KTJ partner James V. Ferolo served as lead attorney for the Village of Vernon Hills on the Hawthorn Mall Redevelopment Project, a $490 million reimagining of the super-regional shopping center that has anchored the community since 1973. He negotiated and prepared the redevelopment agreement with Centennial, the mall's owner and developer, including the terms of $50 million in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and other incentives.

Negotiating an agreement of this size with a national developer required James to balance the Village's long-term goals for the site with the financial realities of a large, multiphase project. He shaped the terms, governing how and when incentives would be provided, protecting the Village's public investment, all while giving the developer a workable path to complete the project. As the project grew to nearly three times its original scope, James adapted the agreement and approvals to keep pace.

James also led the Village through the zoning entitlement process and prepared the zoning legislation needed to bring residential uses to a property originally built for retail, allowing the redevelopment to move forward. That work included guiding the project through each stage of the Village's public hearing and approval process, positioning it to advance with the community's support.

The Village Board approved the original redevelopment agreement in July of 2021 and approved an amended redevelopment agreement in September of 2026, paving the way for the $490 million transformation of Hawthorn Mall.