Windsor's mayor is open to working with the owners Devonshire Mall to see if there's an opportunity for a residential component on the property.
Primaris, the owner of Devonshire Mall, announced in mid-March that the former Sears space at the shopping centre will be demolished.
The Sears store closed in January of 2018, and the demolition of the former retail space will create an 18.5 acre site for development, which includes parking spaces bordering the E.C Row Expressway.
Mayor Drew Dilkens says they are trying to do as much as they can to relieve the housing crisis.
"Things like Primaris looking at their mall property, and saying, 'We've got a big store, an old store in Sears. How can we take that down?' They're open to considering what does it look like having retail space or commercial space, and then having residential above?," he says.
Dilkens says you could image how a residential component would be complementary to mall activity and the grocery store there..
"Everyone who drives by knows that it has been pretty much an underutilized space, the part closest to the E.C. Row Expressway, mostly an underutilized space for a long time," he says. "If we could work together to find a pathway that adds some excitement to the mall, helps their business, and also helps with the housing challenge that we have nationally, then let's work on it together."
Dilkens believes a residential aspect would compliment the location.
"You've got transit right there, you've got a movie theatre, you've got a mall, you've got a grocery store, you've got restaurants. It really is a great location," he says.
Along with the demolition announcement last month, Devonshire Mall also announced that Canadian Brew House will replace the former Buffalo Wild Wing, Chinese retailer Miniso will set up near the food court and local eatery Today Café will move in as well.
The new stores are expected to open in late summer or early fall.
With files from The Morning Drive