KeystoneRegional Posted February 6, 2013 Share #1 Posted February 6, 2013 I made a visit to the mall (the Mall at the Source) I pretty much grew up with last month, specifically on Saturday, January-12th-2013 around 5:30PM. This particular mall has faced better days, such as when it has a hustling bustling Rainforest Cafe, packed halls during the shopping season, especially in the Flagship Fortunoff Anchor Store, as well as Circuit City and Off Saks 5th Ave. Stores. that all sits vacant today. A breif reason on what caused the downfall is pretty much started off with the 2008 Great Recession, in addition to the Rainforest Cafe which closed in year 2000, Fortunoff and Circuit City pretty much went out of business in 2009. This took away the majority of foot traffic to the mall, in addition to many stores scaling back and consolidating locations The mall could still have a chance until the plan to have a new shopping plaza (Gallery at Westbury Plaza) one block west on Old Country Road took shape, be built, completed and opened. Pretty much the majority of the remaining foot traffic has been removed from the mall. As you can see in my images below, the mall is pretty much one 10% occupied as of now, with dark shadows casting upon previously hustling bustling halls. It's one of the things that kinda depresses and saddens me because this is the mall I usually go to to de-stress, this is the mall that gives me a quiet aroma with towering and awesome hallways, this is the mall that I made a lot of friends with business owners that often I had refreshing conversations with, this is the mall that has my all time favorite food court, this is the mall I grew up with since 5 years old. The impending threat of demolition and the demise of this mall is very possible, and it'll be a loss in my life. Without furthur due, I'll let you look on the images. Copyright Disclaimer: These photos are properties of Kevin Wang & Interstate Concepts Photography, any commercial and non-commercial use of these photos is prohibited, thank you for your cooperation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User Posted February 6, 2013 Share #2 Posted February 6, 2013 I knew The Source was not doing well, but I honestly didn't think it was completely empty like these photos. Where is everyone? Did you see anyone when you took those photos? Any security even? What time of day did you take them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilbluefoxie Posted February 6, 2013 Share #3 Posted February 6, 2013 How much of the food court is even still open? Also is it me or did they stop replacing light bulbs in the hallways and food court. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Concourse Posted February 6, 2013 Share #4 Posted February 6, 2013 Damn, that's a shame... malls are just becoming more and more vacant. Where is that? I looks like Newport mall in Jersey City (then again most malls look alike). I gotta say it's pretty surreal seeing it empty like that. Very 'life after people'-ish. Would be perfect place to film some zombie movie. As for the building, rather than to tear it down, why not use it as a homeless shelter? Dump them there and off the streets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CenSin Posted February 6, 2013 Share #5 Posted February 6, 2013 Malls shouldn't be built anymore. It's a waste of resources that could've been used to produce something else. The future of shopping is pretty much all online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Concourse Posted February 6, 2013 Share #6 Posted February 6, 2013 Or the big box stores.. Amusement park attendance has been doing fairly well these past few years, maybe convert it into an indoor park? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamen Rider Posted February 6, 2013 Share #7 Posted February 6, 2013 Yea, someone call disney or Ceder fair... To be honest, the Mall's primary problems are that it's close to Roosevelt Feild, and they have hedged thier bets on one too many anchors that have collapsed. Though the stores that go right out to the parking lot all seem to be full. Though on that thought, urban vertical entertainment, a theme park built stacked and not laid out, may have a future. Mr. Disney planned one in St. Louis before he passed. It's not going to be Disneyland, but it might work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FamousNYLover Posted February 6, 2013 Share #8 Posted February 6, 2013 That mall could be perfect for haunted stories! Doesn't that mall owned by Simon Malls and where are all the securities? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Concourse Posted February 6, 2013 Share #9 Posted February 6, 2013 Yea, someone call disney or Ceder fair... To be honest, the Mall's primary problems are that it's close to Roosevelt Feild, and they have hedged thier bets on one too many anchors that have collapsed. Though the stores that go right out to the parking lot all seem to be full. Though on that thought, urban vertical entertainment, a theme park built stacked and not laid out, may have a future. Mr. Disney planned one in St. Louis before he passed. It's not going to be Disneyland, but it might work. Would click the up arrow, if I didn't hit my limit for the day. It can't hurt since the stores aren't coming back and it has nice long corridors where you could set up some cheap launch coaster from one end of the mall to the other and back. Vegas had that with the Sahara. Probably wouldn't have a tower that tall, but I'm sure they could fit some lower to the ground inversions to slow the train for the launch back. Mall of America and the Edmonton mall are decent examples of using indoor space for entertainment complexes. Even waterparks, aquariums, bowling alleys, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion VII 4 Life Posted February 6, 2013 Share #10 Posted February 6, 2013 When Fortunoff left that's when the mall started going down... That mall could be perfect for haunted stories! Doesn't that mall owned by Simon Malls and where are all the securities? The mall's not owned by Simon anymore, they gave it up last year to I believe the mortgage company. I don't know what company is managing it, but I do know that there was NO security when I was there in October. There was 1 guard working for some local security company and not Allied Barton which Simon was using, and he honestly didn't seem to give a damn what was going on unlike Simon/Allied Barton. There's no more posted photography ban either so take as many pics as you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B35 via Church Posted February 6, 2013 Share #11 Posted February 6, 2013 The mall at the source? Thought that been closed down.... I'm more surprised at the fact it's still open..... Damn, that's a shame... malls are just becoming more and more vacant. Where is that? It looks like Newport mall in Jersey City (then again most malls look alike). about a 10 min walk north & east of roosevelt field, along old country rd.... To be honest, the Mall's primary problems are that it's close to Roosevelt Field This. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel Up Front Posted February 6, 2013 Share #12 Posted February 6, 2013 I thought Broadway Mall was on its way down as well. RFM is easy to access from just about every corner of the Island. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B35 via Church Posted February 7, 2013 Share #13 Posted February 7, 2013 I thought Broadway Mall was on its way down as well. RFM is easy to access from just about every corner of the Island. Apparently, they revamped that entire area.... Last time I drove past that mall (sometime last year), the parking lot areas were pretty packed & there was a heavy flow of traffic in & out of that mall.... It wasn't around any major shopping holiday either; during the summer, one saturday..... Don't really know what that mall used to be like back in the day though, so I can't compare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FamousNYLover Posted February 7, 2013 Share #14 Posted February 7, 2013 Broadway Mall is still quite busy because that is only place that has IKEA. Every day, lots of people I see shopping or eating at Broadway Mall or IKEA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeystoneRegional Posted February 7, 2013 Author Share #15 Posted February 7, 2013 NOTE: Pretty much all of your questions have answers by the Paragraph before the photos and the Paragraph have enough description to answer beyond that. Only 1 to 2 questions need answers, so here ya go: There was only 1 security guard walking around, and only 1 food place in the Food Court, and it only recieves breif checks by the Security at the Costco/Walmart Strips. This Mall is the Mall at the Source, it is located in Westbury, Nassau County, NY. You can access it with the n24 Hicksville (to Old Country Road near the Costco) and n35 Westbury (to Merchant Concourse/Privado Road or Drive near the Bed Bath & Beyond). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User Posted February 8, 2013 Share #16 Posted February 8, 2013 Those restaurants attached to the Source but not part of it like P.F. Changs are still doing well. I was there a couple of weeks ago for dinner and the wait was long with tons of people waiting outside. Just out of curiosity, what's the one place left in the Food Court? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilbluefoxie Posted February 8, 2013 Share #17 Posted February 8, 2013 Those restaurants attached to the Source but not part of it like P.F. Changs are still doing well. I was there a couple of weeks ago for dinner and the wait was long with tons of people waiting outside. Just out of curiosity, what's the one place left in the Food Court? I went there today to check it out, the Japanese food place is the only place left in the food court. I went in the daytime to check it out and despite most of the stores being gone, there was a decent amount of people milling about, there were a few people sitting in the food court, and the parking lot wasn't entirely empty either. There are a few remaining moderately popular places left such as Dave n Busters, Cheesecake Factory, PF Changs, and Famous Footwear, plus the popular mall staple, a Dollar Store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomerTheMan Posted February 9, 2013 Share #18 Posted February 9, 2013 I can tell you that The Source will not be closing/transforming into anything other than a mall anytime soon. Yes, Simon does not own/manage the mall anymore, and a new security company is working. They are constantly making rounds. The owner and manager are trying to turn this mall around, starting by actually plowing with this MAJOR storm, and THE LIGHTS. For anyone who has actually been at the Source in the past few months to a year, you could not see 5 feet ahead of you in the parking garage. Go there, or even look at the pictures! The lights are on there! With everyone's support and everyone continuing to stay positive, this mall will be back up and running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilbluefoxie Posted February 10, 2013 Share #19 Posted February 10, 2013 I can tell you that The Source will not be closing/transforming into anything other than a mall anytime soon. Yes, Simon does not own/manage the mall anymore, and a new security company is working. They are constantly making rounds. The owner and manager are trying to turn this mall around, starting by actually plowing with this MAJOR storm, and THE LIGHTS. For anyone who has actually been at the Source in the past few months to a year, you could not see 5 feet ahead of you in the parking garage. Go there, or even look at the pictures! The lights are on there! With everyone's support and everyone continuing to stay positive, this mall will be back up and running. They do have some stores left, and a few major draws like Cheesecake Factory, PF Changs, and Dave n Busters. Kevin's photos are a bit misleading because they were taken at night. You go to Broadway Mall at 9pm itll be empty like that too, with the majority of the people either in Target or the Movie theater. What they need to do there is get a few more stores just to get rid of a lot of the empty spaces. Some of those random stores would work, like the random asian furniture store, or a massage place, or some low end stores to cater to the locals in Westbury since that Galleria of Westbury looks too upscale. Broadway mall used to have this asian furniture store, I forget the name but it had a lot of asian themed furniture like sofas and tables, and those folding room partitions (I don't know the name of them), it was in the spot where The Wiz used to be, then it went to the Old Navy/Ruby Tuesday wing, and I think its totally gone now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quill Depot Posted February 11, 2013 Share #20 Posted February 11, 2013 Look at the White Plains Mall in White Plains. Ghost-town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nexis4Jersey Posted February 11, 2013 Share #21 Posted February 11, 2013 Alot of Malls are dying due to the car culture shifting to a transit or car free culture.....so were seeing the death of some malls , not all but the ones that were struggling before the recession have started to collapsed or are already gone. Some Have been demolished and turned into School/Colleges , others have been demolished and turned into Mixed use Housing which seen in more dense suburbs and Urbans areas and is very popular. The Old Town centers that surround most hubs in the Northeast are doing better then the malls in many cases.... This trend is spreading Nation wide , Mall Construction is rare these days except for mini strip malls other then that its dead.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilbluefoxie Posted February 11, 2013 Share #22 Posted February 11, 2013 Alot of Malls are dying due to the car culture shifting to a transit or car free culture.....so were seeing the death of some malls , not all but the ones that were struggling before the recession have started to collapsed or are already gone. Some Have been demolished and turned into School/Colleges , others have been demolished and turned into Mixed use Housing which seen in more dense suburbs and Urbans areas and is very popular. The Old Town centers that surround most hubs in the Northeast are doing better then the malls in many cases.... This trend is spreading Nation wide , Mall Construction is rare these days except for mini strip malls other then that its dead.... In this case they built a new mall/shopping center thing two blocks away and all the major stores moved there. The Source Mall was never that big since it was always overshadowed by the nearby Roosevelt Field mall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quill Depot Posted February 11, 2013 Share #23 Posted February 11, 2013 Elevator foamers... Ignore their voices and only watch the mall itself. You'll see the White Plains Mall is DEAD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minato ku Posted February 12, 2013 Share #24 Posted February 12, 2013 It is incredible to see a big dead mall right in the middle of a busy "suburban" city center. In Paris area dead malls are almost inexisting, at least, a dead mall of this size in such a good location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion VII 4 Life Posted February 12, 2013 Share #25 Posted February 12, 2013 Where is that White Plains Mall? By the Westchester, the Galleria, or where? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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