Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, Gurnee Mills among malls closing Thursday

Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, Gurnee Mills and other Simon Property Group shopping centers in the Chicago area are scheduled to close Thursday because of the coronavirus pandemic, the company announced.

Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills and Fox Valley Mall in Aurora also announced they will close as of Thursday until roughly April 1.

Simon Property Group officials said the company's malls plan to be closed through March 29.

Simon said the closures are start at 7 p.m. Thursday. In addition to Woodfield and Gurnee Mills, Simon closed Chicago Premium Outlets in Aurora and Orland Square in Orland Park.

"The health and safety of our shoppers, retailers and employees is of paramount importance and we are taking this step to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our communities," said David Simon, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Simon Property Group.

Centennial Real Estate cited concerns over the health and safety of employees and customers in shutting the company's Hawthorn and Fox Valley malls.

"The COVID-19 situation is changing rapidly, and to do our part in slowing the spread of the virus, Hawthorn Mall has decided to temporarily close effective Thursday, with an estimated reopening on April 1," Hawthorn General Manager Jeff Rutzen said in a statement Wednesday morning. "We will continue to actively monitor the status of the COVID-19 outbreak in our area. When the local crisis has subsided, we will reopen the center based on guidance from our local health authorities."

Other suburban malls such as Fashion Outlets of Chicago in Rosemont, Oakbrook Center in Oak Brook, Yorktown Center in Lombard and Deer Park Town Center in Deer Park have been operating with reduced hours as a result of the pandemic.

• Staff writer Mick Zawislak contributed to this story