When the Fairplain Plaza opened 40 years ago, it was a great location for retail businesses.

Real estate developer James Paul decided Fairplain Plaza represented a great opportunity for redevelopment, despite its recent years of hardship and a plethora of vacant space. His company, JPA Development in Oak Brook, Ill., acquired the 68-acre Fairplain Plaza in June 1997.

The plaza is now back up to having 300,000 square feet enclosed. This includes 102,000 square feet in a new Target store, which has become a major anchor for the property. Another 80,000 square feet of space is under construction, building space for a T.J. Maxx store and a Dunham's sporting goods store.