Bridgewater Commons

infobox shopping mall
shopping_mall_name = Bridgewater Commons Mall

---

caption = Southern side of the Bridgewater Commons
location = Bridgewater, New Jersey, USA
opening_date = February 26, 1989
developer = Trizec-Hahn
manager = General Growth Properties
owner = General Growth Properties
number_of_stores = 170 [http://www.ggp.com/Properties/MallDirectory.aspx?smuid=731] , accessed June 15, 2008]
number_of_anchors = 3: Bloomingdales, Lord and Taylor, Macy's [http://www.ggp.com/Properties/MallDirectory.aspx?smuid=731] , Accessed June 15, 2008]
floor_area = 900,000 ft²
floors = 3
website = [http://www.bridgewatercommons.com]
parking = lighted lot and parking deck near movie theatre

Bridgewater Commons is a fully-enclosed mall located in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey. The mall is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 22 and U.S. Route 202/U.S. Route 206, and backs onto Interstate 287. The mall opened in 1989 and has a gross leasable area of convert|900000|sqft|m2|abbr=on. [ [http://www.icsc.org/apps/dmmdisp.php?dispid=NJ8810 International Council of Shopping Centers: Bridgewater Commons] , accessed October 3, 2006] Bridgewater Commons is owned by General Growth Properties.

The mall was expanded in 2005-06 to include a lifestyle center which is called The Village at Bridgewater Commons. It is anchored by Crate and Barrel and Maggiano's and contains 15 other stores.

Mall anchors are Bloomingdale's, Lord & Taylor and Macy's. The mall also contains a wide variety of upscale stores, such as Brooks Brothers.

The mall hours are Monday-Thursday: 10:00am-9:30pm, Friday: 10:00am-10:00pm, Saturday: 10:00am-10:00pm and Sunday: 11:00am-7:00pm. However, individual store hours may vary.

Dining and entertainment

*The Food Court Only an Auntie Anne's Pretzels kiosk and a Nathans Hotdog cart are currently (6/25/2008) open.

Bridgewater Commons has initiated a much anticipated redevelopment project to create an exciting new dining and retail destination. No exact details have been released about who will occupy the food court or what it will look like, other than the architectural drawings that are shown in the mall on the boarded up/blocked off food court. It looks as though they are attempting to increase floor/common space in the food court, as they are closing off the two food court atriums that look down on to the second floor. A remerchandised and renovated food court, along with other retail options, plans to open in fall 2008.

In the meantime, current dining and entertainment options are as follows:

*McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant
*AMC Movie Theaters
*Scattered food/drink shops such as Starbucks, Gloria Jeans, Auntie Anne's Pretzels, Dale & Thomas Popcorn, Mrs. Fields, Cinnabon/ etc.

and in The Village-
*Chipotle Mexican Grill
*Maggiano's Little Italy

tores

The mall has a variety of stores covering three floors. In the early years of the mall, they marketed on the fact that they have three floors and leased space in the mall by theming the floors. The bottom floor was known as the "Commons Collection" and had the more exclusive/upscale stores. The middle floor was known as the "Promenade" and was themed to have stores that sold family related items and gifts. The top floor was known as "The Campus Level" and contained shops that were marketed toward the younger, 15-21 set. The food court called "Picnic on the Green" was also located on this floor. Neon signs displayed the floor names on the Campus level and have since been removed during the construction. Signs and lighting displaying the names "Promenade" and "Commons Collection" still exist but are not as prominent as they once were. In recent years, there has been a noticeable upscale trend as shown by the opening of new stores such as Pottery Barn, J. Crew and Apple.

Coming Soon

*Hollister Co.
*Shrimp Market
*The Cheesecake Factory ["Mall's 20 Years Have Changed Bridgewater", The Courier News [http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080518/NEWS/805170450/-1/FEATURES03] . Article Dated: May 18, 2008. Last Accessed: July 13, 2008. ]
*Bare Escentuals
*Metropark
*Hanna Andersson

Now Open

*Michael Kors
*Geox
*Zara

History

Bridgewater Commons opened in February 1989 with anchor stores Macy's, Hahnes and Sterns. By 1991, Hahnes would change to Lord and Taylor and in 2002, Sterns to Bloomingdales. The mall complex pursued a major expansion in 1991 to add two eight-story office buildings to the complex, which would include convert|578000|sqft|m2|abbr=on. of office space and a 300-room hotel. The effort was initiated as part of a longstanding urban renewal project. ["Hoping to Defy the Odds in Bridgewater; Developers Bet On Office Center, Citing Location", "The New York Times", February 17, 1991. p. R8] By 2000, with a 347-room Marriott Hotel already under the construction, the mall's developers pushed ahead to develop the office towers planned for the complex. ["In the Region/ New Jersey; Bridgewater Commons Is Entering the Home Stretch Offices and hotel will complete the master plan for the mall.", "The New York Times", May 21, 2000. p. RE9]

In 1993, Bridgewater Commons jumped on the bandwagon, becoming one of the first malls in the state to ban smoking, joining 300 of 1800 malls nationwide that prohibited smoking on mall grounds. ["2 Big Malls Ban Smoking", "The New York Times", October 8, 1993. p. B6]

The mall has become a major focus in Bridgewater and an attraction throughout the area, bringing new residents to the township and shoppers to the mall which "dominates the retail industry in Somerset County." ["If You're Thinking of Living In/Bridgewater, N.J.; Where the Downtown Is a Shopping Mall Residents are drawn by good schools, low taxes, housing variety.", "The New York Times", December 29, 2002. p. J5]

Bridgewater Commons underwent its first major renovation in 2004-05, replacing the flooring on the 2nd and 3rd levels, repainting the ceiling and floor lights, adding lighting, adding elevators (the glass elevator in center court would later be removed in 2007) and removing the 3 story escalator. Since September, 2006 the mall has added a whole new section, called the Bridgewater Village. The village, located right across from the Bridgewater Marriott hotel, is rooted by such stores as Crate and Barrel. It also contains Maggiano's Little Italian Restaurant and a Chipotle Mexican Grill.

References

External links

* [http://www.bridgewatercommons.com Official site]
* [http://www.icsc.org/apps/dmmdisp.php?dispid=NJ8810 International Council of Shopping Centers: Bridgewater Commons]