NEW YORK CITY—The Mall at Bay Plaza, New York City's largest and first enclosed fashion mall in over 40 years, opened in the Bronx yesterday. The 780,000-square-foot, three-level facility is the largest mall in the city.
The complex includes a new, ground-up 160,000-square-foot Macy's Inc., which is be the first time the retailer is opening a new location within the city in 15 years, and an existing JC Penney as the anchor tenants. Over 100 retail shops have been constructed, many of which will operate in the Bronx for the first time. H&M, Ulta, Victoria Secret, Kay Jewelers, the Gap, Aeropostale and many others will open their first locations in the borough.
Prestige Properties & Development Co. Inc., the mall's owner and developer, has invested over $300 million in the mall's construction and development. The state and city of New York are expected to receive more than $25 million annually in non-property tax revenue, split nearly evenly between the two, according to an economic benefits study conducted by AKRF, Inc.
“After much hard work, it is extremely rewarding to have the mall open to the public. It was our mission to create an open and friendly retail destination for Bronx residents, New Yorkers and visitors alike. We are confident that the Mall at Bay Plaza will make for a great addition to the Bronx and to the city,” says Sam Shalem, chairman and CEO of Prestige. “It's humbling to know that we have brought a number of new stores and jobs to the borough.”
Adds Lieutenant Governor Robert J. Duffy, “This mall is an example of the economic growth that we are seeing across the state under Governor Cuomo's leadership. The Mall at Bay Plaza will ensure that the region sees many economic benefits, with new jobs and new businesses growing right here in the Bronx. I thank our public and private partners for their commitment in developing this borough and look forward to the Bay Plaza serving as an economic engine in the Bronx for years to come.”
Shoppers may access free WiFi throughout the mall along with a dozen dining options at the food court, which is located on the third floor and lined with flat-screen televisions and light-streaming floor-to-ceiling windows. Additional dining options are located on the second floor.
In addition, XSport Fitness, a 24-hour gym, will soon have its first Bronx location and an AMC Theater is adjacent to the shopping complex. The mall sits next to to the Bay Plaza Shopping Center, which features an additional 1.2 million square feet of retail space, and has been owned and operated by Prestige Properties since 1988. The entire development will now be folded into the Mall at Bay Plaza – expanding the space to over two million square feet.
The mall is located on a corner parcel at the intersection of the Hutchinson River Parkway and I-95 where a combined 250,000 cars pass a day. It includes a 2,400-car parking garage, ample public transportation and several taxi stands. Shoppers may access three MTA bus lines that will make stops at the mall, along with the nearby No. 5 train.
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Rayna Katz
Rayna Katz is a seasoned business journalist whose extensive experience includes coverage of the lodging sector, travel and the culinary space. She was most recently content director for a business-to-business publisher, overseeing four publications. While at Meeting News, a travel trade publication, she received a Best Reporting award for a story on meeting cancellations in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.
