The JCPenney at Springfield Town Center is set to shut its doors on May 24, 2026, and the long time two level anchor may not be quiet for long. Early redevelopment plans point to the space being reborn as a Dick’s House of Sport, complete with a synthetic turf field wrapped by a running track.
According to the Washington Business Journal, the concept would require demolishing part of the existing JCPenney building to carve out room for the turf and track setup and other House of Sport features. The outlet reports that the design would follow the company’s larger House of Sport playbook, which combines traditional retail with on site recreation and programming.
The store, one of the mall’s original anchors built in 1973, will close after 53 years of operation, FFXnow reports. That coverage notes the building’s address at 6699 Springfield Mall and says developers Meridian Group and Martin Diamond bought the JCPenney site in 2022, after which Catalyst Brands told local media it could not keep the store’s lease going.
What a House of Sport Would Bring
Dick’s House of Sport is built around the idea that shoppers might stick around longer if they can actually play. Reporting from Shaw Local on a proposed Joliet location lists climbing walls, golf simulators, batting cages and, in some cases, turf fields and skating rinks among the amenities. Company real estate executives told that outlet the format is meant to act as a regional draw, not just another big box…