An aquarium being built at Rotterdam Square Mall is expected to open in February — a critical part of the turnaround strategy for the struggling shopping center in Schenectady County, New York.
Via Properties, a Turkish firm that bought the mall over the summer for $9.25 million, believes the 25,000-square-foot aquarium and a 29,000-square-foot sports bar/arcade will generate the foot traffic needed to lure back national retailers.
Construction continues on a $10 million aquarium and sports bar/arcade at Rotterdam Square Mall in Schenectady County, New York.
Of the 585,000 square feet of leasable space, 35 percent is empty. The mall feels barren with shuttered stores and minimal visitors on a weekday.
it looks like they are going to be doing most of the work during the winter because last I was there it looked like they didn't do much more than gut the stores.
it looks like they are going to be doing most of the work during the winter because last I was there it looked like they didn't do much more than gut the stores.
My understanding is that a lot of the "parts" of the aquarium are actually being built off-site.
George Amedore & Christian Klueg for NYS Senate 2016 Pete Vroman for State Assembly 2016[/size][/color]
"For this is what America is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and the unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest that is sleeping in the unplowed ground." Lyndon Baines Johnson
More Mall news.....not big loses but more vacancies just the same Rotterdam Square Mall losing three more stores
ROTTERDAM — The Rotterdam Square Mall will always hold a special place in Joseph Tullio’s heart.
Tullio, who is the owner of Tullio Hair Studio, closed his salon location there on New Year’s Eve.
After 27 years of trimming and styling clients’ hair at the Rotterdam spot, Tullio said it was time to move on.
“We had a great run in Rotterdam Square Mall — we did very well for many, many years,” the salon owner said Wednesday. “But then, my lease was up, and I said to myself, ‘It’s time.’ ”
The company has two other salon locations, one inside Crossgates mall and another in Carman Plaza in Guilderland.
Tullio’s daughter recently had a baby, and the salon owner said he looks forward to focusing on family during the next part of his life.
“I almost cried when I closed the place for the last time,” Tullio recalled. “I’m starting to get up there in age, so we’re consolidating business and focusing on the two locations we have right now to modernize them and make them a bit more edgy.
“Rotterdam has treated me really good and, without it, I wouldn’t have the success I have today,” Tullio continued. “I want to thank all our clients for supporting us for so many years and also my staff has been very loyal to me.”
If clients want to follow a hairstylist to their new location, Tullio said four will be relocated to the Carman Plaza salon, where the Monday and Tuesday hours were extended to be open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
“The stylists who we don’t bring with us, when they let me know where they’re going to be, I will be glad to tell their clients where they’re going so they can follow them there, too,” Tullio said. “I’ve been in business for many years and believe our clients and staff have been good to me, so I want to wish them the best.”
The Rotterdam mall has struggled to keep businesses occupying its store spaces in recent years, as it lost some major tenants over the past two years, including T.J. Maxx in March 2014 and Macy’s and Gap Outlet last spring. The property’s assessment was reduced from $30 million to $19.9 million in 2014, and its power was shut off last February because of a delinquent bill.
Between Dec. 31 and Jan. 31, three stores will close — the Tullio Hair Studio, Matthew’s Hallmark and Things Remembered.
Things Remembered will close Jan. 23, according to a store manager on Wednesday.
The manager said she had no idea why the store is closing its Rotterdam mall location, but the Crossgates mall location is staying open.
None of the employees at the Rotterdam store were being transferred to another store, and are losing their jobs, she said.
Dyanna Barnes, an employee at Matthew’s Hallmark, said the store will close Jan. 26.
“We have other stores in Colonie Center mall, one in Stuyvesant Plaza, one in Scotia and another in Crossgates.”
“I’m not sure whether employees at this store will be transferred to other stores or not,” Barnes said.
The Rotterdam Square manager declined to comment.
When the other two stores leave at the end of the month, about half of the mall’s spaces will be vacant.
Tullio impressed
Even so, Tullio said he is confident the mall’s new owner is turning things around.
In May, the Turkish developer Via Properties purchased the Rotterdam mall for $9.25 million, and announced plans that included an aquarium and a family fun zone with a bowling alley, arcade games and a sports bar.
The 25,000-square-foot display aquarium is slated to open late next month.
Tullio said he met two men with Via Properties, which is based in Istanbul, at the mall office one day, and he was impressed with them.
“I’m very optimistic about these new owners,” Tullio said. “They are motivated, and in addition to the aquarium and fun zone, a beautiful, nice restaurant is supposed to go in, too.”
Tullio said he hasn’t heard of other stores that expect to leave the mall anytime soon.
“I think they’re going to stick around and wait for these plans to happen, and I think they will happen,” Tullio said. “I feel good about it because the owners and the manager are in it together to make it right — it just takes time.”
In plain English, this Aquarium is the last hail Mary this mall has... if it fails, the mall is doomed. I hope it succeeds, I just have serious doubts about it. It seems this area doesn't have the ability to support more than a few malls, and we already have them. The two anchor stores in the mall are lightly traveled and their parent company is in trouble. If the parent company needs to close more stores, i can't see how the stores in the mall survive this time.
"Arguing with liberals is like playing chess with a pigeon; no matter how good I am at chess, the pigeon is just going to knock out the pieces, crap on the board, and strut around like it is victorious." - Author Unknown
I'm expecting Sears OR K-Mart to leave the mall, soon.
Just a hunch
We are advised NOT to judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works.
I'm expecting Sears OR K-Mart to leave the mall, soon.
Just a hunch
Even though I'd rather have Kmart leave, I suspect it will be Sears... They have a successful store in Colonie Center and Kmart doesn't have much of a presence in the area.
That said, Sears Rotterdam customer service is horrid... I was there on Saturday using my xmas gift card and it was like watching the Keystone cops!
"Arguing with liberals is like playing chess with a pigeon; no matter how good I am at chess, the pigeon is just going to knock out the pieces, crap on the board, and strut around like it is victorious." - Author Unknown
More in keeping with the topic -- maybe the aquarium should have Hooter's "mermaids" swimming in the tanks -- that would certainly draw folks to the mall.
On a more serios not -- they really should try to lure Bass Pro Shops and Shop-Rite to the mall.
George Amedore & Christian Klueg for NYS Senate 2016 Pete Vroman for State Assembly 2016[/size][/color]
"For this is what America is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and the unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest that is sleeping in the unplowed ground." Lyndon Baines Johnson
someone who works at 99 restaurant said that American Eagle is closing next month.
don't know how true that is.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
I was there a week or two ago and the supposed aquarium site was hardly changed from when it was the TJ Maxx. I think there was maybe one additional wall up.
The new name is pretty bad. I understand wanting to shed the past but Viaport? Yikes.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
my dryer broke, I ordered a new one on line through sears/kmart website, I got an email regarding the day and a 4 hour window(which I could manipulate to fit my schedule) The delivery team called 30minutes before their arrival, took the old dryer out and set up my new one.
never entered a store.
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
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