Dutchess Mall
Encyclopedia
Dutchess Mall was an enclosed shopping mall
in Fishkill, New York
, United States
. Currently, the former mall property is the site of a Home Depot, as well as two vacant buildings (previously occupied by Service Merchandise
and Jamesway
), with the rest of the property awaiting further redevelopment. Dagar Group manages the shopping center. R.C. Chera Realty Group is the exclusive leasing broker for the existing vacant structure.
. The mall occupied a portion of a site once occupied by the Fishkill Encampment and Supply Depot, which has been listed on the National Register of Historical Places since Dutchess Mall's opening. The Fishkill Encampment was previously slated for conversion to a national park, but the plan was rejected. Original anchors of the mall included J. W. Mays Company
and Luckey Platt
, two local department stores; other major tenants included Flah's (another local department store) and Drug World (a pharmacy), as well as Radio Shack
and Waldenbooks
.
J. W. Mays
closed in the 1980s and was replaced with Gaynes. Gaynes, in turn, was converted to discounter Jamesway
, which closed in 1994. Luckey Platt closed in the 1980s and was replaced with Service Merchandise
, which closed on December 24, 1996. The former Service Merchandise was soon replaced with the Dutchess Flea Market.
For many years, Dutchess Mall was the only mall serving its area; however, it was often unable to attract many big-name tenants, due to rumors of a larger mall opening nearby. The rumored mall, which would have been anchored by Macy's
, never came to fruition. Because it could not attract stores easily, and because the anchor stores had changed, Dutchess Mall was quick to lose tenants, eventually replacing a large portion of retail space with a satellite campus of Marist College
. Other problems plaguing the mall included an outdated mall design; competition from the nearby Poughkeepsie Galleria
; and the advent of big box retail.
In 1999, plans were announced to convert the mall into a business community called Hudson Valley Metro Centre. The project would have included office tenants, a recreational facility, child care, and restaurants. Due to high startup costs, the plans were scrapped, and by 2001, the mall was sealed off entirely except for the flea market, which remained open. Two years later, a group of designers from New York devised a plan to convert Dutchess Mall into a women's prison. This plan was one of the finalists in "Dead Malls", a competition created by the Los Angeles Forum for Architecture and Urban Design. This plan, however, did not go beyond the scope of the competition.
Finally, after several years of vacancy, the mall was demolished for a Home Depot, which opened on July 5, 2006. Only the mall building itself was demolished. The former Jamesway and Service Merchandise buildings were left intact. Due to the demolition of the mall, the flea market was soon closed.
As of July 2010, the Home Depot is the only store still open with a nearby McDonalds, both the old Jamesway and Service Merchandise buildings are still intact but are sealed off to the public. Also a near the Service Merchandise building is a small abandon strip mall and behind the small part of the strip mall is the golf center.
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
in Fishkill, New York
Fishkill (town), New York
Fishkill is an affluent suburban town in the southwest part of Dutchess County, New York, USA. The population was 20,258 at the 2000 census, however, current estimates put the town's population at over 22,100. Fishkill partly surrounds the city of Beacon....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Currently, the former mall property is the site of a Home Depot, as well as two vacant buildings (previously occupied by Service Merchandise
Service Merchandise
Service Merchandise is an online retailer and former retailer chain of catalog showroom stores carrying fine jewelry, toys, sporting goods, and electronics that existed for 68 years...
and Jamesway
Jamesway
Jamesway was a chain of discount department stores based in Secaucus, New Jersey. It was founded in 1961 with a store in Jamestown, New York, and at its peak operated 138 stores in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions....
), with the rest of the property awaiting further redevelopment. Dagar Group manages the shopping center. R.C. Chera Realty Group is the exclusive leasing broker for the existing vacant structure.
History
Dutchess Mall opened in 1974 as the first mall in Dutchess CountyDutchess County, New York
Dutchess County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. The 2010 census lists the population as 297,488...
. The mall occupied a portion of a site once occupied by the Fishkill Encampment and Supply Depot, which has been listed on the National Register of Historical Places since Dutchess Mall's opening. The Fishkill Encampment was previously slated for conversion to a national park, but the plan was rejected. Original anchors of the mall included J. W. Mays Company
J.W. Mays
J.W. Mays, Inc. is a real estate firm based in Brooklyn, New York, United States. From 1927 until 1988 the company ran a chain of discount department stores in the area surrounding New York City referred to as simply Mays, with stores located in three of New York City's five boroughs and Long...
and Luckey Platt
Luckey, Platt & Company Department Store
The Luckey, Platt & Company Department Store building is located at the corner of Main and Academy streets in downtown Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. For most of the 20th century it was a major retail destination not only for the city but the entire Hudson Valley...
, two local department stores; other major tenants included Flah's (another local department store) and Drug World (a pharmacy), as well as Radio Shack
Radio shack
Radio shack is a slang term for a room or structure for housing radio equipment.-History:In the early days of radio, equipment was experimental and home-built. The first radio transmitters used a noisy spark to generate radio waves and were often housed in a garage or shed. When radio was first...
and Waldenbooks
Waldenbooks
Waldenbooks , operated by the Walden Book Company, Inc., was an American shopping mall-based bookstore chain and a subsidiary of Borders Group. The chain also ran a video game and software chain under the name Waldensoftware as well as a children's edutainment chain under Walden Kids...
.
J.W. Mays
J.W. Mays, Inc. is a real estate firm based in Brooklyn, New York, United States. From 1927 until 1988 the company ran a chain of discount department stores in the area surrounding New York City referred to as simply Mays, with stores located in three of New York City's five boroughs and Long...
closed in the 1980s and was replaced with Gaynes. Gaynes, in turn, was converted to discounter Jamesway
Jamesway
Jamesway was a chain of discount department stores based in Secaucus, New Jersey. It was founded in 1961 with a store in Jamestown, New York, and at its peak operated 138 stores in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions....
, which closed in 1994. Luckey Platt closed in the 1980s and was replaced with Service Merchandise
Service Merchandise
Service Merchandise is an online retailer and former retailer chain of catalog showroom stores carrying fine jewelry, toys, sporting goods, and electronics that existed for 68 years...
, which closed on December 24, 1996. The former Service Merchandise was soon replaced with the Dutchess Flea Market.
For many years, Dutchess Mall was the only mall serving its area; however, it was often unable to attract many big-name tenants, due to rumors of a larger mall opening nearby. The rumored mall, which would have been anchored by Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
, never came to fruition. Because it could not attract stores easily, and because the anchor stores had changed, Dutchess Mall was quick to lose tenants, eventually replacing a large portion of retail space with a satellite campus of Marist College
Marist College
Marist College is a private liberal arts college on the east bank of the Hudson River near Poughkeepsie, New York. The site was established in 1905 by Marist Brothers, and the college was chartered in 1929...
. Other problems plaguing the mall included an outdated mall design; competition from the nearby Poughkeepsie Galleria
Poughkeepsie Galleria
The Poughkeepsie Galleria is a shopping mall on U.S. 9 in the Town of Poughkeepsie, New York, not far from Wappingers Falls, and is the biggest mall in New York's Hudson Valley region. The mall, which opened in 1987 after much controversy regarding its construction, has an area of with two floors...
; and the advent of big box retail.
Revitalization
Finally, after several years of vacancy, the mall was demolished for a Home Depot, which opened on July 5, 2006. Only the mall building itself was demolished. The former Jamesway and Service Merchandise buildings were left intact. Due to the demolition of the mall, the flea market was soon closed.
As of July 2010, the Home Depot is the only store still open with a nearby McDonalds, both the old Jamesway and Service Merchandise buildings are still intact but are sealed off to the public. Also a near the Service Merchandise building is a small abandon strip mall and behind the small part of the strip mall is the golf center.