Bridgewater Commons Explained

Bridgewater Commons
Address:400 Commons Way
Location:Bridgewater, New Jersey
Coordinates:40.5858°N -74.6194°W
Developer:The Hahn Company
Manager:Trademark Property Company
Owner:Pacific Retail Capital Partners
Number Of Stores:170[1]
Number Of Anchors:3 (2 open, 1 vacant)
Floors:3 (2 in Bloomingdale's)
Parking:Parking lot and 3-story parking garage east of AMC
Publictransit: NJ Transit bus: 65, 114

Bridgewater Commons is a fully enclosed shopping mall located in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey. The mall is located at the intersection of Route 22 and Route 202/206 and borders I-287. The mall opened on February 24, 1988, as Somerset County's first and has a gross leasable area of .[2] [3]

History

In the 1960s, a township redevelopment agency combined various plots of land in Bridgewater, and then it declared the entire area blighted so that the land could be sold to one developer.[4] The tentative name of the development was the Golden Triangle Mall,[5] [6] later changed to Bridgewater Commons in 1974.[7]

Bridgewater township signed a contract with The Hahn Company, a California-based mall-developer, in 1985.[4] The Prudential's real estate division joined the development project later.[4] [8]

In 1986, R.H. Macy Co. announced they would open a Macy's store in the shopping center, instead of the company's Bamberger's banner, as originally planned.[9] The company was in the process of retiring the Bamberger's brand and converting its Bamberger's stores to its Macy's banner.[10] [11]

Bridgewater Commons opened on February 24, 1988,[12] [13] although Hahnes opened earlier, on February 13, and Macy's opened on February 14.[14] Its anchor stores were Macy's, Hahnes, and Stern's.[15] On June 18, 1988, a Disney Store opened, which was the first Disney Store located outside of California.[16] On October 18, 1989, Hahnes converted to Lord & Taylor.[17]

Since opening, mall management and Somerset Medical Center have sponsored a HealthHike mall walking program to give walkers an indoors, secured, and climate-controlled environment in which to walk. Anyone can obtain a name tag to enter the mall starting at 6:30a.m. Monday through Saturday and 9a.m. Sunday. The program also includes a monthly meeting at 8:30a.m. on the first Wednesday of each month from October through June to discuss health-related topics. Since opening, the mall has also featured an annual Christmas display and kids photo opportunity with Santa Claus in addition to a photo opportunity with the Easter Bunny around Easter time.[18] [19]

The mall complex pursued a major expansion in 1991 to add two eight-story office buildings to the complex, which would include . of office space and a 300-room hotel. The effort was initiated as part of a longstanding urban renewal project.[20] By 2000, with a 347-room Bridgewater Marriott Hotel already under the construction, the mall's developers pushed ahead to develop the office towers planned for the complex.[21] The two towers later opened, occupied mostly by Brother Industries and Sanofi-Aventis.

In 1993, Bridgewater Commons became one of the first malls in the state to ban smoking, joining 300 of 1800 malls nationwide that prohibited smoking on mall grounds.[22]

In 2001, Macy's announced that two Stern's stores will close in the same year, and reopen as Bloomingdale's stores in 2002; Bridgewater was one of them. The other store that was affected was the Wayne location, located at the Willowbrook Mall.

In 2003, upscale seafood chain McCormick & Schmick's opened.[23]

The Village at Bridgewater Commons, a lifestyle center adjacent to the mall's property, officially opened on Saturday, September 23, 2006 with two anchors: Crate & Barrel and Maggiano's Little Italy, which opened a month before.[24]

As of November 2008, the Food Court has reopened after its extensive renovation. Some of the restaurants within have reopened as well.[25]

Throughout the year of 2010, Bridgewater Commons sought an increase in entertainment and restaurant occupants with The Cheesecake Factory opening on August 23, and both AMC Theatres and California Pizza Kitchen opening in November.[26] [27] [28]

On May 1, 2015, casual burger restaurant Shake Shack opened their first Central Jersey location in The Village occupying the space vacated by Coldwater Creek. This marked the chain’s third location in the state of New Jersey.[29]

On November 23, 2016, American restaurant chain Redstone American Grill opened their second New Jersey location in a pad next to California Pizza Kitchen.[30]

On October 19, 2017, Mediterranean restaurant chain Cava opened their third New Jersey location at The Village in the former Brooks Brothers space.[31]

McCormick & Schmick's closed in January 2019 due to the expiration of their lease.[32]

Mexican food chain Uncle Julio’s opened their first NJ location in the space formerly occupied by McCormick & Schmick's on February 25, 2020.[33]

On August 27, 2020, Lord & Taylor announced they would liquidate and shutter all their remaining stores as the company declared bankruptcy.[34] [35]

In November 2021, Crate & Barrel, an anchor of The Village, declared its departure from the mall after they opted to not renew their lease. The township plans to re-zone the building to allow medical use to occupy the space after the popular furniture chain vacates.[36]

In December 2022, the town council approved a zoning ordinance in the former Lord & Taylor anchor pad to attract entertainment and amusement establishments such as Topgolf or Dave & Buster's to occupy the vacant space.[37]

In January 2023, Brazilian steakhouse chain Fogo de Chão announced that they will open three locations in NJ, including a venue at the mall.[38]

In May 2023, Pacific Retail Capital Partners acquired the mall and The Village from Trademark Properties to revitalize the properties into a "vibrant mixed-use destination", in honor of the mall's 35th year anniversary. A purchase price has not been disclosed.[39]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bridgewater Commons . September 1, 2018 . August 21, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180821173440/https://www.bridgewatercommons.com/en.html . live .
  2. Web site: International Council of Shopping Centers: Bridgewater Commons . October 3, 2006 . July 11, 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080304162531/http://www.icsc.org/apps/dmmdisp.php?dispid=NJ8810 . March 4, 2008.
  3. Web site: Rockaway Townsquare . Simon Property Group, Inc. . 2011-01-28 . November 27, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111127145902/http://www.simon.com/about_simon/leasing/LocalMall.aspx?id=116 . live .
  4. Rundquist, Jeanette (July 7, 1991). "Bridgewater Office Complex Stalled as Economy Hinders Developers". The Star-Ledger (Newark, New Jersey).
  5. "Bridgewater Mall Planned, $5 to $7 Million Ratable: Would Have 40 Stores, More Later". The Courier-News. February 8, 1966. p. 17.
  6. "'Golden Triangle' Still a Question Mark". The Central New Jersey Home News. May 18, 1969. p. B1.
  7. Clampitt, Maggie (August 7, 1974). "Bridgewater Commons a better name?". The Courier-News. p. 10.
  8. Ali, Sam; Berkin, George (May 5, 1997). "Robert Beck of Prudential dies at 71: Rose from salesman to company CEO
  9. Glickman, Clifford (August 15, 1986). "Bamberger's to adopt Macy's name?" The Courier-News. p. 1.
  10. Web site: Verdon . Joan . Bamberger's stores are gone but impact lives on . 2021-04-20 . North Jersey Media Group . en-US . April 20, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210420071658/https://www.northjersey.com/story/money/shopping/2016/11/23/bambergers-stores-gone-but-impact-lives/94244040/ . live .
  11. Book: Lisicky, Michael J. . Abraham and Straus: It's Worth a Trip from Anywhere . 2017-11-06 . Arcadia Publishing . 978-1-4396-6367-7 . en . May 3, 2021 . February 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220217091841/https://books.google.com/books?id=9XQvDwAAQBAJ&q=Macy%27s+takeover+Bamberger%27s+land+1986&pg=PT122 . live .
  12. McDonald, Lee (February 23, 1988). "Opening Day: Half of Mall's Stores Ready to Greet Shoppers". The Courier-News. p. 1.
  13. Lijo, Lydia Villalva; Hill, Michelle (February 24, 1988). "Mall means business today". The Courier-News. p. 1.
  14. McKeegan, John (February 16, 1988). "Commons crowd takes its window shopping inside". The Central New Jersey Home News. p. 11.
  15. "A spectrum of stores under one roof". The Central New Jersey Home News. February 21, 1988. p. A9.
  16. "New Jersey Disney to Open Store in Somerset", The Record, June 16, 1988. p. C3.
  17. Rundquist, Jeanette (October 19, 1989). "Lord & Taylor Opens New Store at the Bridgewater Commons". The Star-Ledger (Newark, New Jersey).
  18. Web site: Richardson . Kara . Central Jersey retailers hoping for busy Black Friday . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160117202752/http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20081123/NEWS/811230309/1010/newsfront . January 17, 2016 . July 11, 2009 . Gannett.
  19. Web site: Loyer . Susan . Local walkers get healthy at Bridgewater mall . July 11, 2009 . Gannett.
  20. "Hoping to Defy the Odds in Bridgewater; Developers Bet On Office Center, Citing Location", The New York Times, February 17, 1991. p. R8
  21. News: In the Region/ New Jersey; Bridgewater Commons Is Entering the Home Stretch Offices and hotel will complete the master plan for the mall . The New York Times . May 21, 2000 . RE9 . Rachelle . Garbarine . February 15, 2017 . March 7, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160307022336/http://www.nytimes.com/2000/05/21/realestate/in-the-region-new-jersey-bridgewater-commons-is-entering-the-home-stretch.html . live .
  22. News: 2 Big Malls Ban Smoking . The New York Times . October 8, 1993 . B6 . February 15, 2017 . September 4, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170904015156/http://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/08/nyregion/2-big-malls-ban-smoking.html . live .
  23. Web site: McCormick & Schmick's plans Providence restaurant - 2003-08-13 - the Business Journal of Portland . 2021-04-20 . www.bizjournals.com . November 9, 2004 . https://web.archive.org/web/20041109092329/http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2003/08/11/daily24.html . live .
  24. Web site: 2006-09-23.pdf . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160617215841/http://www.southplainfield.lib.nj.us/newspapers/Chronicle/2006/2006-09-23.pdf . June 17, 2016.
  25. Web site: Heyman . Lois . Bridgewater Commons food court reopen for business . July 11, 2009 . Gannett . October 6, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141006174758/http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20081202/NEWS/812020383/1001/RSS09 . live .
  26. Web site: The Cheesecake Factory Opens in Bridgewater, New Jersey . 2023-02-03 . investors.thecheesecakefactory.com . en-US.
  27. Web site: 2010-11-15 . California Pizza Kitchen Opens in Bridgewater, New Jersey RestaurantNews.com . 2023-02-03 . en-US.
  28. Web site: Monthly . New Jersey . November 15, 2010 . It's Showtime: Let's Eat! . 2023-02-03 . New Jersey Monthly.
  29. Web site: 2015-04-30 . Bridgewater Bound! Shake Shack Opens First Central New Jersey Location at the Village at Bridgewater Commons, Friday, May 1st . 2023-02-03 . www.businesswire.com . en.
  30. Web site: Deak . Mike . Redstone American Grill opens at Bridgewater Commons . 2023-02-03 . Courier News . en-US.
  31. Web site: Cava Opens New Jersey Location in Bridgewater . 2023-02-27 . QSR magazine . en.
  32. Web site: Muscavage . Nick . McCormick & Schmick's closes at Bridgewater Commons . 2023-02-03 . Courier News . en-US.
  33. Web site: NJ.com . Nicolette Accardi NJ Advance Media for . 2020-02-26 . Mexican food chain Uncle Julio's expands to N.J. . 2023-02-03 . nj . en.
  34. Web site: Bomey . Nathan . Lord & Taylor going out of business: Store closings, liquidation sales begin . 2021-04-20 . USA TODAY . en-US . August 27, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200827223937/https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/08/27/lord-taylor-liquidation-sales-closing-all-stores/5643258002/ . live .
  35. Web site: 2021-11-11 . Crate & Barrel To Close, Bridgewater Looks To Rezone Building For Medical Purposes . 2022-10-10 . Bridgewater, NJ Patch . en.
  36. Web site: 2021-11-11 . Crate & Barrel To Close, Bridgewater Looks To Rezone Building For Medical Purposes . 2023-02-03 . Bridgewater, NJ Patch . en.
  37. Web site: Bridgewater Commons gets OK for games, amusement, entertainment businesses . 2023-02-03 . Courier News . en-US.
  38. Web site: Brazilian steakhouse opening at Bridgewater Commons . 2023-02-03 . Courier News . en-US.
  39. Web site: Bridgewater Commons mall sold; new owner plans 'vibrant mixed-use destination' . 2023-05-16 . Courier News . en-US.

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