Photo courtesy of Winstanley Enterprises

A Chelmsford retail plaza leased to a group of national tenants sold for the first time since its development in the early 1970s.

Concord-based Winstanley Enterprises partnered with Surrey Equities of Eatontown, New Jersey on the $28 million acquisition of the nearly 225,000-square-foot Chelmsford Mall, in an off-market transaction that closed Thursday.

The seller was TRS Carex Realty Trust, an affiliate of the original developer. Liberty Bank provided $16.8 million in mortgage financing.

Originally developed in 1974, Chelmsford Mall property initially was anchored by Bradlees and Child World and contained an enclosed interior mall section before its conversion into an open-air center in the 1990s. Current tenants include Kohl’s, Michaels, PetSmart, Staples, Famous Footwear, Carter’s and Best Fitness. 

Winstanley Enterprises will operate the 22-acre property and plans to upgrade landscaping and parking areas, the company said in a statement.

The acquisition is the second in the Merrimack Valley town for Winstanley following its $7.6 million acquisition of the 41,000-square-foot Chelmsford Town Center property at 16 Boston Road in 2013.

Winstanley Enterprises owns and operates 15 million square feet of commercial real estate in New England.