Wellington Green Nordstrom Apartments: 620-Unit Plan, Pros, Cons & Next Steps

620 Apartments Where Nordstrom Used to Be: Smart Fix or the Wrong Move for Wellington?

The Nordstrom at The Mall at Wellington Green has been dark since 2019. Now a Wellington developer wants to tear it down and build 620 apartments in its place. To some residents, that's a smart way to fill a dead space and bring shoppers back to the mall. To others, it's more density on an already busy corner of Forest Hill Boulevard and State Road 7. Here's the plan, the arguments on both sides, and what happens next.

The plan at a glance

Where: The former Nordstrom, 10324 Forest Hill Blvd, at The Mall at Wellington Green
Developer: Bainbridge Companies, through Bainbridge Communities Acquisition I LLC
What: 620 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments in three buildings, with a clubhouse, open space and a parking garage
Status: Application filed with the Village; not approved; no hearing date reported
Projected buildout: 2031, according to the developer's traffic study

What's being proposed

Bainbridge filed an application in spring 2026 to amend the mall's master plan so the former Nordstrom site can be used for apartments. According to the application, as reported by CBS12, the site covers about 9 acres and includes the vacant 121,670-square-foot store, which more recently hosted pop-ups like Spirit Halloween. Village Manager Jim Barnes described the plan to WPTV as "one-, two- and three-bedroom units including three towers and a parking structure," with shared amenities. The existing building would be demolished if the plan is approved.

Nordstrom opened at the mall in 2003 and closed in April 2019. The mall itself has been in a foreclosure case for years and is being run by a court-appointed receiver. For background on the sale and the mall's finances, see our earlier story on what the Nordstrom plan means for Wellington.

The case for apartments

It fills a dead space. The store has sat mostly empty for more than seven years. Supporters argue a vacant anchor drags down the whole mall.
More people, more shoppers. Barnes told WPTV that "additional development happening in the vicinity of the mall does have some benefit for the existing retail." He also noted that Macy's, Dillard's and JCPenney are performing well, and said he'd heard the Wellington Macy's is the highest-performing in the state.
Housing is tight. "Not only in the county, but throughout the state, and even out of the state, there is a shortage of housing units," Barnes said.
Less daily traffic than a store, on paper. The developer's traffic study, as reported by CBS12, projects 1,164 fewer daily trips than the former retail use, with evening rush-hour trips down 158 and morning rush-hour trips up 146.

The case against

"We have enough apartments." One longtime resident told WPTV there are "already a bunch of apartment complexes around the mall" and the area doesn't need more.
Traffic at a busy corner. Another resident worried that adding daily commutes "might create some bottlenecks." Even the developer's study notes existing problems at Forest Hill Boulevard and State Road 7, though it concludes the project itself meets county and Village traffic standards.
Wellington's character. For many residents, the debate is part of a bigger worry about how much denser the State Road 7 corridor is getting, with Lotis, Village Landing and other projects all adding homes, hotels and shops nearby.

Part of a national trend

Turning dead mall anchors into apartments has become common across Florida and the country as department stores shrink. Supporters see it as the natural next life for big empty boxes; critics worry about losing commercial space and adding density to suburban areas built around cars. Wellington's decision will say a lot about which way the village wants that corridor to go.

What happens next

The proposal still has to go through the Village's planning and zoning review and public hearings before the Village Council can vote. No hearing dates have been reported. When they're scheduled, residents will be able to speak, and we'll post the dates here.

What do you think?

Smart fix for an empty store, or the wrong move for Wellington? Either way, this one will shape the mall for years. For more on what's changing nearby, see our stories on LA Fitness becoming Club Studio, Copper Blues at Wellington Green and Village Landing.

Frequently asked questions

What is replacing Nordstrom at The Mall at Wellington Green?

Bainbridge Companies has proposed demolishing the former Nordstrom and building 620 apartments in three buildings with a clubhouse and parking garage. The plan has not been approved.

Has the Wellington Nordstrom apartment plan been approved?

No. It needs a master plan amendment through the Village of Wellington's planning and zoning process and public hearings. No hearing dates have been reported.

Will the Nordstrom apartments add traffic?

The developer's traffic study projects 1,164 fewer daily trips than the former store, with morning rush-hour trips up 146 and evening trips down 158. Some residents still worry about congestion at Forest Hill Blvd and State Road 7.

When did Nordstrom close at Wellington Green?

Nordstrom opened at the mall in 2003 and closed in April 2019. The space has been mostly vacant since.