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Westgate Plaza (Albany, New York)

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Coordinates: 42°40′56.5″N 73°47′25.5″W / 42.682361°N 73.790417°W / 42.682361; -73.790417
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Westgate Plaza is a large strip mall in the city of Albany, New York, located on Central Avenue. Westgate is considered the first mall in the Albany area,[1] and opened in 1957.[2][3]

Tenants

[edit]

Over the years, tenants have included:

Tenant Name Date Opened
JCPenney 1957 (closed in 1984, moving to Crossgates Mall)[4]
Barbizon Fashion Shops 1960s (closed during redevelopment, then reopened)[5] (closed permanently after May 9, 1997)[6]
W.T. Grant 1974 or earlier[7]
Albany Public Market unknown - Became Scot's Lo-Cost for a time (this was their "warehouse" brand), then switched to Grand Union in October 1986 with the other Albany Public locations [8]
Land of Fabrics unknown[9]
Traditions Antiques unknown[10]
National Savings Bank before October 24, 1986, became Key Bank February 1993 [11]
Big Dom's before August 26, 1988[12]
Westgate Piano & Organ unknown[13]
Stylish Women Limited unknown[14]
Card Time unknown[15]
Albany Window Design before July 8, 1990[16]
MSS Limited before December, 1990 (planned to relocate to Builders Square Plaza in Colonie by January, 1991)[17]
Grand Union Approximately October 1986, as noted in the GU Page [18] closed before February 23, 1993[19]
Woolworth's unknown, closed before February 23, 1993[19]
Wheels April 23, 1992[20]
Paper Cutter before February 23, 1993[19]
Rose Dental Associates unknown, moved before March 7, 1997[21]
Harold L. Joyce headquarters (political campaign office) before September 15, 1993[22]
Champion Factory Outlet before April 13, 1994[23] (closed 2004)[24])
Price Chopper Spring, 1995[25] (left Colvin Central Plaza)[26] (renovation around 2000)[27]
Fay's Drug before Spring, 1995 (left Colvin Central Plaza) - This location had been a Brooks Drugs that had closed prior to Fay's move. Later Eckerd, then Rite Aid until Walgreen's purchase of Rite Aid locations [26]
Westgate Barber Shop before April 22, 1995[28]
Cohoes Savings Bank (branch inside Price Chopper) May 15, 1995[29]
J.B.'s Theatre before June 18, 1995[30]
Duane's Toyland before December 21, 1995[31]
Empire Cellular before January 28, 1996[32]
The Party Experience June, 1997 company took over Paper Cutter in 1996 (liquidation in May, 1998)[33]
New Music Center before July 25, 1998[34]
Mini Mall Theater before February 13, 1999[35]
Capital District Equal Opportunity Center before July 12, 1999[36]
Key Bank February 1993, on taking over the National Savings Bank that was in the plaza (along with the rest of their branches [37]
American Institute of Japanese Karate before July 12, 2000[38]
Mailboxes Etc. before November 18, 2000[39]
Call to Pray Ministry before September 12, 2002[40]
Mr. Subb before March 17, 2003[41]
One Price Clothing Store before February, 2004 (closed by end of March, 2004)[42]
Payless Shoes before October 25, 2004 [43]
Fashion Bug before June 18, 2005 [44]
Dean's Incredible Edibles opened Sep 15, 1980, the name changed to Dean's Natural Foods in 1994, and closed July 31, 2015
UPS Store before December 27, 2005 [45]
PCX Corp. after June 12, 2007 [46]
Horizons Management Associates LLC after June 12, 2007 [46]
A.J. Wright October 16, 2008[47] (24,000 sq ft.)[48]
BEST Fitness Unknown

En lai restaurant

Campus Pizza

Record Town" "before 1982

Redevelopment

[edit]

Plans were submitted to the city of Albany before February 23, 1993 for redevelopment of parts of the plaza. This would include demolishing the section that included the closed Grand Union and Woolworth's stores, as well as the still open Wheels and Paper Cutter stores, with plans to relocate the latter stores. A new section would be built on space occupied by the section to be demolished.[19]

By October 26, 1993, the redevelopment plans had been approved by the city of Albany.[5]

Ownership/Property Management

[edit]

As of February 23, 1993, the plaza was owned by Russell Road Associates of Boston. On that date, the plaza was only 40% full and the owners were bankrupt.[19]

Nigro Cos. was managing the shopping center in October, 1993.[5]

Price Chopper purchased 2 acres (8,100 m2) from owner Russell Road Associates in 1993 at a cost of $3 million. This purchase allowed Russell Road Associates, bankrupt at the time, to jumpstart their reorganization. Price Chopper built an 82,500-square-foot (7,660 m2) store on the land for approximately $4 million. The building was sold to Mesirow-Heller and Price Chopper leased the building until they moved to the former ShopRite down the street in 2024 reopening as Market 32. In early 1997, Ruskin Investors of Northbrook, Illinois purchased the building from Mesirow-Heller for $9 million. Lease terms did not change as a result of the purchase.[49]

Boston Development Associates of Westwood, Massachusetts, became the manager of the plaza property in January, 1997.[50]

Historic Sign

[edit]

The sign for Westgate Plaza is unofficially considered a landmark for the uptown Central Avenue area. There have been concerns about damage or renovation of the sign as removing a piece of history for the area.[50][51]

Miscellaneous Notes

[edit]

By 1994, it was noted that Crossgates Mall, which had been open for ten years by that time, had had a negative effect on older city shopping plazas such as Westgate.[52]

Sources

[edit]
  1. ^ "The Malling of the Capital Region", Times Union, The (Albany), p. A3, August 15, 1999, retrieved April 24, 2009
  2. ^ Swift, Aisling (April 17, 1994), "The Avenue Means Business Albany's Central Avenue Offers Unique Shopping Experience", Times Union, The (Albany), p. B1, retrieved April 23, 2009
  3. ^ Woodruff, Cathy (August 15, 1999), "1966: Colonie Center: Enclose it and They Will Come", Times Union, The (Albany), p. A3, retrieved April 24, 2009
  4. ^ Feldstein, Betsy (April 20, 1995), "JCPenney Finishes Crossgates Work", Times Union, The (Albany), p. C9, retrieved April 23, 2009
  5. ^ a b c Abbey, Alan D. (October 26, 1993), "Barbazon Store to Close, Reopen", Times Union, The (Albany), p. C7, retrieved April 23, 2009
  6. ^ Moore, Deborah (May 9, 1997), "Barbizon owner chooses Chapter 11 as route to orderly asset liquidation", Business Review, The (Albany), retrieved April 24, 2009
  7. ^ "Obituary: Mary P. Seavey, 84", Times Union, The (Albany), p. B11, July 22, 1994, retrieved April 23, 2009
  8. ^ "Obituary: Peter J. Paolucci, 80", Times Union, The (Albany), p. B7, February 6, 1996, retrieved April 24, 2009
  9. ^ "Obituary: Asci, Frances M.", Times Union, The (Albany), p. B8, August 4, 2001, retrieved April 24, 2009
  10. ^ "Obituary: Gallagher, Jacqueline", Times Union, The (Albany), p. B5, September 27, 2004, retrieved April 24, 2009
  11. ^ Haynes, Laura (October 24, 1986), "Hi-Ho, Silver! Guess Who's Coming to Town", Knickerbocker News, The (Albany), p. 2B, retrieved April 23, 2009
  12. ^ "Ninth Big Dom's Opens in Sch'dy", Times Union, The (Albany), p. A15, August 26, 1988, retrieved April 23, 2009
  13. ^ Eck, Michael (July 22, 2007), "Rick Bedrosian, Musician, podcaster", Times Union, The (Albany), p. H1, retrieved April 24, 2009
  14. ^ "Obituary: Joan A. Whalen, 65", Times Union, The (Albany), p. B6, February 16, 1996, retrieved April 24, 2009
  15. ^ "Obituary: Parker, Mildred C.", Times Union, The (Albany), p. B12, June 8, 2000, retrieved April 24, 2009
  16. ^ "Albany Window Design", Times Union, The (Albany), p. E2, July 8, 1990, retrieved April 23, 2009
  17. ^ "Archive", Times Union, The (Albany), p. C8, December 2, 1990, retrieved April 23, 2009[permanent dead link]
  18. ^ Brown, Cailin (March 6, 1991), "Kessel Says Too Much Fat in Supermarket Milk Prices", Times Union, The (Albany), p. A1, retrieved April 23, 2009
  19. ^ a b c d e Wexler, Richard (February 23, 1993), "Westgate Asks Approval for Major Construction", Times Union, The (Albany), p. B5, retrieved April 23, 2009
  20. ^ Brown, Cailin (April 23, 1992), "Mother Earth Gets a Big Hug", Times Union, The (Albany), p. B1, retrieved April 23, 2009
  21. ^ Andersom, Jeff (March 7, 1997), "Some dentists use ads to fill gaps in practice", Business Review, The (Albany), retrieved April 24, 2009
  22. ^ Mc Keon, Michael (September 15, 1993), "Nolan Booed Out of Joyce Headquarters", Times Union, The (Albany), p. A2, retrieved April 23, 2009
  23. ^ "Thieves Grab $45,000 in Jewels", Times Union, The (Albany), p. B3, April 13, 1994, retrieved April 23, 2009
  24. ^ "Champion outlets to hang up sweats soon for last time", Times Union, The (Albany), p. B9, December 4, 2004, retrieved April 22, 2009[permanent dead link]
  25. ^ "Contractors See Signs of Hope", Times Union, The (Albany), p. CAP5, February 27, 1994, retrieved April 23, 2009
  26. ^ a b Moore, Deborah (March 20, 1998), "Filings can leave landlords in the lurch", Business Review, The (Albany), retrieved April 24, 2009
  27. ^ Wood, Robin (July 7, 2000), "GU takes stock; vies for local value-size discount market", Business Review, The (Albany), retrieved April 24, 2009
  28. ^ Grondahl, Paul (April 22, 1995), "Displaced Barbers Find New Locations", Times Union, The (Albany), p. D1, retrieved April 23, 2009
  29. ^ Smyth, Julie Carr (May 25, 1995), "Cohoes Savings to Add 10th Branch", Times Union, The (Albany), p. C10, retrieved April 23, 2009
  30. ^ Eck, Michael (June 18, 1995), "R.E.M.'s First Visit to Albany", Times Union, The (Albany), p. A3, retrieved April 23, 2009
  31. ^ Ingraham, Frances (December 21, 1995), "Hints for Shoppers Before They Drop", Times Union, The (Albany), p. D1, retrieved April 23, 2009
  32. ^ Backus, Barbara A. (January 28, 1996), "Keep in Touch Wherever You Go", Times Union, The (Albany), p. T25, retrieved April 23, 2009
  33. ^ Moore, Deborah (May 15, 1998), "Party store's crash leaves vacant buildings behind", Business Review, The (Albany), retrieved April 24, 2009
  34. ^ "Weekend Happenings", Times Union, The (Albany), p. B3, July 25, 1998, retrieved April 23, 2009
  35. ^ "Weekend Happenings", Times Union, The (Albany), p. B3, February 13, 1999, retrieved April 23, 2009
  36. ^ Lyons, Brendan (July 12, 1999), "2 Teens Arrested in Park Killing", Times Union, The (Albany), p. A1, retrieved April 23, 2009
  37. ^ DeMare, Carol (July 17, 1999), "2 Sought in Swingling of Elderly Albany Woman", Times Union, The (Albany), p. B7, retrieved April 24, 2009
  38. ^ Hart, Alan (July 12, 2000), "Competition Can't Floor Young Karate Champ", Times Union, The (Albany), p. F5, retrieved April 24, 2009
  39. ^ "Briefly", Times Union, The (Albany), p. E4, November 18, 2000, retrieved April 24, 2009
  40. ^ "9/11 Quotes", Times Union, The (Albany), p. A12, September 12, 2002, retrieved April 24, 2009
  41. ^ "Restaurant Inspections", Times Union, The (Albany), p. B3, March 17, 2003, retrieved April 24, 2009
  42. ^ "One Price Clothing Store to Close its Doors", Times Union, The (Albany), p. E1, February 17, 2004, retrieved April 24, 2009
  43. ^ Carleo-Evangelist, Jordan (November 24, 2004), "Man Charged With Robberies", Times Union, The (Albany), p. B7, retrieved April 24, 2009
  44. ^ Woodruff, Cathy (June 18, 2005), "Officials working to unlock the gridlock", Times Union, The (Albany), p. B1, retrieved April 24, 2009
  45. ^ Lyons, Brendan (December 27, 2005), "Arrest made in robbery tries", Times Union, The (Albany), p. B1, retrieved April 24, 2009
  46. ^ a b "around tech valley", Times Union, The (Albany), p. C3, June 12, 2007, retrieved April 24, 2009
  47. ^ "around tech valley", Times Union, The (Albany), p. C2, October 17, 2008, retrieved April 24, 2009
  48. ^ "Discount retailer to open Oct. 16 at Westgate", Times Union, The (Albany), p. C1, October 16, 2008, retrieved April 24, 2009
  49. ^ Moore, Deborah (January 3, 1997), "Sale of building will not impact Westgate store", Business Review, The (Albany), retrieved April 24, 2009
  50. ^ a b "All's well that ends", Business Review, The (Albany), May 16, 1997, retrieved April 24, 2009
  51. ^ "A Sign No Longer of the Times", Times Union, The (Albany), p. C9, May 23, 1995, retrieved April 24, 2009
  52. ^ Swift, Aisling; McGuire, Mark (April 3, 1994), "A Shopper's Decade Crossgates Growth Increases Choice in Battle for Retail Dollar", Times Union, The (Albany), p. B1, retrieved April 23, 2009

42°40′56.5″N 73°47′25.5″W / 42.682361°N 73.790417°W / 42.682361; -73.790417

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