Via Port Rotterdam facts for kids
View of the Food Court Entrance
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| Location | Rotterdam, New York, United States |
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| Coordinates | 42°48′32″N 73°59′17″W / 42.80889°N 73.98806°W |
| Opening date | September 1, 1988 |
| Management | Via Properties |
| Owner | Via Properties |
| No. of stores and services | 58 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 5 (2 open, 3 vacant) |
| Total retail floor area | 900,000 sq ft (84,000 m2) |
| No. of floors | 1 |
| Public transit access |  CDTA bus: 354 |
Via Port Rotterdam is a shopping mall located in Rotterdam, New York, United States. It was first known as Rotterdam Square when it opened. This mall is a large place with 900,000 square feet (84,000 m2) of space on one level. It has 58 stores, a big food court with 450 seats, and other restaurants. You can also find an aquarium, an entertainment center, and a movie theater here.
The mall was originally owned by Wilmorite Properties. Later, it was sold to The Macerich Company in 2005. In 2014, Kohan Retail Investment Group bought the mall. Then, in 2015, Via Properties became the new owner and changed the mall's name to Via Port Rotterdam in 2016.
Contents
A Look Back: The Mall's History
The land where Via Port Rotterdam now stands has a long history. It was once owned by the Vedder Family. Harman Albertse Vedder bought the land in 1672 and built a home there. Much later, in 1832, a family member sold the land to Colonel Daniel David Schermerhorn Campbell. He built a very large 26-bedroom mansion on the site.
Building the Mall and Nature Concerns
When the mall was being built, the area around it was a nature preserve. Some environmental groups were worried about how the mall would affect wildlife. They were also concerned about pollution in the wetlands nearby. These wetlands are now part of the Great Flats Nature Trail and Preserve.
Changes in Ownership and Stores
Over the years, the mall has had several owners. Wilmorite Properties was the first owner. In 2005, The Macerich Company took over. Then, in January 2014, Mike Kohan bought the mall from Macerich.
In January 2015, the Macy's store in the mall announced it would close. This was part of a plan to close 14 stores across the country. The space where Macy's used to be is now used as a call center for New York State taxes.
In June 2015, Via Properties bought the mall. They paid $9.25 million for it. Via Properties planned to spend $10 million to make the mall better. These plans included improving the outside of the mall. They also planned to add a large 25,000-square-foot (2,300 m2) aquarium. Another big addition was a nearly 30,000 sq ft (2,800 m2) entertainment center. This center would have a bowling alley, a sports bar, a restaurant, and an arcade.
In April 2016, it was announced that Sears would also close its store. This store closed in July 2016. Later, in October 2018, Kmart also announced its closure. It closed in December 2018. After Kmart closed, the mall was left without its main anchor stores.
Fun Features at the Mall
Via Port Rotterdam has some interesting and unique features.
The Carousel
From 1988 until January 2007, the mall had a full-size Italian carousel. It was located right in the food court. The mall management sold the carousel in late 2006. In January 2007, it was taken apart and moved away.
The Graveyard
One very unusual thing about the mall is that it has a graveyard inside its complex. This graveyard is located in a corner between the food court entrance and a front side entrance. It is the family cemetery of the Vedder Family. The graves here date back to around 1715.
The Movie Theater
The mall has a movie theater that was once part of the Sony-Loews Cineplex chain. Now, an independent company called Zurich Cinemas runs the theater. The theater has six screens. It has been updated with stadium seating and digital projectors. It also has 3D movie capabilities. A seventh screen was also added.
Images for kids
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Entrance off West Campbell Road
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Great Flats entrance; the mall entrance can just be seen in the right hand background
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View of the graves
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The location of the graveyard
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Inscription in the graveyard
