Concord Mall Faces Shrink to 233,100 Square Feet

Retail tenants and operators near Wilmington should review lease timing as the county weighs the proposed demolition.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Retail

Concord Mall Faces Shrink to 233,100 Square Feet

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Abrams Realty and Development has filed a redevelopment application with New Castle County to demolish the 846,896-square-foot Concord Mall in Brandywine Hundred and replace it with a 233,100-square-foot general retail building. The filing, made in August 2026, is labeled a minor land development, which keeps it out of county council approval.

Why it matters

The plan reshapes a large retail property near Wilmington, cutting the mall's footprint to roughly a quarter of its current size while keeping two anchor buildings. For retail operators and tenants in the area, the shift signals that older enclosed-mall space is being converted to smaller, single-story retail rather than rented as it stands.

The redevelopment would reduce the building from 846,896 square feet to 233,100 square feet, a reduction of roughly 613,800 square feet. The filing was made about three months before this report, and the county completed its first review in September with required revisions still outstanding.

The players

Abrams Realty and Development

A real estate developer pursuing the redevelopment of Concord Mall and having previously acquired another mall in Reading, Pennsylvania.

Namdar Realty Group

The owner of Concord Mall, which has not commented on the proposed redevelopment plans.

New Castle County

The county government whose Land Use Department reviews land development applications and whose approval the project requires.

Cafe Riviera

A tenant at Concord Mall that is awaiting answers about the property's future before deciding whether to relocate.

The details

The plans keep the former Sears building and Boscov's while removing the middle section of the indoor mall, including the Macy's anchor. The proposed new structure is one story with a green roof, and the parking lot would receive new landscaping and a boulevard-style entrance from Concord Pike. Because the project is classified as a minor land development, it advances through county staff review rather than requiring New Castle County Council approval. Demolition cannot begin until the project completes county review and approval.

August 2026: Abrams Realty filed its demolition and redevelopment application with New Castle County.
September 2026: The county's Land Use Department completed its first review and advised required revisions.
Mid-2027: Cafe Riviera's current lease ends, and the tenant is awaiting answers about the mall's future before deciding whether to move.

Market Landscape

The Concord Mall plan follows a pattern in which enclosed regional malls are reduced to smaller formats built around surviving anchors. Abrams Realty's acquisition of a mall in Reading, Pennsylvania, suggests the developer is applying a similar approach across more than one property.

Retail tenants at Concord Mall, including Cafe Riviera, should factor the possibility of relocation into near-term lease planning before the mid-2027 lease end. Operators considering space in the Brandywine Hundred area should track the county's review outcome, since any approved plan would change the available square footage and parking configuration.

The takeaway

Retail operators with leases in older enclosed malls should treat redevelopment filings as a signal to review renewal terms and relocation options early. Monitor the county's next plan review for revisions that would confirm the project's final size and timeline.