Graphic from the Kravco Company
THE COURT AT KING OF PRUSSIA TENANTS 1981:
ABRAHAM & STRAUS (with Fur Salon and restaurant) / BAMBERGER'S (with Louie B's restaurant and Glemby Beauty Salon ) / BLOOMINGDALE'S (with Le Train Bleu and La Provence restaurants and health food & juice bar ) / American Vision Centers / Ann Taylor ladies' wear / Art Emporium cards & gifts / Athleisure / B. Dalton Bookseller / Barkley Jewelers / Brooks Brothers men's wear / Brookstone / Cache' ladies' wear / Camera Art / Canadian's ladies' wear / Card-O-Rama Casual Corner ladies' wear / Chandler's Shoes / Changes / Church's Shoes / Christian Barnard Jewelers / Collin's Tobacco Den / Command Performance / Commonwealth Federal / Connie Shoes / CVS / Dandelion cards & gifts / Designs apparel / Eddie Bauer apparel / Famous Chocolate Chip Company / Florsheim Shoes / Fluf 'N Stuf / Footlocker / Frontier Fruit & Nut / GNC / G & G ladies' wear / Games & Gadgets / Gaspari / Gordon's Jewelers / Harwin Shoes / Henry Birks & Sons Jewelers / Hillary's Gourmet Ice Cream / Hoffert's Candies / Hoffritz for Cutlery / Houlihan's Old Place / Houston Hat & Boot / Hush Puppy Shoes / I Natural Cosmetics / J. E. Caldwell Company Jewelers / J. Putnam ladies' wear / Jeans West apparel / Joan Bari handbags & accessories / Johnston & Murphy Shoes / Joyce Selby Shoes / La Boite Musique / La Croissanterie / Kay-Bee Toys & Hobbies / Ladybug ladies' wear / Lane Bryant ladies' wear / Lechter's housewares / Listening Booth / Mmmuffins / Magic Pan Creperie / Morrow's Nut House / Naturalizer Shoes / Neena Boutique ladies' wear / Oaktree men's wear / Olga's Kitchen / Open Country Shoes / Page Boy Maternity / Palter Shoes / Pappagallo Shoes / Paraphernalia ladies' wear / Peck & Peck Ladies' wear / Peter Lord Shoes / Philadelphia Sport Specialties / Plum Gold Jewelers / Printways / Red Cross Shoes / Roy Rogers Family Restaurant / Sbarro Italian Eatery / Scholar's Choice / Scrimshaw & Nautical Arts cards & gifts / Showcase of Fine Fabrics / Skolnik's Bagels / Spectrum Showcase / T. Edwards ladies' wear / Tater Junction / Thayer-McNeil Shoes / The Batherie / The Character Company Toys / The Country Kitchen / The Children's Boutique / The Custom Shirt Shop / The Gap apparel / The Limited ladies' wear / The Lodge at Harvard Square apparel / The Magic Wok / The Narragansett ladies' wear / The Nectar Tree / The Philadelphia Trunk Company / The Wild Pair Shoes / This End Up Furniture / Tennis Lady / Video Concepts / Vitamin Health Center / Vie de France restaurant / Wee Cottage cards & gifts / Wicker Imports / Wicks 'N Sticks / Wild Tops
A Bing's-eye aerial of the KING OF PRUSSIA malls, taken when they were still two individual retail complexes. PLAZA AT KING OF PRUSSIA (nee' KING OF PRUSSIA PLAZA) is seen on the left. It opened in 1962 and '63 and was expanded in 1965-'66, 1982-'83 and 1993-'96. The COURT AT KING OF PRUSSIA mall is seen on the right.
Photo from www.bing.com
A birds-eye aerial view of THE CENTRE. The original dumbell plan mall was anchored by the aforementioned Simpsons-Sears (on the right) and Montreal's Henry Morgan & Company (on the left).
Photo from The Hamilton Spectator
Mid-century shoppers stroll the 740-foot concourse at THE CENTRE. A nameplate of Birks Jewellers (a.k.a. Henry Birks & Sons) is seen on the left. Other mall stores at the time of this snapshot would include Flying Dutchman Delicatessen, Charles Coffee Shop, United Cigar Store and Muir's Bakery.
Photo from The Hamilton Spectator
An interior view showing the newly-enclosed Sears Court. A Tip Top Tailors store is visible on the left side of the image.
Photo from http://www.playle.com
By the mid-1980s, CENTRE MALL sports three anchor department stores; Sears, Robinson's (formerly Morgan's and The Bay) and Kmart. A new North Wing (in dark gray) adds a Food Court to the retail mix. With these improvements, the mall encompasses over 700,000 leasable square feet and houses 120 stores.
A detail view of the area between the PLAZA and COURT malls. A covered walkway, known as The Crosswalk, extends between Neiman Marcus and Macy's. At this time, the two shopping centers are not physically linked. This changed when The Connector -a fully-enclosed concourse- was built. It joined the two malls into one structure. With its completion, the previous malls were renamed, collectively, as KING OF PRUSSIA.
Photo from www.bing.com
THE COURT AT KING OF PRUSSIA
West Delkalb Pike / US 202 and Goddard (Mall) Boulevard
Montgomery County (Town of Upper Merion), Pennsylvania
One of America's largest shopping malls originated on a 175-acre site. This was located 15.5 miles northwest of Center City Philadelphia, in an unincorporated section of Montgomery County's Town of Upper Merion. The area had taken its name from the King of Prussia Inn, a local tavern dating to 1769. Said tavern had been named in honor of King Frederick II of Prussia (1712-1786).
Development of the site began in the mid-1950s. The Budco Valley Forge Drive-in, opened in August 1956, was the first major structure completed. The drive in sat on 16.8 acres, at the northeast corner of the plot. A 120-acre section was utilized for the second major structure. Originally known as KING OF PRUSSIA PLAZA, this complex was officially dedicated in August 1963.
The Valley Forge Drive-in was demolished in the early 1970s. The site was used for a freestanding structure housing a 1-level (100,000 square foot) Best Products and (57,000 square foot) Levitz Furniture. These welcomed first shoppers in 1971.
The plot's remaining 39 acres were developed as a fully-enclosed retail mall. Construction of the COURT AT KING OF PRUSSIA commenced in November 1979. The 2-level complex was developed by the Philadelphia-based Kravco Investments Company.
A 3-level (255,000 square foot) Bamberger's opened its doors on March 12, 1981. A 2-level (231,000 square foot) Bloomingdale's was dedicated on August 3rd. The third anchor, a 3-level (235,000 square foot) Abraham & Straus, opened its doors on August 6th.
Singer-actress-comedienne Carol Channing officiated at the grand opening and cut the ceremonial, rhinestone-studded, ribbon. Fashion luminaries Bill Blass, Calvin Klein and Oscar de la Renta were on hand, with music provided by the Bainbridge Brass Quintet. Charter inline stores included Brookstone, American Vision, Spectrum Showcase and Henry Birks & Sons Jewelers.
Bamberger's was rebranded by its Macy's parent company on October 7, 1986. Later in the same month, Abraham & Straus sold the lease of their COURT store as part of a two-unit retail retreat from Pennsylvania.
Philadephia-based Strawbridge & Clothier took over the building in 1987 and gutted its interior, leaving only escalators and elevators intact. A 3-story atrium area was installed along with new walls and floors. The new Strawbridge's was dedicated on March 7, 1988.
This store was shuttered on January 27, 1999. At first, a 20-screen multiplex was planned for its vacant area. This idea was abandoned. The space was renovated into the 11-store Pavilion At King of Prussia, a mall within a mall. It opened in October 2000, featuring Borders Books, Morton's Chicago Steakhouse and Cosi Sandwiches.
Meanwhile, the freestanding Best Products, built on the site of the old Valley Forge Drive-in, had been knocked down. It was replaced by a 1-level (112,000 square foot) Costco, which was dedicated on October 9, 1997.
Indianapolis' Simon Property Group established an eighty-percent share in Kravco Investments in late 2003. In November 2011, Simon announced an expansion of the KING OF PRUSSIA malls which would physically join them via a forty-eight-store structure. Known as The Connector, it would encompass 140,000 leasable square feet and include Savor, an upscale food court.
Construction got underway in early 2013. With the completion of the project, in August 2016, the merged malls encompassed approximately 2,651,600 leasable square feet, with a retail roster of nearly 400 stores and services. The two complexes were renamed, collectively, as KING OF PRUSSIA.
Sources:
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Philadephia-based Strawbridge & Clothier took over the building in 1987 and gutted its interior, leaving only escalators and elevators intact. A 3-story atrium area was installed along with new walls and floors. The new Strawbridge's was dedicated on March 7, 1988.
This store was shuttered on January 27, 1999. At first, a 20-screen multiplex was planned for its vacant area. This idea was abandoned. The space was renovated into the 11-store Pavilion At King of Prussia, a mall within a mall. It opened in October 2000, featuring Borders Books, Morton's Chicago Steakhouse and Cosi Sandwiches.
Meanwhile, the freestanding Best Products, built on the site of the old Valley Forge Drive-in, had been knocked down. It was replaced by a 1-level (112,000 square foot) Costco, which was dedicated on October 9, 1997.
Indianapolis' Simon Property Group established an eighty-percent share in Kravco Investments in late 2003. In November 2011, Simon announced an expansion of the KING OF PRUSSIA malls which would physically join them via a forty-eight-store structure. Known as The Connector, it would encompass 140,000 leasable square feet and include Savor, an upscale food court.
Construction got underway in early 2013. With the completion of the project, in August 2016, the merged malls encompassed approximately 2,651,600 leasable square feet, with a retail roster of nearly 400 stores and services. The two complexes were renamed, collectively, as KING OF PRUSSIA.
Sources:
The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Courier News (Bridgewater, New Jersey)
http://www.philly.com
http://www.movie-theatre.org / Mike Rivest
http://www.movie-theatre.org / Mike Rivest
https://www.kophistory.org
http://www.kingofprussiamall.com
http://www.kingofprussiamall.com
"Court At King of Prussia" article on Wikipedia
Orange County's Crystal Court
A south-north elevation depicts the CRYSTAL COURT mall as it appeared in late 1986. Everything, including the Broadway and Robinson's stores, is 3-levels. There is also a basement parking deck.
So-Cal's CRYSTAL COURT mall opened for business in October 1986. It was an annex of the adjacent SOUTH COAST PLAZA.
Graphic from C.J. Segerstrom & Sons
Drawing from C.J. Segerstrom & Sons
The original south anchor store operated at the mall for over 12 years. The building was eventually carved into eighteen store spaces.
Photo from http://www.rapidtransit-press.com / Patrick Horn
At the time of a late 1986 plan, CRYSTAL COURT is anchored by the aforementioned Robinson's and The Broadway. There are 685,000 leasable square feet and room for sixty stores and services. Parking for 2,700 autos is available in an adjacent structure and mall basement deck.
CRYSTAL COURT TENANTS 1986:
THE BROADWAY (with Chafing Dish restaurant) / J.W. ROBINSON'S (with beauty salon) / ACA JOE / Alcott & Andrews / American Museum of Historic Documents / BBC-1 / B.N. Genius / Canterbury of New Zealand / Casual Corner ladies' wear / Cherubs / Connie Shoes / Daniel Cremieux / El Portal / English Heritage / Espirit Kids / Espirit Shoes / Espirit Sport / G. H. Bass / Gianni's / Mr. Hathaway's / Hold Everything / Jessica McClintock / Koala Blue / Optical Fashion Center / Overland Center / Pappagallo Shoes / Rainbows / Red Cross Shoes / See's Candies / Shane Elliott / Talbots / The Custom Shop shirtmakers / The North Face / Tutti Animali
The Robinson's building was divided into 3 levels of inline stores. A (42,300 square foot) Crate & Barrel Furniture opened in November 1999. At the time, it was the chain's largest "left coast" store.
Photo from Wikipedia / "Nandaro"
Sport Chalet opened on the third level of the old Robinson's space in November 2001 (and closed for good in mid-2016).
Photo from Family Vacation Getaways / Vicki Funes
A 100 million dollar renovation of the two South Coast malls was completed in late 2000. The Court mall had been given a face lift and renamed SOUTH COAST PLAZA WEST. A 600-foot-long pedestrian bridge was dedicated in September. The concept of a traffic-free connection between the sibling centers had been proposed since the mid-1980s, although it was originally envisaged as a motorized people mover.
Carousels operate in both of the SOUTH COAST PLAZA malls. The Bear Street model, seen here, was installed at the center of the CRYSTAL COURT mall, in September 1990.
Photo from https://www.southcoastplaza.com
West Sunflower Avenue and Crystal Court Drive
Costa Mesa, California
By the mid-1980s, Orange County, California's SOUTH COAST PLAZA was firmly established as one of the preeminent shopping malls in Southern California. Retailers were clamoring to be added to its diamond-studded list of tenants, but there wasn't room for a sizable expansion.
The owner-developers, C.J. Segerstrom & Sons, entered into a joint venture with Santa Ana-based California Pacific Properties. It was decided to build an annex mall on an adjoining 17.8-acre tract, situated northwest of SOUTH COAST PLAZA. Said site was located 40 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles, in the bedroom community of Costa Mesa.
At first, the complex-to-be was known as SOUTH COAST PLAZA II . Midway through construction, the annex mall was renamed BEAR STREET COLLECTION. However, just before its official grand opening, it was christened CRYSTAL COURT.
The 3-level -100 million dollar- CRYSTAL COURT enveloped 685,000 leasable square feet. It was anchored by two Los Angeles-based department stores; a 3-level (208,000 square foot) The Broadway and 3-level (215,000 square foot) J.W. Robinson's. These were dedicated on October 31, 1986. Ten inline stores began business at a mall-wide inauguration .
Trumpeters dressed in Renaissance attire greeted patrons at the Main Entrance and a string quartet performed at the Level 3 atrium. Eventually housing sixty stores and services, CRYSTAL COURT mall included Alcott & Andrews, Talbot's, The North Face, Hold Everything, Espirit Kids and See's Candies.
Competing malls in the trade area included FASHION ISLAND (1967) {5 miles southeast, in Newport Beach} and THE MARKET PLACE (a.k.a. "THE TMP") (1988) {5.6 miles northeast, in Tustin}.
CRYSTAL COURT received a new name (its fourth) in January 1999. It would be known, henceforth, as SOUTH COAST PLAZA WEST. Anchor nameplate changes had commenced with the conversion of J.W. Robinson's, into a Robinsons-May, on January 31, 1993. This store was shuttered on January 5, 1999.
The possibility of re-leasing the building to a single tenant was unlikely. A plan was devised that would divide its 3-levels into approximately eighteen store spaces. Wheeling, Illinois-based Crate & Barrel became one of the first stores to open, on November 3, 1999. It would be accompanied by Borders Books and Sport Chalet.
The Broadway received a Macy's Clearance Store nameplate on July 5, 1996. At this time, Macy's mentioned the possibility of converting the location to a Home Store sometime in the future. This was put in motion when the Clearance Store was shuttered on December 20, 1999. It re-opened, as a Macy's Home store, in August of the year 2000.
At this time, a pedestrian link between the SOUTH COAST PLAZA and CRYSTAL COURT malls was under construction. The Bridge of Gardens, extending for 611 feet, was dedicated on September 29, 2000. Borders Books, which had opened at the mall in the fall of 1999, was shuttered on September 12, 2011.
In the 2020s, the CRYSTAL COURT mall is officially promoted as the CRATE & BARREL WING. The 685,000 square foot complex contains forty-nine stores and services. These include Z Gallerie, Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Apple Store, Ruby's Diner, Talbot's Women, West Elm and The North Face.
Sources:
The Los Angeles Times
The Tustin News
http://www.southcoastplaza.com
http://www.family-vacation-getaways-at-los-angeles-theme-parks.com/South-Coast-Plaza-Shopping.html (Vicki Funes)
"South Coast Plaza" article on Wikipedia
New Jersey's American Dream
A circa-2012 view of New Jersey's MEADOWLANDS-AMERICAN DREAM mega mall. Under construction since September 2004, its grand opening was supposed to have taken place in 2007, but was delayed for 12 years. In the meantime, four owners attempted to complete the project, resulting in three official name changes.
Photo from Wikipedia / "Millertime83"
A circa-2012 view of New Jersey's MEADOWLANDS-AMERICAN DREAM mega mall. Under construction since September 2004, its grand opening was supposed to have taken place in 2007, but was delayed for 12 years. In the meantime, four owners attempted to complete the project, resulting in three official name changes.
Photo from Wikipedia / "Millertime83"
Photo from http://www.madridxanadu.com
A rendering from 2003 shows the original concept for the MEADOWLANDS XANADU mall.
Drawing from http://meadowlandsmills.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
A Mills-commissioned model of New Jersey's prospective Shoppertainment complex.
Photo from http://www.xanadumeadowlandsnj.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
Photo from http://www.gea-pllc.com
Drawing from http://www.xanadumeadowlandsnj.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
Izod Center is one of three Meadowlands venues that predate the adjacent mega mall. The building opened, as the Brendan Byrne Arena, in July 1981 and was rechristened Continental Airlines Arena in January 1996. Its present name was bestowed in October 2007. The facility closed in April 2015.
Photo from Wikipedia / "RyanOnWikipedia"
The Bergen Ballpark, which was supposed to have housed the proposed Bergen Cliff Hawks minor league baseball team. This project was dropped from the final MEADOWLANDS XANADU plan in April 2009.
Drawing from Wikipedia / "JaMikePA"
Another pre-mall structure was Giants Stadium, which is seen on the right. It was completed in October 1976 and knocked down in summer 2010. As in cities such as Atlanta, Seattle and Cincinnati, a structurally-sound sports bowl was replaced by a new -and unneeded- facility...while the original structure had not even been paid for. In the case of Giants Stadium, New Jersey taxpayers were saddled with paying off the 110 million dollar debt.
Photo from Wikipedia / "Gregory J. Kingsley"
With that rant out of the way, we continue our New Jersey mega mall coverage. In the early 2000s, the future facility was being promoted as MEADOWLANDS XANADU.
Graphic from http://www.xanadumeadowlandsnj.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
This trademark was used between May 2010 and April 2011.
Graphic from http://visitmeadowlands.com
A new name and logo were introduced in May 2011. The proposed facility would be known as AMERICAN DREAM MEADOWLANDS.
Graphic from www.americandream.com
A fourth logo was created in 2017. The mega mall would be promoted, henceforth, as AMERICAN DREAM.
Graphic from www.americandream.com
This prospective sky ride was originally called The Ferris Wheel. Over the years, its name was changed to Pepsi Globe, Dreamview Observation Wheel and -finally- the Dream Wheel. As planned, it was to stand 541 feet high. After a brouhaha with the nearby Teterboro Airport, the height of the structure was reduced to 235 feet. The attraction opened in September 2021.
Drawing from http://visitmeadowlands.com
A view of the concourse in what was originally referred to as The Fashion District, then The Koi Court and -finally- The Avenue. Canada's Triple Five Corporation, who built Canada's WEST EDMONTON MALL and Minnesota's MALL OF AMERICA, bought the AMERICAN DREAM project in May 2011. They gutted its interior, removing much of what is seen here.
Photo from http://visitmeadowlands.com
An exterior rendering of the AMERICAN DREAM mega mall. Its Nickelodeon Universe indoor amusement park and The Rink ice skating facility became the first operational tenants in October 2019.
Drawing from www.americandream.com
AMERICAN DREAM TENANTS 2021:
BIG SNOW Ski & Snow Resort / BEST BUY / DREAMWORKS WATER PARK / NICKELODEON UNIVERSE / PRIMARK / A'Jar Sweet Cream Factory / Abercrombie Kids / Aerie young ladies' wear / Aland ladies' wear / Aldo Shoes / Alquimia MC, The Gallery / American Eagle Outfitters / Angry Birds Not So Mini Golf Club / Aritzia ladies' wear / Asics sportswear / Baggallini ladies' wear / Banana Republic apparel / Bath & Body Works / Boneyard Pets toys & hobbies / Box Lunch / Bravo Kosher Pizza / Build-A-Bear Workshop / Chickies Fresh Food Fast / Cinnabon / Columbia Sportswear / Cotton Pop Shop (kiosk) / Dream Riders rentable mechanical animals / Dunkin' Donuts / Eddie Bauer apparel / Express ladies' wear / Fabletics sportswear / Grisini Coffee (Parks Court) / Grisini Coffee (Court A) / H & M / Hackensack Meridian Urgent Care / Hollister apparel / Hot Topic young ladies' wear / Haagen Dazs ice cream (Court A) / Haagen Dazs ice cream (Court C) / It's Sugar confections & gifts / Johnston & Murphy shoes / Jou Jou / Journeys / Kelly's Cajun Grill / Latin Grill / Levi's / Leviim Jewish Art Gallery / Lovepop pop-up cards / Lululemon apparel / Lush Cosmetics / Lyft transportation service / Mac Cosmetics / Marvel Adventure Lab Photo Booth / Morphe cosmetics / Mulberry & Grand jewelry & gifts / Old Navy apparel / Out of This World Blacklight Mini Golf / Pac Sun / Pandora jewelry / Parfum Europa / Patches & Pins accessories / Perfumes for You / Pink lingerie / Raohe by James Paul Cheung ladies' wear / Real Fruit Bubble Tea / Red Mango frozen yogurt / Rhone sportswear / Robin Ruth ladies' wear / Rever men's wear & shoes / Samsonite luggage & accessories / Scotch & Soda apparel / Sephora cosmetics / SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker ladies' wear, shoes & accessories / Skechers Shoes / Spencer Gifts / Sprayground backpacks & accessories / Style Bar (Kiosk) / Sunglass Hut / Sunice men's sportswear / Swarovsky jewelry / Tal NY hats / Tartufo Italian ice cream (Kiosk) / The Children's Place / Torrid ladies' wear / Tumi business & travel accessories / Ugg shoes / Uniqlo apparel / Unique Flowers / Urban Planet young ladies & young men's apparel / Vans skateboarding accessories / Victoria's Secret lingerie / Walgreen Drug / Wetzel's Pretzels (Court A) / Wetzel's Pretzels (Parks Court) / Worker B natural cosmetics / Zara ladies', children's & men's apparel / Zumiez young ladies' & young men's apparel & accessories
In 2024, New Jersey's shopping and entertainment
extravaganza encompasses approximately 2.9 million leasable square feet,
houses space for over 500 stores and services, and includes for-pay parking for over 12,000 autos. An
elevated people mover system has been proposed. If built, it would
connect a north parking garage, NJT commuter rail station and the mall's
middle section.
The Court D concourse is tenanted by stores selling apparel, fashion accessories, footwear and cosmetics, with Best Buy, Apple Store and Starbucks coffee included for good measure.
Photo from Wikipedia / "Dough4872"
One of the mall's major entertainment venues, the Nickelodeon Universe indoor theme park opened for business in October 2019. It is similar to another installation at Minnesota's MALL OF AMERICA.
Photo from https://www.gensler.com
The Nickelodeon Universe at AMERICAN DREAM covers 8 acres and features twenty-two rides, with five of these being roller coasters. Some of its "thrill" and "family friendly" rides include The Shredder, Timmy's Half-Pipe Havok, Dora's Sky Railway and SpongeBob's Jellyfish Jam.
Photo from https://www.gensler.com
AMERICAN DREAM (MEADOWLANDS XANADU)
Route 120 and Road D
Bergen County (Borough of East Rutherford), New Jersey
Route 120 and Road D
Bergen County (Borough of East Rutherford), New Jersey
The development of New Jersey's MEADOWLANDS mega mall was wrought with numerous delays and diversions. Originally scheduled for an April 2007 grand opening, the inauguration of the problem-plagued project was pushed back over 12 years.
Our story begins in the New Jersey-Hackensack Meadowlands, an 8,400-acre wetland. In the 1940s, the area began to be used as a landfill and toxic waste dump. In 1968, the Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission (later renamed the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission) was formed. This was followed by the creation of the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority, in 1971, who were charged with the development of a tri-venue Meadowlands Sports Complex.
Construction commenced at two sites in November 1972. In September 1976, the Meadowlands Racetrack, a harness-racing facility, became the first to open. Giants Stadium, the new home of the National Football League's New York Giants, was dedicated in October of the same year. A third venue, originally known as the Brendan Byrne Arena, opened in July 1981.
We now zoom to 1996. The Arlington, Virginia-based Mills Corporation proposes MEADOWLANDS MILLS, a 4.8 million square foot "value mega mall." This was to be built on a northeastern New Jersey parcel known as the Empire Tract. Community opposition forced the cancellation of this plan in 2002.
At the same time, an alternate plan was drawn up by the New Jersey Sports & Exhibition Authority. They were seeking a developer for a section of the New Jersey-Hackensack Meadowlands site. This area, which encompassed 104-acres, was situated .9 miles west of the Empire Tract and 5.5 miles northwest of Manhattan's Times Square. The following projects were proposed in September 2002;
*ARENA PLACE, a 989 million dollar urban village concept from the Australia-based Westfield Group.
*EXPO PARK AT THE MEADOWLANDS, an 815 million dollar mix of convention and hospitality facilities with a Formula One race track. This prospectus came from a consortium of Secaucus-based Hartz Mountain Industries and Cleveland's Forest City Ratner.
*MEADOWFEST AMERICA, a less elaborate, 42 million dollar, retail-restaurant-family fun concept from the Edmonton-based Triple Five Corporation (builders of WEST EDMONTON MALL and MALL OF AMERICA).
And
*XANADU, the most elaborate proposition of all. This 1.3 billion dollar "shoppertainment" facility was envisaged by a joint venture of the Mills Corporation, Cranford, New Jersey-based Mack-Cali Realty and Munich, Germany-based KanAm.
In February 2003, the Mills-XANADU plan was approved by the NJSEA. A slew of contentious lawsuits, filed by Hartz Mountain, the Westfield Group and several environmental conservation entities, followed. These cases were eventually resolved.
Ground was broken for MEADOWLANDS XANADU on September 29, 2004. Classed as one of the largest commercial real estate projects in the nation, the complex was designed by the New York City-based Rockwell Group and Middletown, New Jersey-based T & M Associates. The mall would cover 5-levels, with the first being dedicated to customer parking.
The structure would be an American counterpart to the Mills Corporation's European MADRID XANADU complex, which had opened in May 2003. Like its predecessor, MEADOWLANDS XANADU would be based around an indoor ski slope, known in the early years as the Snow Dome. This would anchor The Sports District, one of five Districts comprising the mall.
The Sports District would also include SkyVenture (a skydiving simulator and vertical wind tunnel), Formula1 (an indoor go-kart track), Adrenalina (a surfing store), a wave pool and Sydney, Nebraska-based Cabela's (a specialty retailer carrying hunting, fishing and camping accessories). The Sports District Center Court would feature the world's largest LED screen, that would televise ongoing sporting events.
Other sections of MEADOWLANDS XANADU would have been...
The Entertainment District; this based around an Entertainment Weekly interactive experience. There would be Digital Playground (a new concept store from Circuit City), Virgin MegaStore, Borders Books, House of Blues (a music-based dinner theater), The Funplex (a state-of-the-art family fun center), Wonder Works (an "interactive adventure" museum) and Lucky Strike Lanes (an Art Deco-style bowling alley).
The Children's Education District would house a Legoland Discovery Center, Party House, It's Sugar! (which would be the largest specialty sweets store in the world) and Wannado City (a children's "grown-up career simulator" attraction).
The Muvico Xanadu 26 Theatres. An Egyptian-motif, stadium seating megaplex with an upscale, rooftop restaurant and its own heliport. This cinema would occupy a massive enclosed area built over The Children's Education District.
The Food & Home District. With a Balducci's Gourmet Grocery, Cooking Studio (a broadcast facility for culinary TV shows), Viking Culinary Arts Center (a cooking school), various home design expositions and several full-service restaurants. These would include The Cheesecake Factory, Benihana, Mitchell's Fish Market and The Melting Pot.
The Fashion District, encompassing the major retail portion of the MEADOWLANDS XANADU complex, would include the Elle Pavilion Fashion Runway. The initial collection of fashion-forward retailers was to include Zara, Abercrombie & Fitch and Mango.
On the periphery of XANADU would be 1.8 million square feet of class A office space, in four high rise structures, a 500,000 square foot luxury hotel and the Bergen Ballpark, a venue for the prospective minor league baseball Bergen Cliff Hawks.
Shopping venues in the periphery of the MEADOWLANDS XANADU site included WESTFIELD GARDEN STATE PLAZA (1957) {6.8 miles northwest, in Paramus}, BERGEN MALL (1957) {6.7 miles north, in Paramus and Maywood}, SHOPS AT RIVERSIDE (1977) {6.8 miles northeast, in Hackensack}, MALL AT MILL CREEK (1986) {1.6 miles southwest, in Secaucus} and NEWPORT CENTRE (1987) {5.7 miles southeast, in Jersey City}..
MEADOWLANDS XANADU looked good on paper. Unfortunately, The Great Recession got in its way. The first sign of trouble came in mid-2006, when financial improprieties at the Mills Corporation caused the collapse of that company. The Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group came in to pick up the pieces in April 2007.
The lion's share of the Mills stake in MEADOWLANDS XANADU had been sold to a joint venture of Los Angeles-based Colony Capital and New York City-based Dune Capital Management in November 2006. Germany's KanAm remained on board.
Construction progressed on the project. However, a declining world economy caused several prospective tenants to file for bankruptcy or scale back expansion plans. Exit Elle Pavilion Fashion Runway, Borders Books, House of Blues, Balducci's Gourmet Grocery, Digital Playground, Virgin MegaStore, Against All Odds, Muvico and the Bergen Ballpark.
Likewise, Cabela's was originally planned as a 175,000 square foot operation with an indoor fishing pond. The size of the prospective store was reduced to 160,000, 125,000, and -finally- 110,000 square feet. Cabela's ended up cancelling plans for the store.
By late 2007, it was reported that all MEADOWLANDS XANADU parking structures had been built. In 2008, the exterior of the mammoth structure was in place. In January 2009, it was stated that the complex was eighty-percent complete. However, the crash of Lehman Brothers, a major financier, resulted in a shortage of funds to do finishing touches. Work ground to a halt in May 2009.
New York City-based Related Companies took the helm in August 2010. The official name of the complex was shortened to MEADOWLANDS. Unfortunately, the Related Companies initiative failed to resuscitate the stalled project. In April 2011, it was announced that Canada's Triple Five Corporation was to take control of the development. The complex received a new name; AMERICAN DREAM MEADOWLANDS. This eventually morphed into simply AMERICAN DREAM.
A major reworking of the existing structure got underway. New plans were drawn by San Francisco-based Gensler, Detroit-based GH+A Design Studios and East Rutherford, New Jersey-based Adamson Associates. The building's controversial exterior received a complete makeover. A glass-enclosed amusement park and water park would also be built on an adjacent parcel.
Office spaces originally proposed were omitted from the final plan. Moreover, the concept of five individual Districts within the mall was dropped. Long range plans included a convention center and hotels; these to be built in the vicinity of a 4.8 million square foot retail, sports, entertainment and hospitality complex.
Before construction work could resume, the owners of the New York Jets and Giants teams filed a lawsuit stipulating that, as proposed, the AMERICAN DREAM mall would cause crippling traffic congestion in the vicinity of their sports venue. The mall's owners filed a counter suit. Work on the project remained at a standstill.
An official grand opening was delayed. The mall was not in business by the time of Super Bowl XLVIII (48), which was played at the adjacent MetLife Stadium on February 2, 2014. In April 2014, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R) officiated at a press conference where he announced that the AMERICAN DREAM mega mall was (once again) on track.
Litigation between Triple Five and the New York Giants and Jets franchises was settled. Construction resumed in November 2014. The controversial building exterior was repainted and work got underway on the water and amusement park sections.
The long-delayed retail and entertainment complex would feature a London Eye-like observation wheel, NHL-sized indoor skating facility, two mini-golf courses and The Big Snow (nee' Snow Dome) indoor ski slope. Other attractions would include a LegoLand Discovery Center, SeaLife Aquarium and live performing arts dinner theater. For-pay parking facilities would accommodate over 12,000 autos.
In September 2015, it was announced that a 2-level (119,600 square foot) Lord & Taylor and 2-level (131,900 square foot) Saks Fifth Avenue would be anchoring an upscale fashion concourse. The indoor amusement park would be branded as a Nickelodeon Universe. Adjacent to this would be a fully-enclosed DreamWorks Water Park.
A list of inline stores now included Banana Republic, Lululemon Athletica, Uniqlo, Zara, Artizia, Pink, Victoria's Secret and (100,000 square foot) Primark. Saks Fifth Avenue would still be establishing a 2-level (131,900 square foot) location. However, plans for Lord & Taylor were scrapped, with a 2-level (50,000 square foot) Barney's New York slated to occupy a portion of that store space. Eventually, plans for this store were also cancelled.
AMERICAN DREAM was to house over 450 shops, more than 100 food vendors and several major entertainment facilities. Construction ground to a halt in December 2016 but had resumed by June 2017. A dedication date set for the summer of 2017 was pushed back over 2 years.
In September 2019, it was announced that the mega mall would open in four "chapters." The first, comprising the dedications of Nickelodeon Universe and The Rink, opened for business on October 25, 2019. It had taken over 15 years to get two mall tenants in operation!
The second chapter, the DreamWorks Water Park, was originally scheduled for a November 2019 start-up. However, its grand opening was delayed until March 19, 2020. In the meantime, the third chapter, or Big Snow American Dream ski slope, made its debut on December 5th, 2019. Various retail stores and restaurants, comprising the fourth chapter, were scheduled to commence operation in March 2020. However, these dedications were postponed. On March 8th, the mall closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
On September 1, 2020, the Big Snow ski slope resumed operation. Nickelodeon Universe, DreamWorks Water Park and The Rink re-opened on October 1, 2020. At this time, eighty-one stores and services also welcomed first shoppers. These included American Eagle Outfitters, Eddie Bauer, Express, H & M, Old Navy, Skechers Shoes, Primark, Hollister and Zara. The 17-bay Coca-Cola Eats Food Court debuted late in October 2020. Vendors included Charley's Philly Steaks, Grisini Pizza, Kelly's Cajun Grill, Taco Bell and Wendy's.
The Avenue, a wing of luxury retailers and upscale restaurants, was inaugurated on September 17, 2021. Tenants included Hermes, Johnny Was, Gucci and the Carpaccio Italian restaurant.
In May 2022, it was revealed that AMERICAN DREAM was loosing money, with a deficit of nearly 60 million dollars reported. The Triple Five Corporation, who had used their WEST EDMONTON MALL and MALL OF AMERICA properties as collateral for a loan to purchase the MEADOWLANDS mall, were now in dire -financial- straits. By 2024, the financial situation had improved due to several newly-opened stores and attractions.
Meanwhile, a second culinary complex was dedicated in July 2022. The Food Hall housed seven vendors. These included Vinoteca wine experience, Lady M luxury confections and Vanessa's Dumpling House.
The mall's third food facility, the H Mart Food Hall, debuted in May 2024. Among its eleven vendors were Gold Miss Mochi Donut & Hotdog Shop, BBQ Chicken, Let Them Talk No Tip Bar and Don Don Curry. This Food Hall was an adjunct of the (35,000 square foot) H Mart Asian grocery, which had opened in February 2023.
Future plans call for the completion of two theatrical venues. The B & B Theatres at American Dream megaplex will occupy Level 4 space. This 8-screen venue will include bowling lanes, food vendors and a video arcade. Moreover, a ScreenX auditorium will provide a "270-degree panoramic viewing experience." The American Dream Performing Arts Center, on Level 2, will host live events.
Sources:
The New York Times
http://visitmeadowlands.com
http://millscorp.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
http://www.mack-cali.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
http://meadowlandsmills.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
http://www.meadowlands.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
http://www.xanadumeadowlandsnj.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
http://www.americandream.com
http://www.northnewjersey.com
http://www.blognj.com / Comment post by Mark DiIonno
Stadium Preliminary Environmental Impact Statement
http://crebeat.com
http://www.jacksononline.com
http://retailtrafficmag.com
http://www.bloomberg.com
http://www.northnewjersey.com
https://www.forbes.com
http://www.nj.com
http://pderesults.com / Provident Design Engineering
"American Dream Meadowlands" article on Wikipedia
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