Chauncey Hill Mall tenants must be out by Aug. 1

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — After roughly eight years filled with rumors, questions and withdrawn plans, Chauncey Hill Mall businesses are packing up and moving out.

In a notice provided to the Journal & Courier dated June 4, Core Lafayette Chauncey, owner of the Chauncey Hill Mall, stated current tenants would be required to surrender possession of their spaces no later than Aug. 1.

In May, Core Spaces submitted proposed designs to the Tippecanoe Area Plan Commission for a 13-story mix of apartments and retail space, totaling 691 units and 1,687 bedrooms. Following Chauncey Hill Mall's historic L-shape, the property would include underground parking and an open green space at the corner of Chauncey Avenue and West State Street.

Emails to Core Spaces' representatives for comment on the project's timeline were not returned Monday.

John Zhang, co-owner of Blaze Chinese BBQ, said Monday he feels stuck after receiving the notice to vacate. Operating on a month-to-month lease before the notice, Zhang said there was no indication otherwise that signaled the owners would close the building down.

"I really wish they could have given us a little more heads up, some lead time, so we could better manage our inventory and plans in terms of investing money," Zhang said. "Over the summer, we have been preparing for the coming semester by purchasing new equipment and making interior improvements, so we also had quite a bit purchased. Now, we are kind of stuck."

Some of the improvements Zhang made included the addition of a new stove top and two new air conditioning units, he said, in a total he estimates to be worth $20,000. Had he known his business would need to vacate before the start of a new school year, Zhang said he would have sought out temporary remedies.

"Normally this kind of stuff we would use it for five to eight years," Zhang said. "I am not saying these kinds of repairs were made because of them, but it's really hard for us to recycle these items because we have to now hire people to disassemble it all."

While Zhang continues to search for a new or temporary location for Blaze Chinese BBQ, he said the business is doing its best to sell off inventory with what little time remains.

Vicki Humerickhouse, maintenance supervisor for the Chauncey Hill Mall and the Chauncey Hill Annex, said she has maintained the properties for the last 35 years, solely on her own. Hired by Bob Crum, one of the properties' original developers, Humerickhouse said that after all these years, it is hard for her to believe it is finally coming to an end.

"I'll survive. You know, after 35 years I've got a pretty good reference anywhere I go," Humerickhouse said. "Personally, I look at it as I might finally get a day off."

Her job was somewhat similar to the job her mother, Betty Jean Frazier, held for the Chauncey Hill Annex, Humerickhouse said, monitoring customer parking and shooing off any violators. Along with her mother, Humerickhouse's son found employment with the Chauncey Hill Mall, too, maintaining cleanliness in the parking lot and in front of businesses.

"I was cleaning out some of the offices at the annex, going through old payroll stuff from back when we had little paper checks off the printer, and I found check stubs from my mother, my son, and one of my son's friends I raised," Humerickhouse said. "That was a real tear-jerker moment for me."

Jordan Hassan, co-owner of Where Else Bar, said the bar had been closed since the end of the spring semester to give his staff a break. A week before the formal notice went out, Hassan said he had been in the bar painting and working on general maintenance.

But now the home of Where Else for the past 12 years has closed its doors, and he is working to clear the space out.

"The Chauncey Hill Mall has been a good spot, but our time there is done," Hassan said. "I have to give a shout to Vicki, who has been the best property manager throughout all of the different ownerships we've seen throughout the years. We've enjoyed the 12 years we've had here."

Jillian Ellison is a reporter for the Journal and Courier. She can be reached via email at jellison@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @ellison_writes.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Chauncey Hill Mall tenants must be out by Aug. 1