TOPAGA, N.Y. — Stonecres Cres., a sprawling, suburban shopping mall in central New York, is about to close its doors this year, a move that may hurt the state’s top-grossing retail complex, but may be a boon for a small local grocery store.
Stoneview Farms, the company behind Stonecresh Mall, announced in a blog post Tuesday that it is cutting 100 jobs as part of a “temporary” restructuring plan that is to begin in September.
“As part of this reorganization, Stonecret Mall will close its retail operations at the end of the year,” the blog post said.
The mall’s namesake, a New York City institution with a reputation for its stylish shopping experience, has long been a destination for shoppers who want to escape New York for a few days.
While Stonecros Mall, the mall’s anchor store, will be closing its doors, Stoneview will retain its location in the former Stonecrets Mall.
It’s unclear whether Stonecrys Mall will stay open for the year or whether Stoneview and its associates will find a new home for their operations.
Stonecrest, located in an area known as “Midtown” and popular with tourists, has been plagued by delays and other problems in recent years.
In 2012, Stoneclosures caused chaos, forcing hundreds of shoppers to walk through the mall in search of the mall entrances.
At one point in the summer of 2013, the New York Times reported that Stonecrolls mall had a high occupancy rate, but the mall eventually closed down.
As of Tuesday, Stonecleans, the online marketplace for shoppers, listed Stonecscres Mall as the 12th most popular shopping mall on its website, but that number had declined by nearly 10 percent in the last year.
“It’s a difficult decision for the community to have to make, but Stonecris Mall is closing its door,” said Mike Whelan, Stonecalms vice president and general manager.
Some of the stores will still be open for special events and community programs, including the Stonewall Inn.
Meanwhile, Stonecrop Mall, which opened in 1998 and was built as a mix of retail and entertainment, has struggled to keep up with the changing demographics of New York.
Its parent company, St. John’s Properties, has faced numerous lawsuits for allegedly selling off land and buildings in order to increase its profit margins, and it has been sued several times by local governments for failing to maintain their properties.
But the mall is unlikely to have a financial hit this year as the New Jersey Economic Development Authority has approved a $10 million incentive package to help the mall continue operating.
The deal includes a $2.6 million grant to pay for the relocation of Stonewalls management staff and to build new security equipment.
Whelan said Stonecrown Mall is planning to hire 200 new employees in 2017 and that the company is looking for people who can stay and work in New York and the surrounding area for a period of up to a year.