Eclipse Center
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA mixed-use commercial, civic, educational, and events complex in Beloit, Wisconsin, developed from the former Beloit Plaza and Beloit Mall.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Eclipse Center is a mixed-use complex in Beloit, Wisconsin, United States. The property originated as Beloit Plaza, a major open-air shopping center that opened in 1966 with more than 60 stores and services. It was the first major shopping center in Rock County and became an important retail destination for the Beloit area. In 1981, a roof was added over the center and the property was renamed Beloit Mall, reflecting the enclosed-mall format that was then becoming dominant in American retail. The enclosed mall later experienced the decline common to many regional and community shopping centers. By 2000, most of the mall had closed, although the Elder-Beerman department store continued operating for a period. Ken and Diane Hendricks acquired the property in 2004. Rather than restore it solely as a conventional shopping mall, they repositioned it as a broader community-oriented complex. The Eclipse Center name was introduced in March 2007 and referred to the Eclipse Windmill Company, a historically significant Beloit manufacturer. The redevelopment strategy broadened the site's functions beyond retail. One of the most significant projects was the conversion of the former JCPenney building into the Beloit Public Library. The 63,419-square-foot library was completed in 2009, giving the former mall a substantial civic use. Renovation work elsewhere in the complex began in June 2010. The former Sears space was redeveloped by 2011, while later plans addressed the center court, exterior facade, and creation of an open courtyard. The complex continued to change as traditional department-store operations contracted. The closing of the Beloit Elder-Beerman store was announced in January 2018. Beginning in 2020, the former Kohl's building and vacant northeastern portions of the property were demolished to make room for The Lincoln Academy, an independent charter school. The academy was built as a freestanding facility rather than as an attached component of the shopping center. Construction took place from June 2020 through July 2021, producing a 115,000-square-foot educational building. By the 2020s, Eclipse Center was no longer primarily a mall. Its identity was based on a combination of commercial space, public services, education, events, and redevelopment activity. The Eclipse Event Center remained one of the site's event-oriented facilities, while the Beloit Public Library and The Lincoln Academy represented major civic and educational uses. On January 5, 2026, the Beloit City Council approved a development agreement for the third phase of The Lincoln Academy's expansion. The academy's board approved moving forward with the project on February 4, 2026. Reporting in February indicated that the Eclipse Event Center was expected to be demolished as part of the expansion. By June 2026, the school had capacity for approximately 730 students and expected to double in size when the expansion was completed in 2027. These plans indicate that the site continues to evolve from its original enclosed-mall format into a mixed-use institutional and community complex.
History
Eclipse Center's history begins with Beloit Plaza, which opened in 1966 in Beloit, Wisconsin. The center contained more than 60 stores and services and was described as the first major shopping center in Rock County. Its opening reflected the growth of automobile-oriented suburban retail and provided Beloit and surrounding communities with a consolidated destination for department stores, specialty retailers, and services. In 1981, the center was enclosed and renamed Beloit Mall. The conversion placed the property within the enclosed-mall retail model that dominated much of the American shopping-center industry during the late twentieth century. For a time, the mall served as a major local retail destination, with large department-store spaces anchoring the complex. The property subsequently declined as retail patterns changed and competition increased. In 2000, the mall closed apart from the Elder-Beerman department store. Ken and Diane Hendricks acquired the property in 2004 and pursued a redevelopment approach that did not depend exclusively on restoring the former mall as a conventional retail center. The Eclipse Center identity was established in March 2007. Its name was derived from the Eclipse Windmill Company, a historic Beloit manufacturer, connecting the redeveloped property with the city's industrial heritage. A central part of the transformation was the adaptive reuse of existing buildings. The city converted the former JCPenney building into the Beloit Public Library. The 63,419-square-foot library was completed in 2009 and became a major public use within the former mall complex. Renovations in other areas began in June 2010. The former Sears space had been redeveloped by 2011, while plans announced for a later phase included work on the center court, the exterior facade, and an open courtyard intended to create a more flexible and contemporary environment. The complex continued to lose conventional department-store functions. In January 2018, the closing of the Beloit Elder-Beerman was announced. In 2020, demolition began on the former Kohl's building and vacant northeastern parts of the complex. The demolition enabled construction of The Lincoln Academy, an independent charter school planned as a freestanding building rather than as an attached mall tenant. Construction ran from June 2020 to July 2021, resulting in a 115,000-square-foot school facility. This redevelopment changed Eclipse Center from a primarily retail property into a mixed-use site serving civic, educational, commercial, and event purposes. The former mall's physical structures were reused, altered, or removed according to the needs of new occupants. The Beloit Public Library became a long-term civic anchor, The Lincoln Academy added a major educational function, and the Eclipse Event Center provided event-related space. The next major change was associated with The Lincoln Academy's expansion. On January 5, 2026, the Beloit City Council approved a development agreement for the academy's third phase. The academy's board approved proceeding with the project on February 4. Reports in February stated that the Eclipse Event Center was expected to be demolished as part of the expansion. By June 2026, the academy had capacity for roughly 730 students and anticipated doubling in size when the expansion was completed in 2027. Eclipse Center therefore represents a transition from traditional enclosed shopping-center retail to mixed-use urban redevelopment. Its successive identities—Beloit Plaza, Beloit Mall, and Eclipse Center—correspond to different phases of the property's commercial and civic history. Although the mall closed as a mall in 2000, the site remained active through adaptive reuse, public investment, education, commerce, and events.
- 2026
Lincoln Academy expansion approved
[1]The Beloit City Council approved a development agreement on January 5, and the academy board approved moving forward on February 4. The planned expansion was reported to include demolition of the Eclipse Event Center.
- 2021
The Lincoln Academy facility opens
[1]Construction of the 115,000-square-foot freestanding charter-school building was completed after work from June 2020 through July 2021.
- 2020
Demolition begins for The Lincoln Academy
[1]The former Kohl's building and vacant northeastern portions of the complex began being removed for construction of The Lincoln Academy.
- 2018
Elder-Beerman closing announced
[1]The closure of the Beloit Elder-Beerman location was announced in January, removing another traditional department-store anchor.
- 2011
Former Sears space redeveloped
[1]The former Sears space had been redeveloped by 2011 as part of the site's continuing reuse.
- 2010
Further complex renovations begin
[1]Renovation work across other portions of the complex began in June 2010.
- 2009
Beloit Public Library opens in former JCPenney building
[1]The city completed conversion of the former JCPenney building into a 63,419-square-foot public library.
- 2007
Eclipse Center identity established
[1]The Eclipse Center name was established in March 2007, referencing Beloit's historic Eclipse Windmill Company.
- 2004
Property acquired by Ken and Diane Hendricks
[1]Ken and Diane Hendricks acquired the former mall property and began a broader redevelopment approach.
- 2000
Mall closes apart from Elder-Beerman
[1]The mall ceased operating as a full shopping center, although the Elder-Beerman department store remained open for a time.
Products and positioning
A community-oriented mixed-use redevelopment of a former shopping mall, combining commercial activity with civic, educational, and event uses.
Commercial real estate · 1966
Retail and commercial space
The site's original and continuing commercial role consists of retail stores, services, and other commercial occupancy. Its retail format changed over time from an open-air shopping center to an enclosed mall and later to a mixed-use complex with fewer traditional department-store functions.
Civic facility · 2009
Beloit Public Library
The Beloit Public Library occupies the converted former JCPenney building. Completed in 2009, the 63,419-square-foot facility is one of the most substantial adaptive-reuse projects associated with Eclipse Center and gives the former retail property a continuing public-service function.
Events and meetings
Eclipse Event Center
The Eclipse Event Center represents the complex's event-oriented use, supporting gatherings and other community or commercial functions. Reports in 2026 indicated that the facility was slated for demolition as part of The Lincoln Academy's planned expansion.
Education · 2021
The Lincoln Academy
The Lincoln Academy is an independent charter school constructed on land formerly occupied by portions of the shopping complex. Its 115,000-square-foot freestanding building was constructed between June 2020 and July 2021. The academy's subsequent expansion plans became a major driver of further site redevelopment.
Brand decisions
2026
Lincoln Academy expansion approvedStrategyBackground
The Lincoln Academy sought to expand its capacity and continue developing its presence at the former mall site.
Action taken
The Beloit City Council approved a development agreement on January 5, 2026, and the academy board approved proceeding with the third phase on February 4.
Aftermath
The expansion was expected to include demolition of the Eclipse Event Center and to increase the academy's capacity substantially, with completion anticipated in 2027.
2020
Site cleared for charter-school constructionStrategyBackground
Vacant and obsolete portions of the former mall remained available for redevelopment as traditional retail activity declined.
Action taken
The former Kohl's building and vacant northeastern sections were demolished to prepare for The Lincoln Academy.
Aftermath
A freestanding 115,000-square-foot charter-school facility was constructed and completed in 2021.
2009
Adaptive reuse of former JCPenney buildingStrategyBackground
The former mall's vacant department-store buildings created an opportunity for civic reuse.
Action taken
The city converted the former JCPenney building into the Beloit Public Library.
Aftermath
The completed 63,419-square-foot library became a major public anchor within the complex.
2007
Repositioning as Eclipse CenterStrategyBackground
After the former Beloit Mall had largely closed, the property's new owners sought to move beyond a conventional enclosed-mall model.
Action taken
The property was given the Eclipse Center name and repositioned for public, educational, commercial, and event uses.
Aftermath
The redevelopment established the site's current mixed-use identity and enabled subsequent civic and educational projects.
Sources1 sources
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