My family first took me to this mall in 1999 and I was in total AWEEEE! IT WAS MASSSSIVEEE! I couldn't believe how big this mall was. I loved it! It had all the stores names all over the floor which I thought was so cool . They since re did the floors since then but they left a small section still up near the ice rink where you can still see the old floor! Ah so many good times here back in the mid 2000s. Hanging there with friends, seeing movies in the big theatre, eating at the food court. So many good memories. Thank you so much for documenting this just incase one day this mall closes, it'll be a good look back! 😊
I love that floor, the polished concrete with the store names. Super cool and unique. Last time I was there (2018, maybe?) I recall it still being in the food court. Sad to see they’ve tiled over it.
Used to go to this mall a lot back in the early 2000s. Thanks for covering it. Was sad to see it take business away from the nearby Nanuet Mall (now The Shoppes At Nanuet). The Nanuet Mall was the goto mall back in the 70s - late 90s in Rockland County.
Yeah, I grew up in Spring Valley and, compared to this place, the Nanuet Mall was a sad, sad joke..I would have LOVED this growing up but I left for San Diego in 1991 after graduating college…this place was only in the earliest planning stages when I left but I was excited Pyramid was behind it since they developed Crossgates Mall up in Albany where I went to college…sad to hear they’re doing so badly that they defaulted on this nice place
Last week a woman jumped from the 4th floor. It is an African American Cemetery comprised of escaped slaves, who traveled up North on the Underground Railway. Many of the original families still live in Nyack and Piermont two of the Hudson River towns. Some families mixed with Native Americans and Dutch families who lived in the Ramapo Mountains. They still live in Hillburn in the Mountainous Northern part of the Country.
Great video, thanks. I remember when this mall was being built. Shortly after being built there were alleged reports that it was sinking due to being built over a former dump.
I just found this video last week. This was my childhood mall and it was awesome! Haven't been back since I moved to the south during 8th grade. They did have a rainforest cafe back then too. Thanks for visiting 😊
I visited Rockland County, New York every summer from 2004 to about 2010. So much of my teenage nostalgia is tied up in this mall. I was sad to see how empty it was the last time I was there in summer 2022. I live in Ireland, but it will be a very sad day for me, when it inevitably closes. I still remember walking around the shops with my sisters and brother along with my late Mother. At the time I hated having to wait for all of them when they wanted to shop in places they liked, and i had to wait my turn to visit my favourite shops. Looking back, id give anything to experience those moments again. This video made me ache for those simpler times where the best technology kids had in their pockets were Blackberries and Sidekicks. Man I miss those days. Why did everything have to change so much? Thank you for the video. It really touched me in a way i never expected when I hit play.
Yes, it was by far the largest mall I have been to. I think if you are looking to shop there, you need a map to plan out your route, or it will take you hours to find what you are looking for. Thanks for watching!
Good video and you definitely got your steps in this day. I remember when the mall opened and while the exterior of the mall looks exactly the same, the interior looks completely different. It basically looked like a warehouse when the mall opened (and still does on the 4th floor). There didn't used to be tiles on the floor....instead was just concrete with the logos of the stores painted on. You get a taste of what it looked like once the guy filming goes to the 4th floor and is walking towards the ice skating rink. You'd also see large cracks in the floor and in the parking garage under the mall.....supposedly the rumor was it was built on top of a swamp and has slowly been sinking but I think that last part has been dispelled. The part of the 4th floor that is mostly empty was designed unfinished, as all that's down there I think are a couple of community rooms and the mall offices. I think they wanted to put some stores in there years ago but the town said no. Not sure of all the details there so someone else better informed can fill it in in the comments. And to answer your question, there was never anything on the third floor directly above the Lord and Taylor. As far as I know, it was unused space. It's weird to see so many stores and tenants I've never heard of due to the turnover over the years, and yet, see some stores still be in the same location it was the day the mall opened (Victoria's Secret on the first floor being an example). I also laughed at the Starbucks coming soon in that location where you walked into the mall on the second floor seeing as there used to be a Starbucks literally right there in that exact location. I didn't know they took the carousel out, but I used to get lunch at that Wendy's every so often and stare out the window while eating. Nice scenic view of the NY State Thruway and Rt 303, lol. I worked in the mall for many years and it definitely had the vibe of stay at home moms taking the kids there to kill a few hours during weekdays, so im not surprised the mall leaned further into it with all of the arcades and family-style activities. I don't go there much any more so while its not a dead mall per se, it does have the sense of being a dying mall.
I visited this mall a few times back in the early 2000s (like 2003 or 2004) and it was definitely livelier than what I'm seeing here. There was also an epic IMAX 3D theater at the top level. I'm glad the Best Buy I still there
So many childhood memories. My mom, sister, and I would drive up to my aunt’s place in Passaic County, NJ. From there, we’d all go to Palisades together. I remember a place called Jeepers that had a small rollercoaster, I found that very exciting as a kid! Of course I loved the ferris wheel and carousel. There was a two-story McDonald’s near the Chili’s, as well as a Chinese buffet near the food court. I could go on and on… truly one of the fixtures of my childhood.
I agree. A cemetery next to a mall is unusual, but this one is surrounded by the mall on three sides, so it's almost like it's in the mall. Very strange. Thanks for watching!
Absolutely crazy that the Zumiez I worked at in Summer of 2002 is still there, as is the Hot Topic next door (38:45). I started working there right as most of the current staff was in the process of being fired. Apparently some corporate people had just done an audit of the store, and found an incomprehensible amount of merchandise was missing - if I recall correctly it was like tens of thousands of dollars worth of sneakers and clothes and skateboards, just gone. Turned out that almost everyone that worked there, including at least one of the managers, were stealing whatever they wanted from the store for months on end. I wonder where all those people are now.
January 2024; just went today and had a blast, mall is still up and running though it’s NOTHING compared to the old traffic that came through here let alone Roosevelt Field even NOW
i have a lot of good memories with this mall .went here for my birthday in 2021 mid pandemic, just for fun. i should make a trip back soon. so many fun times going with my parents.
I lived in Westchester and visited the mall when it opened in 1998 and never went back since. It had a dull, industrial, unfinished look to it back then which they updated at some point because in this video it doesn't resemble what it looked like back then. Before you saw dull grey metal girders and grey corrugated metal, that now is covered with white ceilings, but you can still see the metal frames that are now painted with the light coffee brown paint scheme. Back then, the food court had eight or ten giant ice cream cone sculptures that were one of the tackiest things I have ever seen! They were removed at some point but you can still find photos of them online. They're probably sitting in some junk lot in nearby woods covered with leaves and pine needles.
wow that fourth floor by the ice rink is still empty after all these years... they simply never developed it. I think there was a dispute with the town over it or something because of zoning or something, I can't remember.
We at our local mall here in Delaware we have a Barnes and Noble store inside the food court which is 2 floors and it's next to a Forever 21 store which is also 2 floors those are the only 2 level stores in that mall
Interesting mix of retailers, restaurants, and entertainment. The leasing rate must below market average to keep the businesses open which might also explain why the mall has such a large loan to stay open. Not sure if they can save the mall despite that if the rent goes up with a new owner and if they lose the larger retailers.
One thing to consider is that the mall's appraised value is ~$200 million today compared to ~$800 million less than ten years ago. For properties of this sort income stream is the most important component of value. Even with the closed JCP and L&T vacancies don't look high enough by themselves to account for such a dramatic drop in value. While I do not claim to be certain of this, I highly suspect that the nontraditional uses such as the go-kart track, the ice rink and the various arcades are paying lower rents than national retailers would pay for the equivalent spaces. If you combine these reduced rents with the empty spaces, for which Pyramid is earning a goose egg, you could very well account for the ~$800 million vs. ~$200 million. By the way, even though midday on a Tuesday in February is not going to be any mall's busiest time, foot traffic looked really low.
Pyramid is a terrible company. I sold them radios when they built this mall. They would make vendors wait in person to get paid. If you could put a lean on them, they paid, if not you had to wait. The made us wait for months and months and no money. Finally some decent person in their home office sent us a check for most of the money and then quit their job. They still owe me over $3,500 that will never be paid. NEVER extend these dirt bags any credit. They are horrible people.
I feel like Pyramid only cares about one mall, and only one... the DestiNY in Syracuse. Maybe Crossgates in Albany, but it feels like every other mall of their catalogue is neglected and left to die a slow death.
This is my favorite mall. I used to go all the time. I'll be so sad if it ends up becoming a dead mall :( so many great memories at the Palisades mall.
So the first floor of the JC Penney is now a discount Amazon resell /thrift store. The layout of JC Penney and even some of the former JC Penney signs are still in tact, but with different register equipment. The escalators in the center of the floor are walled off with Sheetrock.
Thanks for this mall-tour. I have seen the Palisades Center mall while going between the G.S. Parkway and Palisades Parkway or Tappan Zee Bridge. I didn't know when it was built.
The top level restaurants were wonderful in the 2000s. The Yard House restaurant was originally a Macaroni Grill. The iHop was great, and they used to have an Outback Steakhouse near the Target entrance. There was also a McDonalds too. Across from Dave and Busters was a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant. My mom and I used to visit that mall almost every week in the 2000s. Lots of memories. When it opened it looked like a warehouse, with the metal ceilings not covered by the white suspended ceilings you see today. Glad the Macys is still there. There was a store called Filene’s Basement when it opened as well. There was an Apple Store on the 1st level, but they eventually moved to the Nanuet Mall. There was also a big Bed Bath and Beyond store on the first floor that we frequented. I’m still watching your video but I believe the big Barnes and Noble bookstore is still there. Do they still sell DVDs and CDs and vinyl records? Gotta get people away from their online stores and back in the malls. ❤
The mall was never what they intended it to be. A high end shopping experience. There was a William Sanoma , Pottery Barn, Jos A Bank and Gilly Hicks stores but they pulled out. The Lord & Taylor went out of business. The Apple Store left too. Lots of subpar stores selling cheap Chinese goods came in.
What it all comes down to is the fact that the loan is about twice the mall's current market value. Pyramid really doesn't want to keep making payments when it's so far underwater and the lenders really don't want to own the property. So there surely will be a settlement.
It looks like a thriving mall to me. Most store fronts are occupied, there are entertainment venues, and lots of people walking around with bags in their hands. Most people work so on a Thursday afternoon I would say this place is busy. I used to work retail and Monday are slow days in shops and weekday afternoons are pretty slow. It's the weekends that most stores depend on for high traffic. It looks like a great mall. Sad that people have fallen to their deaths here. There was one in October 2023 after this video was made. I hope a new owner comes in and can save it though and make some safety improvements to prevent people from falling to their death. Most malls fail because of poor management. I hope it changes hands and can survive.
Looks like an amazing mall, it’s clearly sad to see all the malls closing. Malls like this should never have to struggle with its beauty and some excitement. It’s hard to watch all the dead or dying malls. Thanks for the nice video.
@@ruthmarland835I still go there every other Saturday to watch ufc at Dave and busters it’s booming on Saturday went on Wednesday it was a ghost town still people but nothing like when I was a kid
It’s around the range of a C or B tier mall. Pyramid was the owner of the mall & they have a lot of financial problems. Now, Spinoso is appointed the manager I think at least until there’s an official buyer. There used to be a lot more name brand stores but I’d say the mall still manages to fill in vacancies regularly, if you ignore the vacant department stores.
Yup, that's what I read online and it all appears legit. I actually didn't find out about all of that until after I left the mall. I think the cemetery thing is especially creepy. Thanks for watching!
There are passage ways behind all the stores. Homeless people lived in them until they were all kicked out. Many of them jumped. A woman jumped last week from the 4th floor so now it’s seven.
i really miss coming to this mall. it was a big part of my childhood. i remember there was a sanrio store somewhere near where the dsw was. there was also the vacant store at 21:52 where the old disney store used to be. i also remember there was place called "jeepers" which was like an indoor arcade and amusement park for kids on the fourth floor where the bowling alley is in 32:22 ahhh the memories
The reason behind the post office at the mall is so you can buy gifts, get them wrapped, and mail them to your non-local friends and family. They did most of their business, not surprisingly, in November/December. Of course, nowadays we have the seller ship our gifts. My son played a hockey game at that ice rink about 3 years ago. The rink itself is wedged in around the roof supports - so the ice surface is normal but the player benches and other areas are interrupted with columns. It’s a rather busy place with a good amount of organized hockey and public skate, but they keep the ice really thick, probably so it can survive the heat from below and occasional power/air conditioning outages.
Also, the bowling alley is now divided into VR headset experience and a year-round Halloween store. You can even see the old bar and AV screen equipment set up in the VR place.
i recently went to this mall for the first time last week and it was slightly more busy than this video but i also went on a saturday. i liked that the food court was nice and bright with natural sunlight because the food courts in malls i usually go to have minimal natural light coming in also, the corn dog place at 30:00 is a korean corn dog restaurant, korean corn dogs are super trendy right now, especially with younger generations
I visit Palisades Mall twice per month and its always full of customers everywhere. The design is very well made. There is no way this mall can close. I enjoy being there and so do thousands of people.
It's mostly the property tax that is killing them. But with all the stores and restaurants on each floor, I don't see them struggling financially. My local mall is almost dead.
i remember I used to love going to the mail. My brothers and i would go to the arcade, go check you the video games at the local game store, as well as other stuff. Fast forward to today, everything that made going to the mall great is gone and dead. being a retro gamer there are no retro game stores anywhere where i live. to me the mall is dead to me and it just makes me sad of what has become of the place of shopping. RIP malls everywhere. It just makes me sad.
Always hated that mall. None of us old locals wanted it built but they pushed it anyway. Nanuet Mall was the perfect size. It opened up in 1969 when I was 3. They tore it down in 2012. I end up traveling to Paramus Park instead.
Paramus Park is now a dead mall even on saturdays!, especially, oddly, since HOLLISTER closed. People who shop at Stew Leonards buy perishibles & just go home & skip the mall - even the fountain is dry. & u would not believe how many closed places there are in the food court!
Well at least there's less traffic during rush hour on I-287. Always dreaded going past the mall during rush hour as there would be massive traffic due to people entering and leaving the mall. Finding parking was another huge hassle when I did visit this mall. It's definitely sad to see it like this.
Quite the coincidence…. I finished watching this video this morning, and opened up an email notification from the Palisades Center announcing the grand re-opening of the Ferris wheel. 😂
I first caught sight of this mall in '06 or '07 on the way back from the Poconos. I was amazed by how big it was, and from then on going there was a big occasion. Truly massive, truly epic mall. It confounds and saddens me that such a colossus of a mall could ever think of closing down. I remember running up to the LEGO store to see what was new, getting TGI Friday's on the top floor, wandering around the big Barnes & Noble, eating Sbarro slices by the big Ferris wheel, and catching movies at the big Imax theater. Good times. It will be miserable if this mall ever closes. I hope it keeps on going!
This mall looked very different when I went there in the mid-90s It had unusual features like a roller coaster a carousel and an amusement center for kids only.
It's mostly voiceover in editing. However, I do sometimes talk while walking if someone is with me. If I'm alone at a mall, talking to myself draws unwanted attention.
I went there a couple years ago... first time in a LONGGGG time and I was totally unimpressed. I remember it being so much better, or I saw it thru rose colored glasses. Shame because it is a beautiful mall
Last Sunday I was with my family at the shopping centre and witnessed the suicide of a 32-year-old woman. She jumped into the void from the top floor. There have already been 7 suicides in that square so far in 2024 and the authorities have not made any changes to the structure to prevent it. It was devastating and sad, something I will not forget.
Anyone that grew up within a 25 mile radius knows this was THE mall in the early 2000's. Garden State Plaza was 5 minutes away from me and it was a treat to go to Palisades. It felt massive in comparison. These days GSP has evolved, maybe not in size, but in variety, in terms of shops and eateries. Doesn't help that the much newer & bigger American Dream Mall stole Palisades Mall 'Wow' factor if you live relatively close to both.
I used to go to this mall very often. I remember all the stores like JC Penny and Modells. They even had the Rainforest Cafe when it was opened. Johnny Rockets was a great place to eat in and I used go on the 4th floor to eat at their restaurants like TGIFridays Dave & Busters and Chili's. I used to go to the AMC movie theater a lot. There was also a 3D movie theater but that became IHOP restaurant. I'm going to miss this mall.
this mall is still popping and busy whenever I go, sad to hear they might close thought it might still be doing ok, Especially holiday season and the movie theater floor and restaurants always seem busy, but I haven't been in a year. also, the climbing venture looks dangerous? You're harnessed in, it literally is incredibly safe lmao
The skating rink is where some NYSPHSAA Section 1 high school hockey teams play their home games, namely Clarkstown and Rockland. I would have to assume their practices are held there, as well.
BJ’s and Home Depot are still there but do not have entrances from inside the mall. The closed section above Lord and Taylor is called the third and fourth floor attic and has never been used, because the mall was constructed with more space than it was allowed to use. Recently the restriction has been lifted.
I know a person who as a kid was on the climb adventure, and the harness popped out. Thafully their ok but it has no extra saftey so if they were to fall, it would have been fatal. It might be safer now as that was about a decade ago.
Used to take the bus from Port Authority to this mall like 10 plus years ago. The mall went down after the high end stores left the mall. I remember when the Apple Store left from the first floor.
I haven’t been to this mall in over 10 years. I always felt uncomfortable there. In the beginning I found it unsettling the way the structure had a vibration like a bridge. I did buy my first cell phone there. They had fun things like the Rainforest cafe and restoration hardware, also a Disney store and a Cheesecake Factory. All the standard and upscale mall stores. Eventually just stopped at Target occasionally but I didn’t feel safe in the parking lot at night and I would imagine that would be a problem. From packed with people to just spooky. A lot of people who went there were just hanging out. Also the escalators used to be perpetually under repair. The carousel was great. What was that 1950’s style restaurant with performing waiters and waitresses ?
I watch a lot of your walks around malls. Appreciate that. It's just weird the ones I see with arcades. You are always the only one in there. Maybe arcades are dying. 😢
So, I live close to this mall and my family and I go here a lot. This is a good place it went through a few major changes after the pandemic but, when I go there it has a good crowd. Plenty of people on the weekends. Don't expect a big crowd during the week people have jobs and school. I was actually there just last weekend...pretty crowded to me.
I was just at this mall and it’s still doing pretty well tbh… not a ton of empty storefronts, a lot of functioning stores and shoppers. It’s not like it was at its peak, but it’s not a dead mall just yet. It had basically every store you would expect at a mall…
To help you on history, the ice skating rink area was always dead from day 1, they never developed that section. The arcade you went into was formerly an iHop and next to it was an Imax theater . This mall was the killer of all the mid-hudson malls you visit earlier.
As of March 2023, Foreclosure action has been filed. Unfortunately for the locals near Palisades, the clock to closing is ticking. It's a shame too, was a great mall to visit.
December 2024, the latest news I found was from August. Wilmington is still seeking full foreclosure, but the owners appear to have found a trustee. The mall appears to still be open-the website is still up and the Wikipedia is in present tense.
27:08 RIP IHop lmao, its almost like it's still there... 16:20 Johnny Rockets is my personal favorite, everytime you order they give you a plate of ketchup with a smiley face on it :-)
Great memories when they opened this mall it was huge compared to Nanuet Mall!! Nanuet Mall was the greatest back in the early 90s ! Alladins Castle Roman Delights Great American Cookie Co. and Spensers !!
THE MEMORIES….. I remember always going to target in that mall and going to the it’s sugar store to get a Kinder chocolate bunny AND watching the go karts race
been to this mall a few times first couple was for dave and busters hanging out with friends. but i did go once to see the whole thing wow its massive but not overwhelming like american dream not far away. across the highway from the mall was the most digusting episode of kitchen nightmares a mexican resturant called fiesta sunrise that has since closed if you watch that episode you'll see the mall in the background
I used to work for a mining stone quarry company behind the mall on the overnight. 98-2001. I use to go to the mall in the morning and hang out to pick up girls. It was packed in those days. Used to do all my xmas shopping there. Fun times.
Fun fact: parts of the parking garage are closed due to structural problems. From what I read, parts of the structure fell and caused damage to vehicles. It makes a lot of sense why more people park outside the mall than in the parking garage. Also, the escalators that go down from level 1 lead to the parking garage.
You should go back for a follow up before the end of the year. I know a lot about the palisades mall and can fill in any blanks you might need to know about.
Is this in a suburban part of NYC or is it outside of NYC it looks huge 🤯 you walk into the second floor then you can walk to the first or third floors it looks cool but im afraid of heights so i would try to come inside on the first floor only lol 😅
The rumors on a collapse of this mall have been there since day 1 but it was always structurally based. Ironic that a different kind of collapse (financial) might do it in. Somewhere out there are the original design engineers telling us "we told you it would last".
How many total pinball machines are in this/any mall? If there's 10 or more, i'll visit. Are the movie theaters & Rainforest Cafe still here? & the dollar store & best buy?
My family first took me to this mall in 1999 and I was in total AWEEEE! IT WAS MASSSSIVEEE!
I couldn't believe how big this mall was. I loved it! It had all the stores names all over the floor which I thought was so cool . They since re did the floors since then but they left a small section still up near the ice rink where you can still see the old floor!
Ah so many good times here back in the mid 2000s. Hanging there with friends, seeing movies in the big theatre, eating at the food court. So many good memories.
Thank you so much for documenting this just incase one day this mall closes, it'll be a good look back! 😊
I love that floor, the polished concrete with the store names. Super cool and unique. Last time I was there (2018, maybe?) I recall it still being in the food court. Sad to see they’ve tiled over it.
Used to go to this mall a lot back in the early 2000s. Thanks for covering it. Was sad to see it take business away from the nearby Nanuet Mall (now The Shoppes At Nanuet). The Nanuet Mall was the goto mall back in the 70s - late 90s in Rockland County.
Thanks for watching! It looks like a great mall. I hope it doesn't close due the possible foreclosure.
I was there a lot in 2001, might’ve crossed paths.
@@fleabittenadventures It's still well occupied, it won't close over foreclosure, but the entity owning it will be forced to change.
Yeah, I grew up in Spring Valley and, compared to this place, the Nanuet Mall was a sad, sad joke..I would have LOVED this growing up but I left for San Diego in 1991 after graduating college…this place was only in the earliest planning stages when I left but I was excited Pyramid was behind it since they developed Crossgates Mall up in Albany where I went to college…sad to hear they’re doing so badly that they defaulted on this nice place
@@fleabittenadventuresit won’t if u attempt to park here on a weekend or within the month of December it’s a nightmare
I remember this mall in the heyday. I went to the rainforest cafe for a school trip.
Holy crap the Rainforest Cafe, I completely forgot about that.
I have a lot of good memories in this mall. It was very lively back in 2016. Sad to see how it is now.
As someone from rural MA going to Palisades is amazing
Last week a woman jumped from the 4th floor. It is an African American Cemetery comprised of escaped slaves, who traveled up North on the Underground Railway. Many of the original families still live in Nyack and Piermont two of the Hudson River towns. Some families mixed with Native Americans and Dutch families who lived in the Ramapo Mountains. They still live in Hillburn in the Mountainous Northern part of the Country.
Great video, thanks. I remember when this mall was being built. Shortly after being built there were alleged reports that it was sinking due to being built over a former dump.
Yea a dump of bodies 😂
Definitely explains why parts of the parking garage are closed off. Thanks for the insight.
I just found this video last week. This was my childhood mall and it was awesome! Haven't been back since I moved to the south during 8th grade. They did have a rainforest cafe back then too. Thanks for visiting 😊
Visited this mall every time I'm in New York, lovely memories here very sad to see it closing 😢
Not closing the current owner is just going into foreclosure
I visited Rockland County, New York every summer from 2004 to about 2010. So much of my teenage nostalgia is tied up in this mall. I was sad to see how empty it was the last time I was there in summer 2022. I live in Ireland, but it will be a very sad day for me, when it inevitably closes. I still remember walking around the shops with my sisters and brother along with my late Mother. At the time I hated having to wait for all of them when they wanted to shop in places they liked, and i had to wait my turn to visit my favourite shops. Looking back, id give anything to experience those moments again. This video made me ache for those simpler times where the best technology kids had in their pockets were Blackberries and Sidekicks. Man I miss those days. Why did everything have to change so much?
Thank you for the video. It really touched me in a way i never expected when I hit play.
Wow! I used to go to this mall back when it opened in '98 and through the early 2000's. It was an experience coming here and it was always packed.
This was an impressive mall in the early 2000s. Unique and enormous. Sad to see the lower end collection of stores now.
What a huge mall. Wow. You really got a workout walking this one, my friend. Well done. 👍
Yes, it was by far the largest mall I have been to. I think if you are looking to shop there, you need a map to plan out your route, or it will take you hours to find what you are looking for. Thanks for watching!
The mall is busy on the weekends, i was there Saturday and there was a lot of people
Good video and you definitely got your steps in this day. I remember when the mall opened and while the exterior of the mall looks exactly the same, the interior looks completely different. It basically looked like a warehouse when the mall opened (and still does on the 4th floor). There didn't used to be tiles on the floor....instead was just concrete with the logos of the stores painted on. You get a taste of what it looked like once the guy filming goes to the 4th floor and is walking towards the ice skating rink. You'd also see large cracks in the floor and in the parking garage under the mall.....supposedly the rumor was it was built on top of a swamp and has slowly been sinking but I think that last part has been dispelled.
The part of the 4th floor that is mostly empty was designed unfinished, as all that's down there I think are a couple of community rooms and the mall offices. I think they wanted to put some stores in there years ago but the town said no. Not sure of all the details there so someone else better informed can fill it in in the comments. And to answer your question, there was never anything on the third floor directly above the Lord and Taylor. As far as I know, it was unused space.
It's weird to see so many stores and tenants I've never heard of due to the turnover over the years, and yet, see some stores still be in the same location it was the day the mall opened (Victoria's Secret on the first floor being an example). I also laughed at the Starbucks coming soon in that location where you walked into the mall on the second floor seeing as there used to be a Starbucks literally right there in that exact location. I didn't know they took the carousel out, but I used to get lunch at that Wendy's every so often and stare out the window while eating. Nice scenic view of the NY State Thruway and Rt 303, lol.
I worked in the mall for many years and it definitely had the vibe of stay at home moms taking the kids there to kill a few hours during weekdays, so im not surprised the mall leaned further into it with all of the arcades and family-style activities. I don't go there much any more so while its not a dead mall per se, it does have the sense of being a dying mall.
I visited this mall a few times back in the early 2000s (like 2003 or 2004) and it was definitely livelier than what I'm seeing here. There was also an epic IMAX 3D theater at the top level. I'm glad the Best Buy I still there
Go on a weekend and you'll get your crowds, especially during the winter.
It's still very alive especially on weekends.
So many childhood memories. My mom, sister, and I would drive up to my aunt’s place in Passaic County, NJ. From there, we’d all go to Palisades together. I remember a place called Jeepers that had a small rollercoaster, I found that very exciting as a kid! Of course I loved the ferris wheel and carousel. There was a two-story McDonald’s near the Chili’s, as well as a Chinese buffet near the food court. I could go on and on… truly one of the fixtures of my childhood.
A cemetery next to a mall is certainly unique: “While we’re visiting the ancestors, need anything from Target?”
I agree. A cemetery next to a mall is unusual, but this one is surrounded by the mall on three sides, so it's almost like it's in the mall. Very strange. Thanks for watching!
@@fleabittenadventuresIt’s an escaped slave cemetery. Many of the original families still live in Rockland.
@@fleabittenadventures4:40 4:41 4:42
@@NuNugirlfunny, most malls and every other store closure is done by the same people! Weird…..
It’s a bad omen
Absolutely crazy that the Zumiez I worked at in Summer of 2002 is still there, as is the Hot Topic next door (38:45). I started working there right as most of the current staff was in the process of being fired. Apparently some corporate people had just done an audit of the store, and found an incomprehensible amount of merchandise was missing - if I recall correctly it was like tens of thousands of dollars worth of sneakers and clothes and skateboards, just gone. Turned out that almost everyone that worked there, including at least one of the managers, were stealing whatever they wanted from the store for months on end. I wonder where all those people are now.
This was the mall to visit back in the day. Sad to see it’s not doing well
I can see it. It's still pretty nice mall. I think online stores and the pandemic have left this mall in poor shape financially. Thanks for watching!
@@fleabittenadventuresdo you know how this mall is doing?
There are a lot of controversies around this mall
I sadly witnessed one of those deaths was so shocking 😢
How awful!
I remember when local news station WRNN-TV had a little satellite studio at the mall.
Yes I was an intern for WRNN TV and I would stop by that studio whenever I was in the mall. Sorry to see it go now!
I used to come to this mall on the weekends with my family when I was younger. So many memories
January 2024; just went today and had a blast, mall is still up and running though it’s NOTHING compared to the old traffic that came through here let alone Roosevelt Field even NOW
i have a lot of good memories with this mall .went here for my birthday in 2021 mid pandemic, just for fun. i should make a trip back soon. so many fun times going with my parents.
Also the arcade you visited used to be an iHop, I remember going there a couple times if I came to the mall at an early time
I lived in Westchester and visited the mall when it opened in 1998 and never went back since. It had a dull, industrial, unfinished look to it back then which they updated at some point because in this video it doesn't resemble what it looked like back then. Before you saw dull grey metal girders and grey corrugated metal, that now is covered with white ceilings, but you can still see the metal frames that are now painted with the light coffee brown paint scheme. Back then, the food court had eight or ten giant ice cream cone sculptures that were one of the tackiest things I have ever seen! They were removed at some point but you can still find photos of them online. They're probably sitting in some junk lot in nearby woods covered with leaves and pine needles.
Hey listen I one of the workers that helped put them cones up as a tee ager working in construction. Lol.
wow that fourth floor by the ice rink is still empty after all these years... they simply never developed it. I think there was a dispute with the town over it or something because of zoning or something, I can't remember.
Fourth floor by ice rink is used for business meetings etc.
I like the huge Barnes & Noble and Newbury Comics store.
We at our local mall here in Delaware we have a Barnes and Noble store inside the food court which is 2 floors and it's next to a Forever 21 store which is also 2 floors those are the only 2 level stores in that mall
@genegjr Christiana Mall? Has security been stricter, I heard there was an incident a year ago.
Interesting mix of retailers, restaurants, and entertainment. The leasing rate must below market average to keep the businesses open which might also explain why the mall has such a large loan to stay open. Not sure if they can save the mall despite that if the rent goes up with a new owner and if they lose the larger retailers.
One thing to consider is that the mall's appraised value is ~$200 million today compared to ~$800 million less than ten years ago. For properties of this sort income stream is the most important component of value. Even with the closed JCP and L&T vacancies don't look high enough by themselves to account for such a dramatic drop in value.
While I do not claim to be certain of this, I highly suspect that the nontraditional uses such as the go-kart track, the ice rink and the various arcades are paying lower rents than national retailers would pay for the equivalent spaces. If you combine these reduced rents with the empty spaces, for which Pyramid is earning a goose egg, you could very well account for the ~$800 million vs. ~$200 million.
By the way, even though midday on a Tuesday in February is not going to be any mall's busiest time, foot traffic looked really low.
Yeah, it doesn't look good. We'll see I guess. Thanks for watching.
You are probably correct.
This was best known as one of the favorite hang outs of the person that runs Report of the Week Food Reviews.
Pyramid is a terrible company. I sold them radios when they built this mall. They would make vendors wait in person to get paid. If you could put a lean on them, they paid, if not you had to wait. The made us wait for months and months and no money. Finally some decent person in their home office sent us a check for most of the money and then quit their job. They still owe me over $3,500 that will never be paid. NEVER extend these dirt bags any credit. They are horrible people.
I feel like Pyramid only cares about one mall, and only one... the DestiNY in Syracuse. Maybe Crossgates in Albany, but it feels like every other mall of their catalogue is neglected and left to die a slow death.
@@RicksTravelogue They are in a huge war to build a Costco at crossgates. Very aggressive legal fight.
Typical "Pyramid Scam"
,I probably show up with the sheriff & repossessed the radios after they defaulted on payment
This is my favorite mall. I used to go all the time. I'll be so sad if it ends up becoming a dead mall :( so many great memories at the Palisades mall.
I spent SO MUCH TIME HERE. I even did the climb adventure once. So fun! Thanks for the video.
So the first floor of the JC Penney is now a discount Amazon resell /thrift store. The layout of JC Penney and even some of the former JC Penney signs are still in tact, but with different register equipment. The escalators in the center of the floor are walled off with Sheetrock.
Thanks for this mall-tour. I have seen the Palisades Center mall while going between the G.S. Parkway and Palisades Parkway or Tappan Zee Bridge. I didn't know when it was built.
'98
The top level restaurants were wonderful in the 2000s. The Yard House restaurant was originally a Macaroni Grill. The iHop was great, and they used to have an Outback Steakhouse near the Target entrance. There was also a McDonalds too. Across from Dave and Busters was a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant.
My mom and I used to visit that mall almost every week in the 2000s. Lots of memories. When it opened it looked like a warehouse, with the metal ceilings not covered by the white suspended ceilings you see today. Glad the Macys is still there. There was a store called Filene’s Basement when it opened as well. There was an Apple Store on the 1st level, but they eventually moved to the Nanuet Mall. There was also a big Bed Bath and Beyond store on the first floor that we frequented. I’m still watching your video but I believe the big Barnes and Noble bookstore is still there. Do they still sell DVDs and CDs and vinyl records? Gotta get people away from their online stores and back in the malls. ❤
The mall was never what they intended it to be. A high end shopping experience. There was a William Sanoma , Pottery Barn, Jos A Bank and Gilly Hicks stores but they pulled out. The Lord & Taylor went out of business. The Apple Store left too. Lots of subpar stores selling cheap Chinese goods came in.
Restoration Hardware, an amusement park with roller coaster, Rainforest Cafe, JCP had a separate furniture store and so much more.
Dave an buster is so much fun
And the bumper cars
What it all comes down to is the fact that the loan is about twice the mall's current market value. Pyramid really doesn't want to keep making payments when it's so far underwater and the lenders really don't want to own the property. So there surely will be a settlement.
It will be interesting to see what happens. Hopefully the mall is able to stay open.
It looks like a thriving mall to me. Most store fronts are occupied, there are entertainment venues, and lots of people walking around with bags in their hands. Most people work so on a Thursday afternoon I would say this place is busy. I used to work retail and Monday are slow days in shops and weekday afternoons are pretty slow. It's the weekends that most stores depend on for high traffic. It looks like a great mall. Sad that people have fallen to their deaths here. There was one in October 2023 after this video was made. I hope a new owner comes in and can save it though and make some safety improvements to prevent people from falling to their death. Most malls fail because of poor management. I hope it changes hands and can survive.
Looks like an amazing mall, it’s clearly sad to see all the malls closing. Malls like this should never have to struggle with its beauty and some excitement. It’s hard to watch all the dead or dying malls.
Thanks for the nice video.
@@ruthmarland835I still go there every other Saturday to watch ufc at Dave and busters it’s booming on Saturday went on Wednesday it was a ghost town still people but nothing like when I was a kid
It’s around the range of a C or B tier mall. Pyramid was the owner of the mall & they have a lot of financial problems. Now, Spinoso is appointed the manager I think at least until there’s an official buyer. There used to be a lot more name brand stores but I’d say the mall still manages to fill in vacancies regularly, if you ignore the vacant department stores.
6 people died here AND it’s built right next to a cemetery!!? I know the employees have got to have some good ghost stories..
Yup, that's what I read online and it all appears legit. I actually didn't find out about all of that until after I left the mall. I think the cemetery thing is especially creepy. Thanks for watching!
There are passage ways behind all the stores. Homeless people lived in them until they were all kicked out. Many of them jumped. A woman jumped last week from the 4th floor so now it’s seven.
i really miss coming to this mall. it was a big part of my childhood. i remember there was a sanrio store somewhere near where the dsw was. there was also the vacant store at 21:52 where the old disney store used to be. i also remember there was place called "jeepers" which was like an indoor arcade and amusement park for kids on the fourth floor where the bowling alley is in 32:22 ahhh the memories
The reason behind the post office at the mall is so you can buy gifts, get them wrapped, and mail them to your non-local friends and family. They did most of their business, not surprisingly, in November/December. Of course, nowadays we have the seller ship our gifts.
My son played a hockey game at that ice rink about 3 years ago. The rink itself is wedged in around the roof supports - so the ice surface is normal but the player benches and other areas are interrupted with columns. It’s a rather busy place with a good amount of organized hockey and public skate, but they keep the ice really thick, probably so it can survive the heat from below and occasional power/air conditioning outages.
I remember being absolutely blown away by this mall. I still have CDs I bought from the Hot Topic there 😆
Hmmm 😮😮😮
Also, the bowling alley is now divided into VR headset experience and a year-round Halloween store. You can even see the old bar and AV screen equipment set up in the VR place.
i recently went to this mall for the first time last week and it was slightly more busy than this video but i also went on a saturday. i liked that the food court was nice and bright with natural sunlight because the food courts in malls i usually go to have minimal natural light coming in
also, the corn dog place at 30:00 is a korean corn dog restaurant, korean corn dogs are super trendy right now, especially with younger generations
There have actually been 9 fatalities in the 25 years since it opened most appear to be suicides. The most recent was July 20th
That's awful.
I stopped in this mall during the monsterous virus in August 2020 while I was heading home from Cortland NY and it was still fine
I visit Palisades Mall twice per month and its always full of customers everywhere. The design is very well made. There is no way this mall can close. I enjoy being there and so do thousands of people.
This has been one of the most profitable malls for over a decade. It's got a bright future for many years
It's mostly the property tax that is killing them. But with all the stores and restaurants on each floor, I don't see them struggling financially. My local mall is almost dead.
Hope you're right. This mall was AWESOME in the 00s.
Did you not listen to what he said? The mall is in default and may need to close and sell off its assets to repay its loan.
I always thought this mall looked like a gymnasium
i remember I used to love going to the mail. My brothers and i would go to the arcade, go check you the video games at the local game store, as well as other stuff. Fast forward to today, everything that made going to the mall great is gone and dead. being a retro gamer there are no retro game stores anywhere where i live. to me the mall is dead to me and it just makes me sad of what has become of the place of shopping. RIP malls everywhere. It just makes me sad.
Always hated that mall. None of us old locals wanted it built but they pushed it anyway. Nanuet Mall was the perfect size. It opened up in 1969 when I was 3. They tore it down in 2012. I end up traveling to Paramus Park instead.
Old locals would wish Rockland to be a ghost town
@@Mindstamina Rockland has turned ghetto.
Paramus Park is now a dead mall even on saturdays!, especially, oddly, since HOLLISTER closed. People who shop at Stew Leonards buy perishibles & just go home & skip the mall - even the fountain is dry. & u would not believe how many closed places there are in the food court!
Drove there from the Bronx all the time. Amazing mall and the second largest in the country
Put some vaporwave or mallsoft in the backround videos would be perfect
Someone suggested that a couple of years ago. I did it and I got non-stop comments asking me to get rid of the music, so I did.....
@@fleabittenadventuresthanks for NOT putting music.
Well at least there's less traffic during rush hour on I-287. Always dreaded going past the mall during rush hour as there would be massive traffic due to people entering and leaving the mall. Finding parking was another huge hassle when I did visit this mall. It's definitely sad to see it like this.
Quite the coincidence…. I finished watching this video this morning, and opened up an email notification from the Palisades Center announcing the grand re-opening of the Ferris wheel. 😂
I first caught sight of this mall in '06 or '07 on the way back from the Poconos. I was amazed by how big it was, and from then on going there was a big occasion. Truly massive, truly epic mall. It confounds and saddens me that such a colossus of a mall could ever think of closing down. I remember running up to the LEGO store to see what was new, getting TGI Friday's on the top floor, wandering around the big Barnes & Noble, eating Sbarro slices by the big Ferris wheel, and catching movies at the big Imax theater. Good times.
It will be miserable if this mall ever closes. I hope it keeps on going!
Still going strong! 🎉
@ Good to hear.
This mall looked very different when I went there in the mid-90s It had unusual features like a roller coaster a carousel and an amusement center for kids only.
Man i used to come here as a child with my parents in the middle & Early 2000s. Memories ❤ sucks to see it so empty .
I'm in my 60's, it's kinda sad to see it so quiet, in my day malls would be packed.
Enjoy your videos, curios do you record your voice while walking or while editing?
It's mostly voiceover in editing. However, I do sometimes talk while walking if someone is with me. If I'm alone at a mall, talking to myself draws unwanted attention.
I went there a couple years ago... first time in a LONGGGG time and I was totally unimpressed. I remember it being so much better, or I saw it thru rose colored glasses. Shame because it is a beautiful mall
Last Sunday I was with my family at the shopping centre and witnessed the suicide of a 32-year-old woman. She jumped into the void from the top floor. There have already been 7 suicides in that square so far in 2024 and the authorities have not made any changes to the structure to prevent it. It was devastating and sad, something I will not forget.
I'm so sorry. Are you and your family alright?
Anyone that grew up within a 25 mile radius knows this was THE mall in the early 2000's. Garden State Plaza was 5 minutes away from me and it was a treat to go to Palisades. It felt massive in comparison. These days GSP has evolved, maybe not in size, but in variety, in terms of shops and eateries. Doesn't help that the much newer & bigger American Dream Mall stole Palisades Mall 'Wow' factor if you live relatively close to both.
I used to go to this mall very often. I remember all the stores like JC Penny and Modells. They even had the Rainforest Cafe when it was opened. Johnny Rockets was a great place to eat in and I used go on the 4th floor to eat at their restaurants like TGIFridays Dave & Busters and Chili's. I used to go to the AMC movie theater a lot. There was also a 3D movie theater but that became IHOP restaurant. I'm going to miss this mall.
this mall is still popping and busy whenever I go, sad to hear they might close thought it might still be doing ok, Especially holiday season and the movie theater floor and restaurants always seem busy, but I haven't been in a year.
also, the climbing venture looks dangerous? You're harnessed in, it literally is incredibly safe lmao
The skating rink is where some NYSPHSAA Section 1 high school hockey teams play their home games, namely Clarkstown and Rockland. I would have to assume their practices are held there, as well.
the one location you asked, if I recall correctly was a Home Depot, they also use to have a BJ's
BJ’s and Home Depot are still there but do not have entrances from inside the mall. The closed section above Lord and Taylor is called the third and fourth floor attic and has never been used, because the mall was constructed with more space than it was allowed to use. Recently the restriction has been lifted.
I know a person who as a kid was on the climb adventure, and the harness popped out. Thafully their ok but it has no extra saftey so if they were to fall, it would have been fatal. It might be safer now as that was about a decade ago.
thank you a lot!
Used to take the bus from Port Authority to this mall like 10 plus years ago. The mall went down after the high end stores left the mall. I remember when the Apple Store left from the first floor.
i have an oddly vivid memory of me and my dad eating at the nathan's in the food court lol
This mall was rockin back in the day!
I haven’t been to this mall in over 10 years. I always felt uncomfortable there. In the beginning I found it unsettling the way the structure had a vibration like a bridge. I did buy my first cell phone there. They had fun things like the Rainforest cafe and restoration hardware, also a Disney store and a Cheesecake Factory. All the standard and upscale mall stores. Eventually just stopped at Target occasionally but I didn’t feel safe in the parking lot at night and I would imagine that would be a problem. From packed with people to just spooky. A lot of people who went there were just hanging out. Also the escalators used to be perpetually under repair. The carousel was great. What was that 1950’s style restaurant with performing waiters and waitresses ?
I watch a lot of your walks around malls. Appreciate that. It's just weird the ones I see with arcades. You are always the only one in there. Maybe arcades are dying. 😢
Need to visit mall of America in Bloomington minnesota. It dwarfs this mall. Been to both many times
Maybe someday.... too far right now. I've got a very similar mall coming up shortly though. Stay tuned.
Have u been to huge American Dream Mall? I heard it is bigger than mall of America ! Only indoor place for skiing in north america.
my brothers friend was one of those people that fell from one of the top floors sometime in the 2000s.. I think he did survive though
27:10 I haven't been in that mall for 10+ years but I think that Arcade was an iHOP before?
So, I live close to this mall and my family and I go here a lot. This is a good place it went through a few major changes after the pandemic but, when I go there it has a good crowd. Plenty of people on the weekends. Don't expect a big crowd during the week people have jobs and school. I was actually there just last weekend...pretty crowded to me.
But how is it here IN THE SUMMER on weekdays? Garden State Plaza is fairly crowded! - the most successful mall in usa, if u ask me.
I was just at this mall and it’s still doing pretty well tbh… not a ton of empty storefronts, a lot of functioning stores and shoppers. It’s not like it was at its peak, but it’s not a dead mall just yet. It had basically every store you would expect at a mall…
I remember when there was a roller coaster, NASCAR simulators, and Rainforest Cafe in the mall.
To help you on history, the ice skating rink area was always dead from day 1, they never developed that section. The arcade you went into was formerly an iHop and next to it was an Imax theater . This mall was the killer of all the mid-hudson malls you visit earlier.
As of March 2023, Foreclosure action has been filed. Unfortunately for the locals near Palisades, the clock to closing is ticking. It's a shame too, was a great mall to visit.
Worked here for a summer. It is right off I 87 in rockland county ny. Its massive.
If you think this mall will close than you are a great comedian.
December 2024, the latest news I found was from August. Wilmington is still seeking full foreclosure, but the owners appear to have found a trustee. The mall appears to still be open-the website is still up and the Wikipedia is in present tense.
27:08 RIP IHop lmao, its almost like it's still there...
16:20 Johnny Rockets is my personal favorite, everytime you order they give you a plate of ketchup with a smiley face on it :-)
real i miss that ihop
I remember the rainforest café at this mall....good times.
What are those platform poles ? They're by the restaurant area.
Great memories when they opened this mall it was huge compared to Nanuet Mall!! Nanuet Mall was the greatest back in the early 90s ! Alladins Castle Roman Delights Great American Cookie Co. and Spensers !!
Lived in West Nyack for a number of years in the '90s. What's it like at Nanuet Mall nowadays?
@@MF-ol6ut it's gone and replaced with a lifestyle center called Shops at Nanuet.
THE MEMORIES…..
I remember always going to target in that mall and going to the it’s sugar store to get a Kinder chocolate bunny AND watching the go karts race
Thanks internet.
Pretty much. Thanks for watching!
been to this mall a few times first couple was for dave and busters hanging out with friends. but i did go once to see the whole thing wow its massive but not overwhelming like american dream not far away. across the highway from the mall was the most digusting episode of kitchen nightmares a mexican resturant called fiesta sunrise that has since closed if you watch that episode you'll see the mall in the background
I used to work for a mining stone quarry company behind the mall on the overnight. 98-2001. I use to go to the mall in the morning and hang out to pick up girls. It was packed in those days. Used to do all my xmas shopping there. Fun times.
Fun fact: parts of the parking garage are closed due to structural problems. From what I read, parts of the structure fell and caused damage to vehicles. It makes a lot of sense why more people park outside the mall than in the parking garage.
Also, the escalators that go down from level 1 lead to the parking garage.
I only drove by this mall twice when I was going to PA
Sad. This is (was) a really nice mall. Many stores are already pulling out.
You should go back for a follow up before the end of the year. I know a lot about the palisades mall and can fill in any blanks you might need to know about.
I’m coming here on tuesday!
And taking many photos
little upstate more..... Poughkeepsie and albany the malls on the weekend's still are pretty full.
Is this in a suburban part of NYC or is it outside of NYC it looks huge 🤯 you walk into the second floor then you can walk to the first or third floors it looks cool but im afraid of heights so i would try to come inside on the first floor only lol 😅
It's not too close to the city. It's near the border with New Jersey. And yes it is huge.
The rumors on a collapse of this mall have been there since day 1 but it was always structurally based. Ironic that a different kind of collapse (financial) might do it in. Somewhere out there are the original design engineers telling us "we told you it would last".
How many total pinball machines are in this/any mall? If there's 10 or more, i'll visit.
Are the movie theaters & Rainforest Cafe still here? & the dollar store & best buy?