Seaview Square Mall
Encyclopedia
Seaview Square Mall is a defunct indoor shopping mall
located in Ocean Township
, in Monmouth County
, New Jersey
, United States
, that has been repurposed as a power center. The 856000 square feet (79,525 m²) mall, located at the intersection of Route 35
and Route 66
, was originally constructed in 1977 as an indoor mall. It faced stiff competition from the more upscale Monmouth Mall
, located five miles (8 km) further north on Route 35. One of its four anchors never opened, and several smaller stores, and Stern's
and Steinbach
, two of its anchors, were victims of the then-indoor mall's state of decline into a dead mall
.
store to a more suburban site on Route 66 at the site of the present-day Neptune World Class Shoprite
, just west of the Asbury Circle.
Following the 1970 Asbury Park riots, many businesses left Asbury Park's downtown. Thus, planning for Seaview Square began at the site across the street from the Sears, behind a small cinema, which was later renamed the "Seaview Square Cinema" and absorbed as part of the mall's property. The site was originally a landfill from 1941 to 1975 and was considered a Superfund
site by the United States Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) until 1991. The 856000 square feet (79,525 m²) mall would be anchored by Steinbach
at the west end,and a newer and much larger Sears at the other end, which also housed Sears' regional credit office. The mall also had room for about 150 stores and two extra anchor.
The mall opened in 1976. At this point, the mall was about 40% occupied. Steinbach operated its Seaview Square store as an upscale, fashion-oriented store, and their Asbury Park store geared more towards housewares and furniture. By 1979, however, the Asbury Park store was closed and the company reevaluated themselves as a "Value Chain". In the same year, Stern's
opened along the front side of the mall, after it wasn't able to open at the nearby Ocean County Mall
in Toms River
. Around the same time, Lord & Taylor
was rumored to be the mall's fourth anchor, but never came to fruition.
In the 1990s, Stern's parent company, Federated Department Stores, bought Macy's
, and decided to merge the Abraham and Straus chain into Macy's , which left the Monmouth Mall with an empty anchor, so Sterms moved to the vacant space, but continued to operate the Seaview Square store as half-store and half-clearance center until their lease ran out in 1999. Steinbach folded that same year, and was replaced with a Value City
.
Film director Kevin Smith
wanted to film the 1994 movie Mallrats
in Seaview Square. However, the movie was ultimately filmed in Minnesota
due to lower production costs.
The mall closed in 2000, and most of the mall was demolished in 2001, with the exception of its remaining two anchors, Value City
and Sears
, that have been replaced by several other freestanding "big-box stores" including Target
, Costco
, and a Lowe's
, which has since closed due to cracks in the foundation. The cinema that fronted Route 66 was also demolished, and was replaced with a strip mall anchored by Applebees.
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...
located in Ocean Township
Ocean Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey
Ocean Township is a township located in east central Monmouth County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 27,291.Oakhurst and Wanamassa Ocean Township is a township located in east central Monmouth County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
, in Monmouth County
Monmouth County, New Jersey
Monmouth County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, within the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 630,380, up from 615,301 at the 2000 census. Its county seat is Freehold Borough. The most populous municipality is Middletown Township with...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, that has been repurposed as a power center. The 856000 square feet (79,525 m²) mall, located at the intersection of Route 35
Route 35 (New Jersey)
Route 35 is a state highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey, primarily traveling through the easternmost parts of Middlesex, Monmouth, and Ocean counties. It runs from the entrance to Island Beach State Park in Berkeley Township, Ocean County to an intersection with Route 27 in Rahway, Union County...
and Route 66
Route 66 (New Jersey)
Route 66 is a state highway located in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. It runs between Route 33 in Tinton Falls and Route 35 at County Route 16 on the border of Ocean Township and Neptune Township, just to the west of Asbury Park. The route serves as an important connector between the...
, was originally constructed in 1977 as an indoor mall. It faced stiff competition from the more upscale Monmouth Mall
Monmouth Mall
Monmouth Mall, an enclosed shopping center in Eatontown, New Jersey owned by Vornado Realty Trust, is located on the corner of the intersection of NJ 35, NJ 36, and Wyckoff Road . Currently, the mall has a gross leasable area of , making it the fourth largest shopping mall in New Jersey , boasting...
, located five miles (8 km) further north on Route 35. One of its four anchors never opened, and several smaller stores, and Stern's
Stern's
Stern's was a regional department store chain serving the U.S. states of New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The chain was in business for more than 130 years, prior to its 2001 integration into Macy's and Bloomingdale's...
and Steinbach
Steinbach (store)
Steinbach was a department store chain based in Asbury Park, New Jersey.- History :Steinbach was founded in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and maintained branch stores along the New Jersey shore, and in the central part of New Jersey. The company was at one time affiliated with the Kresge-Newark...
, two of its anchors, were victims of the then-indoor mall's state of decline into a dead mall
Dead mall
A dead mall or greyfield is a shopping mall with a high vacancy rate or a low consumer traffic level, or that is dated or deteriorating in some manner. Many malls in the United States are considered "dead" when they have no surviving anchor store or successor that could serve as an entry into or...
.
History
The mall's history can be traced back to the 1950s, when Sears relocated its downtown Asbury ParkAsbury Park, New Jersey
Asbury Park is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, located on the Jersey Shore and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 16,116. The city is known for its rich musical history, including its association with...
store to a more suburban site on Route 66 at the site of the present-day Neptune World Class Shoprite
ShopRite (United States)
ShopRite Supermarkets is a retailers' cooperative chain of supermarkets in the northeastern United States, with stores in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania...
, just west of the Asbury Circle.
Following the 1970 Asbury Park riots, many businesses left Asbury Park's downtown. Thus, planning for Seaview Square began at the site across the street from the Sears, behind a small cinema, which was later renamed the "Seaview Square Cinema" and absorbed as part of the mall's property. The site was originally a landfill from 1941 to 1975 and was considered a Superfund
Superfund
Superfund is the common name for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 , a United States federal law designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances...
site by the United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
(EPA) until 1991. The 856000 square feet (79,525 m²) mall would be anchored by Steinbach
Steinbach (store)
Steinbach was a department store chain based in Asbury Park, New Jersey.- History :Steinbach was founded in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and maintained branch stores along the New Jersey shore, and in the central part of New Jersey. The company was at one time affiliated with the Kresge-Newark...
at the west end,and a newer and much larger Sears at the other end, which also housed Sears' regional credit office. The mall also had room for about 150 stores and two extra anchor.
The mall opened in 1976. At this point, the mall was about 40% occupied. Steinbach operated its Seaview Square store as an upscale, fashion-oriented store, and their Asbury Park store geared more towards housewares and furniture. By 1979, however, the Asbury Park store was closed and the company reevaluated themselves as a "Value Chain". In the same year, Stern's
Stern's
Stern's was a regional department store chain serving the U.S. states of New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The chain was in business for more than 130 years, prior to its 2001 integration into Macy's and Bloomingdale's...
opened along the front side of the mall, after it wasn't able to open at the nearby Ocean County Mall
Ocean County Mall
The Ocean County Mall is a super-regional mall, opened in 1976 by Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation, located in Toms River, New Jersey on Hooper Avenue. The mall is accessible off of Exit 82 of the Garden State Parkway via Route 37 East. The mall is owned by Simon Property Group. The mall has a gross...
in Toms River
Toms River, New Jersey
Toms River is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Toms River Township and is the county seat of Ocean County, New Jersey. It is part of a larger Toms River Township...
. Around the same time, Lord & Taylor
Lord & Taylor
Lord & Taylor, colloquially known as L&T, or LT, based in New York City, is the oldest upscale, specialty-retail department store chain in the United States. Concentrated in the eastern U.S., the retailer operated independently for nearly a century prior to joining American Dry Goods...
was rumored to be the mall's fourth anchor, but never came to fruition.
In the 1990s, Stern's parent company, Federated Department Stores, bought 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...
, and decided to merge the Abraham and Straus chain into Macy's , which left the Monmouth Mall with an empty anchor, so Sterms moved to the vacant space, but continued to operate the Seaview Square store as half-store and half-clearance center until their lease ran out in 1999. Steinbach folded that same year, and was replaced with a Value City
Value City
Value City was an American discount department store chain with 113 locations. It was founded in 1917 by Ephraim Schottenstein, a travelling salesman in central Ohio. The store was an off-price retailer that sold clothing, jewelry, and home goods below the manufacturer suggested retail price...
.
Film director Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith
Kevin Patrick Smith is an American screenwriter, actor, film producer, and director, as well as a popular comic book writer, author, comedian/raconteur, and internet radio personality best recognized by viewers as Silent Bob...
wanted to film the 1994 movie Mallrats
Mallrats
Mallrats is a 1995 film written and directed by Kevin Smith. It is the second to be set in Smith's View Askewniverse series of interlocking films set mostly in New Jersey, although the movie was filmed in Eden Prairie Center and Osowski's Flea Market which are located in Minnesota...
in Seaview Square. However, the movie was ultimately filmed in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
due to lower production costs.
The mall closed in 2000, and most of the mall was demolished in 2001, with the exception of its remaining two anchors, Value City
Value City
Value City was an American discount department store chain with 113 locations. It was founded in 1917 by Ephraim Schottenstein, a travelling salesman in central Ohio. The store was an off-price retailer that sold clothing, jewelry, and home goods below the manufacturer suggested retail price...
and Sears
Sears, Roebuck and Company
Sears, officially named Sears, Roebuck and Co., is an American chain of department stores which was founded by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck in the late 19th century...
, that have been replaced by several other freestanding "big-box stores" including Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
, Costco
Costco
Costco Wholesale Corporation is the largest membership warehouse club chain in the United States. it is the third largest retailer in the United States, where it originated, and the ninth largest in the world...
, and a Lowe's
Lowe's
Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a U.S.-based chain of retail home improvement and appliance stores. Founded in 1946 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, the chain now serves more than 14 million customers a week in its 1,710 stores in the United States and 20 in Canada. Expansion into Canada began in...
, which has since closed due to cracks in the foundation. The cinema that fronted Route 66 was also demolished, and was replaced with a strip mall anchored by Applebees.