H&M will be a part of existing retail space in the Meridian Mall that is currently occupied by Abercombie and Fitch. Kieselbach said he was not sure what the mall planned to do with Abercombie and Fitch after the holiday season.

“The space they want already has a tenant,” he said. “I don’t know what the mall’s plans with the tenant (Abercombie and Fitch) is for after the holidays, but they could start (developing) as early as that.”

The mall could be undergoing other changes, including a nearly 19,000 square foot expansion of the mall bringing the total retail square foot space of the mall to more than 50,000 square feet. The mall is currently about one million square feet total.

The expansion was discussed at the Meridian Township Board meeting Tuesday night. Before the meeting, Kieselbach said he believed community support for the expansion would be high.

“I would think yes (there would be support),” he said. “The town is always looking to bring in new users to keep the town vibrant and active.”

The expansion would be on the north side of the mall on the west side of JC Penney’s. The expansion would be completed by KEBS Inc., an engineering firm out of Haslett.

Kieselbach said he did not know which tenant would take the expansion.

“They are working on it, they are attempting to get a lease,” he said.

Kieselbach said the mall has a specific retailer they are trying to get to fill the space but would not reveal who the retailer was.

Meridian Township board member Ronald J. Styka said the expansion was an important part of the mall and an essential piece of the area.

“The Meridian Mall is the commercial heart of this community,” he said during the meeting. “Anything that we can do to improve the condition of that heart is very important for the whole community.”

Future expansions to the mall that were discussed included more green space and another story to diversify potential uses.