It took 17 years and no small amount of public ridicule as it sat dormant in the New Jersey meadowlands, but a small portion of the American Dream mall is now open to the public.
American Dream, a $5 billion, 2.9-million-square-foot mall opened in New Jersey on Friday. Located just eight miles west of Manhattan, the partial opening of the new retail behemoth attracted no shortage of media coverage.
When American Dream is fully up and running next year, the mall will 450 shops and restaurants in addition to entertainment uses like amusement parks, an indoor ice rink, and ski areas.
The project has been long in the making, according to an article by Elise Young. "Planning started more than 17 years ago, but construction setbacks had left the site half-finished amid the former dumps and swamps, its garish multicolored exterior a beacon for ridicule alongside the New Jersey Turnpike."
Young also builds a narrative of malls as a centerpiece of New Jersey culture, writing: "New Jersey malls are stages for dramas big and small. A future president’s son proposed in one; an angry parent clobbered a man dressed as the holiday mascot in another."
Additional news coverage is also found in an article by Melanie Anzidei, Catherine Carrera, Jessie Gomez, and Scott Fallon, who got opening day access to the new mall, providing a sneak peak of what's open to the public now, and what will be coming online soon. The amusement park and ice rink were the first attractions to open, according to the article. According to the article, "guests will have to wait until late November to check out the indoor water park; early December for the snow park; and March 2020 to shop and dine. Officials have described a string of opening celebrations as 'chapters.'"
FULL STORY: New Jersey Drama Happens in Malls. Now Its Biggest Stage Is Set
American Dream Mall, Delayed Due to Coronavirus, Will Open Testing Facility
Delays have been part of the story with the American Dream mall in New Jersey since its earliest inception, and the mall has been lauded in the past for evolving to match the American retail landscape.
American Dream—The Mall Isn’t Dead, It’s Just Transforming
An indoor ski hill, roller coasters, and a water park are all part of the New Jersey mall that reflects the shift from material consumerism to the consumption of experiences.
Concerns Expressed About the Draft Master Plan for the New Jersey Meadowlands
As the state authority responsible for the regional planning and zoning of the Hackensack Meadowlands District, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority recently proposed the "Draft Hackensack Meadowlands District Master Plan Update 2020."
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Test News Post 1
This is a summary
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
Test News Headline 46
Test for the image on the front page.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service