In the Greater Chicago retail landscape, first impressions are everything.
As a retail property manager, you understand that the exterior of your property is more than just a backdrop. It serves as a strategic asset that directly influences customer behavior, tenant satisfaction, and your bottom line.
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Well-maintained and thoughtfully enhanced retail landscaping is proven to draw more shoppers, encourage longer visits by those shoppers, and even increase spending. Research shows that customers may spend up to 12% more in retail centers with attractive landscaping. Facilities with well-maintained grounds can command up to 7% more in rental revenue. The impact on property value is equally significant, with professional landscaping increasing resale values by as much as 14%, according to a study from the University of Washington.
However, the benefits extend well beyond aesthetics. An inviting retail landscape conveys safety, professionalism, and attention to detail — qualities that today’s discerning tenants and shoppers expect.
Strategic landscape maintenance for retail properties reduces hazards, improves navigation, and can even deter crime by enhancing visibility and eliminating hiding spots for potential criminals. For mixed-use retail spaces, where foot traffic and community reputation are paramount, a vibrant landscape becomes a living brand statement, setting your property apart in a crowded market.
Additionally, proactive landscape enhancements, such as seasonal flower rotations, sustainable plantings, and efficient irrigation and water features, help keep your property looking fresh year-round and contribute to lower long-term maintenance costs.
In areas like Greater Chicago, where extreme weather and high population density present distinct challenges, an all-encompassing landscape maintenance and improvement strategy is crucial. This approach directly enhances your property’s value, positively impacts your tenants’ success, and bolsters your reputation as an innovative property manager.
For Shorewood Crossing, prioritizing retail landscaping ensures their retail and mixed-use property remains a destination of choice for tenants, shoppers, and the local community.
Shorewood Crossing is a retail destination in Shorewood, Illinois.
It’s known for its diverse roster of national and regional tenants, including Target, Portillo’s, Mariano’s, and Bank of America. Strategically positioned along Will County’s main thoroughfare, Route 59, and close to I-55, Shorewood Crossing provides easy access for shoppers.
The retail center is designed to provide a comfortable and convenient shopping experience with ample parking and high visibility.
The Shorewood area is also a fast-growing residential community in Will County. The area has been a leader in new home construction, with a surge in residential development in recent years — more than 6,800 single-family homes have been built in the last five years. Will County has also added more than 15,000 jobs in the past five years — the most of any county in Illinois.
Shorewood Crossing has 10 acres of mixed-use retail landscaping and was seeking a reliable, focused solution for its landscape maintenance.
Shorewood Crossing had several needs when it came to commercial landscape maintenance and retail maintenance in the Greater Chicago area.
Their main concerns and priorities were:
The Need For Consistent Curb Appeal: They wanted an attractive, welcoming look that was maintained year-round to support customer traffic and tenant satisfaction.
High-traffic durability: Their landscapes had to withstand heavy foot and vehicle traffic without constant repair.
Safety & Accessibility: The landscape maintenance for retail had to ensure safe, accessible walkways and parking lots in all seasons, especially during snow and ice.
Reliable, Proactive Service: The client needed a responsive partner who could identify issues early and communicate clearly.
Budget-Friendly Solutions: Shorewood Crossing wanted high-quality service and enhancements within budget constraints.
Minimal Disruption: The company wanted work performed during low-traffic hours to avoid interfering with business operations.
KD Landscape bid the Shorewood Crossing project through a national request-for-proposal and won the job. They came in with solid experience in the retail landscaping space.
The company, which provides commercial landscape maintenance and retail maintenance in Greater Chicago, has been delivering the following services to Shorewood Crossing since 2020
When KD took over commercial landscape maintenance at Shorewood Crossing, the site showed signs of inconsistent care: overgrown shrubs, compacted turf, weed-infested beds, and failing seasonal displays. Foot traffic near entrances and along sidewalks also caused turf thinning and soil compaction.
KD Landscape started with an intensive spring cleanup and revitalization phase, including deep bed cultivation, turf recovery practices, and corrective pruning. It also converted problem turf areas into mulch beds featuring ornamental grasses and perennials, providing a more resilient, attractive, and low-maintenance solution.
We now conduct routine mowing, edging, and trimming to keep turf areas neat.
Crews also regularly police the site for litter and debris to ensure a clean appearance and blow off hardscapes, sidewalks, and entryways to maintain a tidy first impression.
KD Landscape’s team designs and installs seasonal color rotations to add visual impact at entrances, signage, and key storefronts at Shorewood Crossing.
These retail landscaping services also include maintenance of flower beds, including deadheading, watering, and fertilizing, to keep displays vibrant.
Pruning of shrubs and ornamental trees for shape, visibility, and safety is the next essential service as part of landscaping for retail properties.
This includes monitoring for pests, diseases, and stress, and providing proactive treatment plans.
Annual or biannual mulch installation helps enhance aesthetics, control weeds, and retain soil moisture.
Regular weeding and edging of planting beds keep them looking sharp and clean.
Shorewood Crossing had an outdated irrigation system that was overwatering in some zones and underwatering in others, wasting water and stressing plant material.
KD Landscape reprogrammed the system using smart controllers, adjusted spray heads, and added drip irrigation to sensitive plant zones, resulting in healthier beds and lower water bills.
Now, regular retail landscaping services include seasonal startups, monitoring, and winterizations of irrigation systems.
Regular checks and adjustments are done to ensure efficient water usage and healthy plant material.
Timely and efficient snow plowing and salting of parking lots, driveways, and sidewalks are essential to keeping shops accessible, despite the weather Old Man Winter delivers in Greater Chicago.
Prioritizing safety and accessibility for both foot traffic and vehicles is key during this commercial landscape maintenance process.
When a surprise early-season snowfall strained less-prepared properties in the area, KD Landscape had already staged equipment and materials in advance. The rapid response and clean execution drew direct praise from tenants and management.
Routine property inspections and communication with the property manager, as part of retail landscaping services, keep everyone informed about what's been done and any issues that arise.
Weekly or biweekly site reports summarizing work performed, upcoming needs, and recommendations.
KD Landscape installed over 1,500 square feet of seasonal color displays and redefined more than 800 linear feet of bed edges at Shorewood Crossing — greatly improving visual cohesion and curb appeal as part of its commercial landscaping for retail buildings.
Suggesting improvements like updated plantings, upgraded hardscapes, or sustainability initiatives helps keep the property fresh and competitive.
This is important for KD Landscape’s crew to do since they are on the site regularly and can spot the best areas for improvements.
After reviewing existing maintenance plans, tenant concerns, and long-term aesthetic and functional goals, KD Landscape team members understood the concerns of Shorewood Crossing. This is how they targeted their bid and maintenance plan to ensure success.
KD Landscape implemented a structured and reliable maintenance schedule to keep the property clean, polished, and visually appealing year-round — a major client concern. They also complete retail landscaping work during off-peak hours to avoid disrupting foot traffic and retail operations.
By selecting hardy plant material and low-maintenance enhancements that were designed to thrive in high-traffic areas, they ensure a long-lasting commercial landscape that requires less upkeep.
Providing responsive snow and ice management ensures that walkways and parking lots are safe and accessible for customers and tenants.
Seasonal color and strategic enhancements boost curb appeal and highlight entrances and signage.
On top of all of this, regular site walks, detailed reports, and clear communication give the property manager peace of mind and limit unnecessary surprises or headaches.
The results are transformative. According to Vince Sammartano, business development, KD Landscape, the client has experienced a “30 percent reduction in water usage, 20 percent lower annual maintenance costs, improved tenant satisfaction, and fewer service calls. Reactive service requests dropped by over 40 percent in the first year, due to proactive site walks and timely issue resolution.”
KD Landscape’s professional approach to Shorewood Crossing's retail landscaping has helped reduce complaints, improve visibility, enhance the appearance, lower maintenance expenses, and increase overall satisfaction among tenants.
Just like Shorewood Crossing, your mixed-use and retail landscape may need some attention to improve the property’s look for shoppers, keep the site accessible, and improve communication.
But maybe you also have a lot on your plate, and you don’t have time to micromanage a landscape company or worry about whether your facility is being neglected by the service provider you choose.
We understand. You’re busy and your time is valuable. Let KD Landscape help. We can discuss your priorities and build a relationship of trust with you so you feel like we’re listening to you and your needs.
We can communicate with you in the ideal way you choose and respond promptly, so you’re never left wondering what’s next, stressing about an impending snowstorm, or worried that something won’t get done before a critical shopping season. We can proactively share impactful ideas with you to boost areas of your property, so you’re always delivering for your tenants and the local community.
Want to learn more about our commercial landscape maintenance and retail maintenance in Greater Chicago? Get started today with an on-site consultation. We’ll review your options together so you can make a great choice.