IllinoisRetail New retail development, Mellody Farm, will welcome first anchors in October September 27, 2018 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share via email One of the Midwest’s largest ground-up retail center developments in 2018, Mellody Farm, has announced its first phase of retail openings. The $200 million development will welcome its first five retail anchors—Whole Foods Market, REI, Nordstrom Rack, HomeGoods and Barnes & Noble—as they open beginning in October and continue through 2019. Slated to be fully leased by Fall 2019, the 270,000-square-foot center will eventually offer 50 merchants and 260 executive apartments. The development is owned by the largest grocery-anchored REIT in the country—Regency Centers Corporation—a national owner, operator and developer of community-facing shopping centers. Mellody Farm adds to Regency Centers’ Upper Midwest portfolio of 30 centers totaling 4.4 million square feet. Vernon Hills’ newest retail development reflects the evolution of brick-and-mortar retail with a focus on attracting shoppers who place a high value on experiences. The property will be located at the corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Townline Road, approximately two miles west of I-94.