Palisades Center facts for kids
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| Location | West Nyack, New York |
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| Coordinates | 41°05′50″N 73°57′22″W / 41.0973°N 73.9561°W |
| Address | 1000 Palisades Center Drive |
| Opening date | March 4, 1998 |
| Developer | The Pyramid Companies |
| Management | The Pyramid Companies |
| Owner | The Pyramid Companies |
| Architect | Del Pos Architects, Law Kingdon Inc. |
| No. of stores and services | 218 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 4 at opening |
| Total retail floor area | 2,217,322 sq ft (205,996 m2) |
| No. of floors | 4 |
| Parking | 18,000+ parking spaces |
| Public transit access |  Rockland Coaches bus routes: 20 & 49JHudson Link buses: H01, H03, H05, H07, H07X Transport of Rockland bus routes: 59, 91, 92, 97 |
The Palisades Center is a giant shopping mall located in West Nyack, New York. As of late 2022, it was the twelfth-largest mall in the United States based on its size. It has also been very successful, bringing in lots of money from sales taxes and property taxes.
The mall was built by Pyramid Management Group and opened in March 1998. It was named after the nearby Palisades, which are cliffs along the Hudson River. The mall is easy to reach because it's close to major roads like the New York State Thruway and the Tappan Zee Bridge.
Contents
History of the Palisades Center
Building the Mall in the 1990s
It took 16 years to get the Palisades Center approved and built! The land for the mall was bought for about $3 million. The company also promised to clean up two old landfills on the property.
The idea for the mall came about in 1985. The goal was to attract fancy stores and keep sales tax money in New York, instead of people spending it in New Jersey. The location was chosen because it was near major highways and not far from New Jersey. This was important because some malls in New Jersey are closed on Sundays.
Many local people were against building the mall. They worried it would cause more crime, traffic, and pollution. They also thought it would hurt the smaller shops in nearby towns. Despite these concerns, construction began in October 1993. The mall cost between $250 million and $280 million to build.
The Palisades Center was built around the Mount Moor Cemetery. This cemetery was started in 1849 for people of color, including Native American and African American veterans. You can see the cemetery from different spots inside the mall. Its construction did not disturb the cemetery.
A historical sign at the cemetery explains its importance. It says the land was set aside in 1849 for "Colored people." It has provided burial space for veterans from many wars, including the Civil War and both World Wars.
Before construction, the mall faced some environmental puzzles. What people thought was a mastodon (an ancient elephant-like animal) buried there turned out to be a circus elephant. Also, what seemed like a rare bird's nesting spot was actually a domesticated pheasant. There were also issues with flooding and runoff from old landfills on the property.
The mall was finished in December 1997 and officially opened on March 4, 1998. When it first opened, it had four main anchor stores. Over the years, this number changed, reaching a peak of 16 in the 2010s.
Right from the start, rumors spread that the mall's underground parking lot was sinking. People thought it was built on unstable ground and might collapse.
Mall Updates in the 2000s
After the 1999-2000 holiday season, rumors continued that the mall would close. Even TV host Rosie O'Donnell mentioned the sinking rumor on her show. However, police, town officials, and the mall's owners said these stories were false. They assured everyone the mall was safe. One of the mall's managers even appeared on Rosie's show to sing and dance, proving the rumors were untrue!
In 2002, people in Clarkstown voted on whether the mall could rent out more space. This was because of an agreement from 1997 that said any new leasing needed a public vote. The mall wanted to lease space for "Kids City," a fun and educational center for children. But opponents called it a "theme park" and argued against it. Voters rejected the idea.
In 2008, some people still complained that a polluted site on the property was just paved over, not fully cleaned. They also said the mall's taxes didn't lower homeowners' bills as promised. However, others pointed out that the mall had improved local roads, which helped prevent the predicted traffic problems.
In 2009, the mall replaced its old 19th-century carousel from Venice, Italy, with a new, modern double-decker one.
Changes in the 2010s
In May 2013, the mall announced a big remodeling project. It cost millions of dollars and lasted until December that year. The goal was to make the mall look more modern and fancy. They added warmer colors, glass mosaics, and new lighting. The main court got glass railings, and the food area got new floors and chandeliers. Other areas received comfy seating and plants.
By 2017, the mall was completely full with stores and businesses. However, in the late 2010s, many traditional stores faced challenges because of online shopping.
On March 17, 2017, JCPenney announced it would close its store at Palisades Center. This was part of a plan to update their stores across the country. In September 2019, the Lord & Taylor store also announced it would close. This showed that the mall needed to add more entertainment options, not just retail stores.
The Mall from 2020 to Today
The mall temporarily closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This caused financial problems for the mall. By July 2020, the owners missed mortgage payments but reached an agreement to avoid serious issues.
In October 2020, citizens voted again on whether the mall could use 200,000 square feet of unused space on its fourth floor. This space had high ceilings, which the mall thought would attract new tenants. This expansion was approved in November 2020.
In December 2020, the mall was valued at $425 million. This was less than half of its value in 2016. In March 2021, it was reported that the mall would likely not replace the closed Lord & Taylor and JCPenney stores with other department stores. Instead, the company managing the mall was looking into adding new types of businesses, possibly even homes.
In early 2022, a new restaurant called Picanha Brazilian Steakhouse opened at the mall.
In February 2023, a company called Wilmington Trust filed a complaint because the mall's owners missed payments on their mortgage.
Layout and Fun Attractions
The Palisades Center has four floors and, when it opened, housed over 220 businesses. It also has 8,500 parking spaces. The entire property is huge, big enough to fit 40 White Houses! To help people get around, the mall has 40 escalators, eight passenger elevators, and 11 freight elevators.
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The third floor of the mall has a large food court with many fast-food restaurants. It also features a 60 ft (18 m) Ferris wheel! This floor used to have a historic carousel built in 1907. But in 2009, it was replaced with a modern, double-decker Venetian carousel. In 2021, it was announced that ClimbZone would take the place of the Venetian Carousel.
On the fourth floor, you'll find a huge AMC Theatres with 21 screens. This floor also has 5 Wits Interactive Family Entertainment Center, which offers fun, immersive adventures.
At the east end of the fourth floor is an ice rink. This rink is home to youth hockey teams and offers programs like free skating and "Learn to Skate." There's also an arcade and a party room for birthdays. The fourth floor is also where you can find Palisades Climb Adventure. This is a five-level, 85 ft (26 m) climbing obstacle course where you are strapped into a harness for safety.
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