Many malls in New York state will be reopening on Friday. Governor Andrew Cuomo gave the go-ahead as long as an enhanced air filtering system is installed.
Shopping malls in New York closed in mid-March and are among the last entities to re-open. On Wednesday Governor Cuomo said malls in regions that are in Phase IV of reopening can open, but they must have approved filtration systems for their air circulation systems. “There are air filtration systems that can take COVID out of the air. The filters are rated by what they call a MERV rating. So it’s either 13, 12 or 11 but one of those three filters and then we have ventilation protocols. And the mall reopening date is July 10th in Phase IV.”
Lake City Hobby is located in Plattsburgh’s Champlain Centre mall. Owner Greg Nephew says the short notice doesn’t give him enough time to open on Friday. He’s planning to open on Monday. “I’m glad that we finally have the okay to open. I’m still a little baffled by the rationale behind the air filtration system when all the other big box stores still don’t have to make any changes with theirs. I’m a little confused why that was the issue. But nevertheless we’re glad that we’ve at least been given the green light.”
Democratic state Assemblyman D. Billy Jones of the 115th district has been calling for the governor to allow malls to reopen. “We wanted to make sure that our businesses could open in a fair way and these businesses deserve to be open just as much as somebody else does. And it was just unfair that you could walk into a big box store in one door and you couldn’t walk through another door to get in to our small businesses.”
North Country Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Gary Douglas notes that most mall stores are small local independent businesses. “There’s been a trend for more small businesses to be occupying mall spaces. It isn’t just all kinds of big national chains. There are a lot of small businesses, locally owned businesses, retailers who are in mall spaces.”
Champlain Centre is in the Town of Plattsburgh. Supervisor Michael Cashman says sales tax projections are significantly lower this year and it’s crucial to get all businesses open. “Sales tax projections I think right now are projected at about 22-and-a-half percent below last year’s projections. So we need to work with everybody and do our best to move our economy forward.”
Champlain Centre is one of 11 malls across New York owned by Pyramid Management including Aviation Mall in Queensbury, Crossgates in Albany, the Galleria at Crystal Run in Middletown and the Poughkeepsie Galleria.
In a release issued Thursday, Pyramid says customers will see enhanced safety and sanitizing procedures at all malls. Everyone will be required to wear face masks and social distancing will be encouraged.
The general manager of Albany’s Colonie Center told WAMC they are reviewing the governor’s requirements and plan to open soon but probably not on Friday.
