and real estate developers to turn existing Wi-Fi infrastructure into a business advantage:
- Build a verified, privacy-compliant visitor database
- Understand real-time foot traffic and dwell patterns
- Run omnichannel marketing campaigns with measurable ROI
- Deliver insights to IT, marketing, and leasing teams – all from one platform
Planning a redevelopment? Let Wi-Fi do more than connect.
See how our Wi-Fi analytics and marketing platform supports shopping center transformations.
