10 replies to this topic

[mallguy]

Does anyone know the status of this proposed Taubman mall, on the site of a former wire factory at the LIE and Robbins Lane in Syosset?  Has construction started, or have even the building permits been obtained?

Thanks very much.

[StevenRocks]

Lord & Taylor pulled out, I think.

[TBurban]

Wow, that mall still hasnt been built yet?  Its been on the drawing boards since I first lived there a long time ago.  I remember my great( as in great in years) uncle, John Venditto was taking about it a while ago.  Its been so many years since then.  Nice to see it go up though  

Edited by TBurban, 20 April 2006 - 05:36 PM.

[mallguy]

I'm planning a trip out to see the future (?) construction site- BTW are there any dying malls in the area (within about 45 minutes of Syosset and the North Shore)- in particular malls that used to be nice but now are barely hanging on and are on deathwatch?

Thanks.

[mallguy]

For whoever cares- the Mall at Oyster Bay should not be built, in my view.  I visited the area this weekend.  The Americana at Manhasset shopping center isn't too far away, and that is a beautiful, thriving center in a high-income area with "one and only" high-end stores (Burberry, Ralph Lauren, Barney's, etc.) that probably wouldn't open second stores in the same trade area at another mall.  The Mall at Oyster Bay site is an industrial area with less-chi-chi houses nearby; there is very limited retail already in the area, so the mall would have to overcome a lot to change people's shopping habits.

I think Taubman just wants to get close to the areas where the people who shop at the Americana at Manhasset live, and the chosen site for the Mall at Oyster Bay is the only land available.  Taubman should just buy the Americana at Manhasset, and/or Neimans and/or Nordstrom should just locate there.

[TBurban]

mallguy, on May 7 2006, 10:02 PM, said:

For whoever cares- the Mall at Oyster Bay should not be built, in my view.  I visited the area this weekend.  The Americana at Manhasset shopping center isn't too far away, and that is a beautiful, thriving center in a high-income area with "one and only" high-end stores (Burberry, Ralph Lauren, Barney's, etc.) that probably wouldn't open second stores in the same trade area at another mall.  The Mall at Oyster Bay site is an industrial area with less-chi-chi houses nearby; there is very limited retail already in the area, so the mall would have to overcome a lot to change people's shopping habits.

I think Taubman just wants to get close to the areas where the people who shop at the Americana at Manhasset live, and the chosen site for the Mall at Oyster Bay is the only land available.  Taubman should just buy the Americana at Manhasset, and/or Neimans and/or Nordstrom should just locate there.

I know a lot of people that would love and hate it to go up.  I have mixed feelings about it, since I dont currently, but did live in Oyster Bay, I dont have authority really of making a bold opinion.  I think if they found the right stores, people would go there.  Id just want to see something go there.  Its been up in the air for years now, they have to make up their minds sometime.

Edited by TBurban, 07 May 2006 - 08:16 PM.

[StevenRocks]

Americana Manhasset isn't very expandable for department store size spaces, so therein lies a problem for any that want to come into the neighborhood.  

I think the instability of the concept for the area is leading to the delay on the Mall at Oyster Bay.  It's simply not needed.  

Still, if Nordstrom decides they want to locate in that area, they will get a store.  It may be a freestanding one, or part of a smaller Oyster Bay development, but they'll be there if they push the issue at all.

Edited by StevenRocks, 07 May 2006 - 11:25 PM.

[mallguy]

For the Americana at Manhasset- why not just build a Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus in the parking lot, and build parking decks below and/or around it?  True that the site is already a bit cramped, but it is all single-level, even the parking lot.  That center must be raking in money and must have very high sales per square foot so surely a multi-leveling of at least the parking lot could surely be done.

[StevenRocks]

Thing is, people who shop Americana Manhasset don't really want an urban mall-feeling shopping center.  Part of the charm is the feeling of exclusivity.

[SmellyCat]

TBurban, on May 7 2006, 10:16 PM, said:

I know a lot of people that would love and hate it to go up.  I have mixed feelings about it, since I dont currently, but did live in Oyster Bay, I dont have authority really of making a bold opinion.  I think if they found the right stores, people would go there.  Id just want to see something go there.  Its been up in the air for years now, they have to make up their minds sometime.

I don't think it will be built, unfortunately.  This is just another case of the NIMBYs winning out.  I was born and raised on Long Island and, thank the lord, managed to escape in my early 20s.  I have lived in about 5 different parts of the U.S. during my life, and have never ever seen such NIMBYism anyplace like it exists on Long Island, particularly in the posh suburbs of Nassau County where, incidently, is close to where the Taubman Mall would go.

On a tangental and must more significant note, it's the main reason why Long Island is on the path to economic destruction, as the NIMBYs have forced out any chance for sufficient affordable housing to be built on Long Island.  Subsequently, most educated young people have been leaving Long Island (or simply not returning to it after graduating college) for years now, which will effectively create a "Brain Drain" on LI.  In the long run, this will eventually create huge problems for the region as and "old" LI population continues to age and there are not enough working, higher income-earning taxpayers to support the region.  

And - oh by the way - Long Island has a track record of producing some of the most corrupt politicians (next to New Jersey).  How else can you explain how a county with the wealth of Nassau almost going bankrupt?  

[mid-island]

mallguy, on May 7 2006, 08:02 PM, said:

For whoever cares- the Mall at Oyster Bay should not be built, in my view.  I visited the area this weekend.  The Americana at Manhasset shopping center isn't too far away, and that is a beautiful, thriving center in a high-income area with "one and only" high-end stores (Burberry, Ralph Lauren, Barney's, etc.) that probably wouldn't open second stores in the same trade area at another mall.  The Mall at Oyster Bay site is an industrial area with less-chi-chi houses nearby;

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there is very limited retail already in the area, so the mall would have to overcome a lot to change people's shopping habits.

Broadway Mall lies just 2 miles to the southwest. Vornado recently purchased the property and is known for making dramatic upgrades to those places it takes over. It's anchors are Macy's, Ikea and Target. not the highest end, although it underscores how saturated with malls we are in this region. Read on.

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I think Taubman just wants to get close to the areas where the people who shop at the Americana at Manhasset live, and the chosen site for the Mall at Oyster Bay is the only land available.  Taubman should just buy the Americana at Manhasset, and/or Neimans and/or Nordstrom should just locate there.

There's a Nordstrom at Roosevelt Field already, several miles south of Americana/Miracle Mile. That's a Simon mall and is also planning an expansion (after a second deck expansion in the '90s + contruction of two new anchors totalling 6). The Source Mall (Fortunoff) was built half a mile to the east of R Field in the mid-90s. Walt Whitman Mall is about several miles to the east of the Taubman proposal. I can tell you that beyond the local Nimbyism, there was a total lack of enthusiasm about another mall in the area, evident from many letters to Newsday the past decade.

BTW--I live a mile and a half south of the site, in Hicksville.

Edited by mid-island, 20 August 2006 - 01:28 AM.