Monmouth Mall

Monmouth Mall

The 1987-2010 Logo
Location Eatontown, New Jersey, USA
Opening date March 1, 1960 (The outdoor plaza of the mall)
1975 (The indoor plaza of the mall)
1987 and 2011 (The renovated indoor plaza of the mall)
Management Two Guys (1960-1982)
Vornado Realty Trust (1982-2015)
Owner Two Guys (1960-1982)
Vornado Realty Trust (1982-2015)
Kushner Companies (1982-)
No. of stores and services 150
No. of anchor tenants 4
Total retail floor area 1,500,000 square feet (140,000 m2)
No. of floors 1 in the older wing and 2 in the 1975 expansion wing (3 floors in Boscov's, JCPenney, & Macy's)
Parking Lighted lot and parking deck adjacent to the Boscov's
Website www.monmouthmallonline.com

Monmouth Mall, an enclosed split level shopping center in Eatontown, New Jersey managed and co-owned by Vornado Realty Trust (with the other half owned by the Kushner Companies), is located on the corner of the intersection of NJ 35, NJ 36, and Wyckoff Road (Route 547). Currently, the mall has a gross leasable area of 1,500,000 sq ft (140,000 m2),[1] making it the fourth largest shopping mall in New Jersey (tied with Willowbrook Mall), boasting over 150 shops. The mall is located near the Garden State Parkway at exit 105 and NJ 18 near the former location of the Eatontown Circle.

History

Entrance to the mall from Route 36 eastbound.

Opened on March 1, 1960 as a 500,000-square-foot (46,000 m2), 14-building open-air center, originally called "Monmouth Shopping Center", was built on what was then a farm owned by the Valentino Family of the nearby city of Long Branch, New Jersey. Original anchors of the mall consisted of Bamberger's (at that time a subsidiary of Macy's) and Montgomery Ward. After pulling out of New Jersey, Montgomery Ward became Alexander's in 1975. The mall was enclosed and expanded to its current size in 1975. The older section of the mall continued to be one level while the new expansion was two levels anchored by Abraham & Straus, Hahne's and JCPenney.

In 1987, the mall was renovated. The renovation brought in new lighting, new flooring, and new glass and chrome handrails along the second level; took out the in-floor planters and replaced them with movable planters; closed off the mall entrance near the former arcade on the Wyckoff Road side of the old wing; and raised the lowered seating areas in front of the anchors.

In 1994-1996, the mall was expanded to include an elevator and a food court (modeled after a Jersey Shore theme) including 1920s style beach photos wrapped around the columns in the older section of the mall, as well as Nobody Beats the Wiz, a new 15-screen Loews Theatres (currently/now AMC) and Old Navy to replace the closed Caldor. The mall also saw minor cosmetic changes that consisted of replacing black with sky blue in the color schemes through painting and retiling, as well as new lighting along the pillars.

Through the years, Monmouth Mall has seen many different anchors that have come and gone, however, JCPenney was built by themselves in 1976 and remains to this day. In 1987, the Bamberger's brand was eliminated and the store was renamed for its parent corporation, Macy's. Anchor changes consisted of Caldor replacing Alexander's in 1986, replacing the former Bamberger's in 1987, Lord and Taylor replacing the former Hahne's in 1990, Stern's replacing Abraham & Straus in 1995 and Boscov's replacing Stern's in 2001. In 2010, Planet Fitness opened at Monmouth Mall. In May 2011, Eatontown Mayor Gerald Tarantolo announced that Boscov's would reopen, which it did in May 2011.[2] Burlington Coat Factory moved to the former Seaview Square Mall the same year. Next to disestablished Old Town Buffet in 2006, there was Greenman Bros. (1960–1993), Noodle Kidoodle (1993–2000), and Zany Brainy (2000–2001) and Thomasville (2001–present).

Monmouth Mall went through a significant expansion in 2009, including a Barnes & Noble, a Jared jewelry store, and two restaurants sharing a single structure: a Chipotle Mexican Grill and Bobby's Burger Palace. The Barnes & Noble store was built adjacent to the mall structure next to the former Macy's Kids Annex near Ruby Tuesday, while the other two structures are free-standing.[3] In mid-2010, cosmetic renovations started at the mall including new tile, paint, lighting, and a complete overhaul of the food court. The renovations lasted until summer 2011.[4]

In 2012, Vornado Realty Trust announced plans to sell its portfolio of enclosed shopping malls.[5] In August 2015, the Monmouth Mall was sold to Kushner Companies for $38 million.[6]

In 1989, Ashley Tisdale was discovered at the mall as a three-year-old.[7]

Redevelopment plans

In February 2016, Monmouth Mall owner Kushner Companies announced conceptual plans to redevelop the mall into a pedestrian-friendly "live, work and play" development at a cost of around $500 million. The development, which would be renamed the "Monmouth Town Center" would include a revamped tenant mix, a hotel, a residential component, and an outdoor plaza, along with biker- and pedestrian-friendly greenspaces and streetscape. The residential component would be composed of one- and two-bedroom units to minimize impact on the local public school system and traffic. Kushner Companies CEO Jared Kushner noted the decline of traditional enclosed shopping malls in the 21st Century and consumer trends of the Millennial generation as catalysts behind the redevelopment.[8] On April 27 of that year, a public meeting was held in a local middle school gymnasium where Eatontown's mayor Dennis Connelly and the Borough Council spoke out against a zoning change that would allow the expansion of the mall. Several town residents also spoke out against the redevelopment, and Kushner announced the abandonment of the project at the same meeting.[9]

Anchors

References

  1. ↑ International Council of Shopping Centers: Monmouth Mall, accessed September 21, 2006
  2. ↑ "Boscov's at Monmouth Mall to reopen, Eatontown mayor says"
  3. ↑ Monmouth Mall seeks approval for expansion
  4. ↑ Renovations under way at Monmouth Mall
  5. ↑ Nadja Brandt,Bloomberg. "Vornado To Hold Quarterly Calls, Sell Some Retail Centers." April 13, 2012. Retrieved July 13, 2012.
  6. ↑ Diamond, Michael L. (August 10, 2015). "Pier Village owner Kushner buys out Monmouth Mall". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
  7. ↑ Martin, Patti. "Ashley Tisdale goes to the head of her class", Home News Tribune, September 8, 2007. Accessed September 17, 2007. "And it may never have happened if not for a chance encounter at the Monmouth Mall in Eatontown. At the time, Tisdale was a bright and bubbly blond 3-year-old in a stroller shopping with her mom, Lisa. Bill Perlman, owner of New Talent Management in Berkeley, was holding a talent search at the mall.... Initially reluctant, the family did end up bringing Ashley in for an interview. Soon after, the toddler landed her first job — a commercial for JCPenney."
  8. ↑ Radel, Dan (February 10, 2016). "EXCLUSIVE: Monmouth Mall's new look". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
  9. ↑ Radel, Daniel. "Kushner Drops Monmouth Mall Plan". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved 28 April 2016.

Coordinates: 40°17′13″N 74°03′20″W / 40.287°N 74.0556°W / 40.287; -74.0556

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