EATONTOWN – Drivers on major highways passing in front of Monmouth Mall may notice ongoing construction in front of the mall.

This work is in preparation for the move of Barnes & Nobles. The book retailer is one of the key retailers that will be part of the mall’s future. Kushner Cos. is renovating the mall as part of a long-awaited major redevelopment project.

Barnes & Noble is moving from its corner location to a site previously occupied by Firebirds Wood Fired Grill and La Maison Fine Furniture. Grocery chain Whole Foods will then take over the Barnes & Noble location.

Barnes & Noble will remain open during construction.

TGI Fridays at Monmouth Mall closed. Find out what remains of the mall’s transformation.

Last month, Mayor Anthony Talerico Jr. said in a mall update that Barnes & Noble’s new location will be completed by summer. The book retailer’s new location will eliminate the mall’s food court entrance, which will become part of the store.

The main demolition and reconstruction of the shopping center is scheduled to begin this spring. However, it is still unclear when exactly the groundbreaking will take place.

Memories of the coast: Remember these restaurants on the Jersey Shore? We wish they were still here

Monmouth Square

In 2015, the mall’s owner, Kushner Cos., began redeveloping the mall as brick-and-mortar retail lost ground to e-commerce. In the years since, the developer has released a few plans and either scrapped or modified them.

Last December, a final plan was drawn up and approved by the district planning committee.

This plan calls for 1,000 apartments, around 84,000 square meters of retail space, new green spaces, pedestrian walkways and a public common area. The apartments were the most controversial part of the plan. Originally, 700 apartments were to be built in seven-story buildings on the property line.

Memories of Monmouth Mall: Bamberger’s, Bun N’ Burger and more live on in photos and stories

However, in the final plan, the number of apartments has been reduced to four floors and most of them will be located in the middle of the shopping center site, away from the periphery of the shopping center and its residential area.

The shopping center’s retail space will be reduced from the current 1.5 million square meters by about 600,000 square meters. During the redesign, some interior areas will be retained, but the second-floor wing will be demolished.

When Jersey Shore native Dan Radel isn’t covering the news, you can find him in a college classroom where he’s a history professor. Reach him at @danielradelapp; 732-643-4072; [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Barnes & Noble in Monmouth Mall moves, Whole Foods comes