Ledgewood Commons is a shopping plaza in the Ledgewood, section of Roxbury, New Jersey, United States. Its anchors are Walmart, Burlington, and Marshalls. It is an outdoor shopping plaza with a gross leasable area of 448,000 sq ft (41,600 m2) The site covers 51.6 acres (20.9 ha) and has 2,223 parking spaces.[2] From the mall's opening in 1972 until 2016, it was branded Ledgewood Mall as a 518,246-square-foot (48,147 m2) enclosed mall.[3]
 | |
| Coordinates | 40°52′23″N 74°39′07″W / 40.873°N 74.652°W |
|---|---|
| Address | 461 Route 10 Ledgewood, NJ 07852 |
| Opening date | 1972 |
| Developer | Intercoast Development[1] |
| Owner | Urban Edge Properties (NYSE: UE) |
| No. of stores and services | 18+ |
| Total retail floor area | 448,000 sq ft (41,600 m2) |
| No. of floors | 1 |
| Public transit access |   NJ Transit bus: 875 |
| Website | https://uedge.com/property/ledgewood-commons |
History
edit
1972–2016: Ledgewood Mall
editThe center was originally opened in 1972 as Ledgewood Mall, with anchors of W. T. Grant store[4] and Finast. By 1980, the mall's anchors were Rickel, Jamesway, and Arthur's Catalog Showroom. These anchors remained for over a decade.
The Rickel space later closed and became Phar-Mor and Marshalls. Federated Department Stores announced in July 1993 that it would be opening a 60,000-square-foot (5,600 m2) Stern's store in fall 1994, as part of a major nationwide expansion of the chain.[5] This store was converted to a Macy's in 2001 when Stern's stores were closed. Jamesway closed in December 1995 following the company's liquidation.[6] By 1999, Walmart replaced both the former Jamesway and Arthur's stores,[7] and Circuit City, which has since closed as part of the economic collapse of that retail chain, was added as well. Phar-Mor eventually became an Ashley Furniture HomeStore location. From 2009 to 2017, Circuit City became Spirit Halloween every September until October. In 2018 the Spirit Halloween relocated to the nearby Roxbury Mall.[8]
By the early-mid 2010s, many of the mall's former tenants relocated to the nearby Roxbury Mall or other nearby strip malls.
2016–present: The Shops at Ledgewood Commons
editIn 2016, JV Partnership, Advance Realty, Debartolo Development & Invesco bought the mall. The owners had plans for a redevelopment that would turn the mall into an open-air power center.[9] The owners announced that Barnes & Noble would get a new building at the site of the former Sports Authority .[10] The former Macy's building was demolished on November 30, 2017, which kicked off the construction project. As of June 2018, much of the mall had been demolished, with only a small seating area remaining open between Marshalls and Ashley Home Furniture. What is not already demolished had been closed off to the public.[11] In September 2018, the owners of the mall announced that Five Below, Ulta Beauty, DSW, Starbucks, Chipotle Mexican Grill and Five Guys had signed leases and would open stores in the mall.[12]
In December 2018, Walmart announced that it would demolish its current store at the mall and replace it with a new modern supercenter store.[13] The old store closed on May 10, 2019, and Walmart started construction on the new store in June 2019, which opened on October 7, 2020, Walmart had originally planned to open on October 17, 2020, but construction finished early and the opening date was moved sooner.[14][15][16]
In 2019, Lemon Tree Hair Salon opened in the former Pizza Hut.[17]
In January 2019, 24 Hour Fitness announced that it would open a gym at the mall. However, in August 2020, the company pulled out of the project after the company filing for bankruptcy.[18][19]
Also in August 2020, Barnes & Noble permanently closed its first location at the mall, after being at Ledgewood from 1994 to 2020.[19]
On September 9, 2020, Burlington Department Store announced it would officially open a store at the new mall.[20]
In October 2020, it was announced that At Home would open in the space where 24 Hour Fitness was going to be.
In February 2021, Five Below, Starbucks and Chipotle Mexican Grill opened.[21]
In March 2021, Burlington Department Store opened.[22]
Ulta Beauty, Panda Express and Five Guys opened in April 2021.[23]
On July 30, 2021, The Shops At Ledgewood Commons held a grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony which marked the official opening of the new open air power center.[24] Many other stores are set to open. In 2023, Lemon Tree moved to one of the strip malls to make way for Popeyes.
In November 2023, Barnes & Noble announced that it would return to the shopping center in January 2024 after closing its previous location at the mall in August 2020.[25]
The mall was purchased by Urban Edge Properties in April 2024 for $83.2 million. The next month, the acquirer obtained a 5-year, $50 million mortgage on the property.[26]
In May 2024, J.Crew Factory opened and Red Lobster closed its location in the shopping center due to the company preparing to file for bankruptcy.[27]
Controversy
editThe construction of the Shops at Ledgewood Commons was given an exception from Governor Phil Murphy's Essential Construction order during the COVID-19 pandemic. Construction workers protested the decision,[28] though the Mayor of Roxbury said that the project is essential since the center has a Walmart and restaurants. The Walmart temporarily closed in 2019 for a new supercenter store.[29]
References
edit- ^ "Business students help map mall". The Herald News. April 4, 1973. p. 18. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
- ^ "Ledgewood Commons – Urban Edge Properties". Urban Edge Properties. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
- ^ Ledgewood Mall[permanent dead link], International Council of Shopping Centers. Accessed June 28, 2009. [dead link]
- ^ "Market Guide". 1974: 261.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ Staff. ""Stern's to open in Ledgewood, N.J.". Daily News Record, July 13, 1993. Accessed June 28, 2009.
- ^ Chen, David W. "NEW JERSEY & CO.; 23 Towns, and 1,000 Workers, Brace for a World without Jamesway". The New York Times, October 22, 1995. Accessed June 28, 2009.
- ^ Troy, Mike (1999-06-07). "Five stores, five states, five variations". Discount Store News. Archived from the original on 2012-07-11. Retrieved 2009-10-22.
- ^ "Halloween Store at 275 State Rte 10 E | Spirit Halloween Near Me". stores.spirithalloween.com. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
- ^ Condon, Mike. "Realtor says tenants actively pursuing Ledgewood Mall". New Jersey Hills. Retrieved 2017-05-01.
- ^ "Bulldozer for Roxbury Barnes & Noble; But Bookworms Needn't Panic". TAPinto. Retrieved 2017-05-01.
- ^ "Roxbury Macy's demolished to make way for Ledgewood Commons". Daily Record. Retrieved 2017-12-30.
- ^ "DSW, Five Below and Others Coming to Former Ledgewood Mall in Roxbury". TAPinto. Retrieved 2018-10-22.
- ^ "Super-Modern Supercenter Planned for Roxbury Walmart". TAPinto. Retrieved 2019-04-12.
- ^ "For Roxbury's Walmart Only a Few Weeks Remain". TAPinto. Retrieved 2019-04-12.
- ^ "New Roxbury Walmart Supercenter Grand Opening tentatively set for Mid-October (17th)". Hopatcong Lake Regional News. Retrieved 2020-09-14.
- ^ "Reminder – Roxbury Supercenter Walmart Opens Oct 7, 2020 at 7:00 AM". Hopatcong Lake Regional News. Retrieved 2020-10-06.
- ^ "From Pizza Hut to Hair Cuts; Roxbury Salon Readies to Move". TAPinto.
- ^ "24-Hour Workouts and Shopping Planned for New Roxbury Shopping Center". TAPinto. Retrieved 2019-01-31.
- ^ a b "Barnes & Noble Quits Roxbury After 26 Years in Ledgewood". TAPinto. Retrieved 2020-08-27.
- ^ "Burlington to Battle Marshall's at New Roxbury Shopping Center". TAPinto. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
- ^ "Five Below Opens, Others Coming Soon, at Roxbury's Shops at Ledgewood Commons". TAPinto. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
- ^ "Roxbury Schools Receive $5,000 Donation from Newly Open Burlington Store". Hopatcong Lake Regional News. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
- ^ "Morris County Mall Opens Seven New Stores". Mendham-Chester, NJ Patch. 2021-04-19. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
- ^ "Advance Realty Investors Hosts Ribbon Cutting for Shops at Ledgewood Commons". New Jersey Business Magazine. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
- ^ "Barnes and Noble Returning to Popular Morris County Location". 3 November 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
- ^ "Urban Edge Properties, SEC Form 10-Q for 3/31/2024 filed on 5/7/2024; See Subsequent Events heading on page 14". www.sec.gov. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
- ^ "Red Lobster Suddenly Closes Morris County Location, 49 Others". 14 May 2024. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
- ^ "Union: Roxbury Shopping Center Construction is Irresponsible During COVID-19". TAPinto. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
- ^ "Walmart Walls Tumble in Roxbury". TAPinto. Retrieved 2020-05-11.