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Mall-nificent
CROSS COUNTY SHOPPING CENTER YONKERS
County had a long history in Yonkers—one they felt hadn’t been properly leveraged. “The community has a longstanding rela- tionship with this center,” explains Stifel. “Residents constantly approach us with a story about how they were born in the Cross County Hospital, learned to drive in our parking lot, or met at Woolworth’s for a fountain drink.” Stifel and Chandonnet believed that Westchester residents would continue to shop there if presented with a modernized and more enjoyable shopping experience.
Renovations started five years ago under the direction of Macerich Management Company, which Brooks Shopping Centers retained to oversee, lease, and manage the Cross County through its redevelopment and beyond. The entire complex was given a new aesthetic. “There is a new architectural design, reminiscent of something you’d see in Arizona or California,” says Stifel. “And it’s highlighted by beautifully land-
scaped gardens and seating areas,” which were made more family-friendly with children’s play areas, water fountains, and seasonal events such as outdoor concerts. But perhaps the biggest change was the retailers. Leaders in luxury such as A|X Armani Exchange and Swarovski moved in, and existing stores, like anchor store Macy’s, expanded and completed their own renovations, so that everything inside would be new as well.
Of course, not every part of the rede- velopment (which is still ongoing) was easy. The owners had to figure out how to keep the shopping center open for sev- eral years during the messy renovations, and how to keep working during severe weather, including snowstorms and hur- ricanes. The owners also had to work closely with Yonkers government officials to adhere to zoning laws and get redevel- opment plans approved. And then there were the finances. The entire project cost in excess of $250 million—not an easy bill
to swallow.
But current signs point to the rede-
velopment’s success. Around 11 mil- lion visitors hit the center each year, making Cross County Shopping Center third in customer traffic among the 25 or so Macerich centers that report such data nationwide. Brands such as Zara, Olive Garden, and LongHorn Steakhouse are slated to move into the space over the next year, and construction for a new Hyatt Place hotel is about to begin. Shoppers from outside Yonkers are notic- ing the positive changes, too. Based on a consumer study conducted in early 2012, 17 percent of the Center’s shoppers now come from Bronxville, Scarsdale, and White Plains, representing new growth in the shopper base compared to pre- redevelopment numbers. As Chandonnet says, “You can see the success of the shopping center in many ways, but the biggest indicator is that we continue to grow and develop.”
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