Wikipedia

The Mills at Jersey Gardens

The Mills at Jersey Gardens, originally and also still colloquially called Jersey Gardens, is a super-regional outlet mall in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The mall opened on October 21, 1999, and is the largest outlet mall in New Jersey, and much closer to New York City than its largest outlet mall competitor, Woodbury Common Premium Outlets.[1] The shopping center has a gross leasable area of 1,292,611 square feet (120,087.5 m2).[2]

The Mills at Jersey Gardens
The Mills at Jersey Gardens logo
Interior view, first floor, c. May 2021
Map
LocationElizabeth, New Jersey, United States
Address651 Kapkowski Road, 07201
OpenedOctober 21, 1999; 26 years ago (October 21, 1999)
Renovated
  • 2012–2013
  • 2015–2018
Previous names
  • Jersey Gardens (1999–2013)
  • The Outlet Collection (2013–2015)
DeveloperGlimcher Realty Trust
ManagementSimon Property Group
OwnerSimon Property Group
Stores230+ (at peak)
10 (at peak)
Floor area1,292,611 square feet (120,087.5 m2)
Floors2
Public transit
Bus transport NJ Transit NJ Transit bus: 24, 40, 111, 115
Websitewww.simon.com/mall/the-mills-at-jersey-gardens
Building details
Interior view, second floor, c. August 2015
General information
StatusOperational
Construction startedNovember 1998; 27 years ago (November 1998)
Completed1999
Renovating team
Architects
Main contractorIBEX Construction

The mall was developed by Glimcher Realty Trust and formerly operated by them. In October 2013, the mall was remodeled as The Outlet Collection | Jersey Gardens. In January 2015, it was sold to Simon Property Group as part of an acquisition of Glimcher by Simon's spinoff Washington Prime Group.[3] Simon owns and manages much of Jersey Gardens' outlet mall competition in the area, including Woodbury Common, and has integrated Jersey Gardens into its The Mills retail platform by renaming it The Mills at Jersey Gardens.[4]

History

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Main entrance - December 2021

Despite the term "Mills" in its name and its current owner (Simon Property Group), the mall was never developed or operated by The Mills Corporation.

1992–1999: Development and opening

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Jersey Gardens was built on a former landfill acquired by OENJ Corporation in 1992, which required extensive brownfield remediation prior to the mall development. This involved landfill capping with recyclables like dredged harbor materials and construction debris, installation of methane gas collection systems, and PCB containment measures. In 1996, 130 acres (53 ha) of the former landfill site were sold to Glimcher Realty Trust of Ohio for development, with the remediation efforts earning a 2001 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Phoenix Award for brownfield redevelopment.[5][6] Plans for the 1,300,000-square-foot (120,000 m2) outlet center were announced in early 1998 by Glimcher Realty Trust, emphasizing the sites proximity to the New Jersey Turnpike and its location in an Urban Enterprise Zone, making purchases eligible for a reduced 3½% (now 3.3125% as of January 1, 2018) sales tax rate, a potent lure for New York City residents paying a sales tax rate over 8%.[7]

Construction began in November 1998 following site preparation, with the project financed through a combination of $163 million in bank loans from Bankers Trust and Huntington National Bank, $56 million in equity from Glimcher, and $140 million in tax-exempt bonds and grants from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.[8] On May 25, 1999, it was announced that Jersey Gardens would open in October, and include nearly 190 tenants, including Burlington Coat Factory, Saks Off 5th, Marshalls, and Neiman Marcus Last Call. The interior of the mall was designed by The Rockwell Group, and would serve as a direct competitor to the then-proposed Meadowlands Mills.[9] The mall was nearly completed by late August 1999.[10]

After opening

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In May 2012, Glimcher Realty Trust announced that Jersey Gardens would be renovated and rebranded as The Outlet Collection | Jersey Gardens. This would include new LED lighting, updated flooring, refurbished restrooms, and the installation of a solar power roof.[11] The renovation cost $30 million, was designed by Callison and BendheimGlass[12], and constructed by IBEX Construction. This added Coach Outlet, Coach Men, True Religion Outlet, Calvin Klein Accessories, Tommy Hilfiger Store, Lego Store, and Century 21 Department Store to the mall.[13] Century 21 debuted as a concept store in mid-May 2013[14], and on September 29, 2013, it was announced that the mall would reopen on October 30. Glimcher cited the renovation as an inspiration from Fifth Avenue flagships.[15]

On January 15, 2015, Jersey Gardens, alongside University Park Village, was acquired by Simon Property Group for $1.09 billion. As part of the acquisition, the mall rebranded as The Mills at Jersey Gardens. Glimcher itself was acquired by Washington Prime Group, a corporate spinoff of Simon. The name change was to implement Jersey Gardens into Simon's Mills portfolio, which consisted of super-regional outlet malls originally developed by The Mills Corporation, which Simon acquired in April 2007.[16][17] On May 21, 2015, Mills president Gregg Goodman announced a massive 411,000-square-foot expansion. This project was designed to add new outlet brands, dining options, and entertainment to the existing 200-store footprint. The debut was expected to take place in 2018.[18]

The Dining Pavilion in August 2015

On April 19, 2017, Simon announced a massive 411,000-square-foot expansion that would add a seven-story, 98-foot-tall parking garage to Jersey Gardens — with an estimated 3,313 spaces — as a result of increased traffic. New big-box stores, restaurants, including ones with outdoor seating, and retail uses would be added. A seasonal food court branded as the Dining Pavilion at The Mills at Jersey Gardens[19] would be added on the second level, alongside an additional entrance. 50-foot light poles and road modifications would also be included. The new wing was proposed to connect to the existing mall near the AMC Loews Jersey Gardens 20 & IMAX movie theater. This proposal was noticed on April 6 during an Elizabeth Planning Board meeting.[20] On November 16, 2019, Neiman Marcus Last Call closed permanently, affecting 25 employees. This left the off-price division of Neiman Marcus with one remaining location in New Jersey, being Bergen Town Center in Paramus.[21]

On March 18–19, 2020, Simon temporarily closed all of its U.S. properties, including Jersey Gardens, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[22] The mall reopened to the public on June 29, but under social distancing conditions.[23] In late August, Lord & Taylor announced that it would close its store at Jersey Gardens — alongside all other remaining locations — by early 2021 due to Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as a result of the pandemic. Century 21 closed by October 5, 2020,[24] after the department store had filed for bankruptcy in September.[25]

Bed Bath & Beyond closed permanently in February 2023 as a result of liquidation after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.[26] By late May 2023, Irish store Primark was preparing to open at Jersey Gardens on July 6.[27] Tory Burch Outlet debuted on August 30 of that year, near the mall's center court on the first floor.[28] Round1 Bowling & Arcade opened in the former Bed Bath & Beyond space on March 1, 2025, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.[29][30]

In April 2025, the Lids store at the mall introduced a refreshed concept that featured "Build-A-Cap" kiosks for digital customization. This was part of a plan to modernize nearly 20 Lids store locations.[31] In May 2025, Uniqlo announced that it would open in the mall's upper level.[32] Saks Off 5th closed permanently on January 30, 2026, after parent company Saks Global filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.[33]

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See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Holusha, John (August 29, 1999). "Commercial Property/Jersey Gardens; Outlet Mall Near Newark Airport Prepares to Open". The New York Times. p. RE9. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  2. ↑ International Council of Shopping Centers: Jersey Gardens, accessed November 6, 2006
  3. ↑ ""Washington Prime Group, Inc. - Washington Prime Group Inc. To Acquire Glimcher Realty Trust for $4.3 Billion in Stock and Cash Including the Assumption of Debt". Archived from the original on October 28, 2014. Retrieved October 17, 2014.." September 18, 2014. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  4. ↑ Reserved., Simon Property Group, L.P. and/or Its Affiliates (NYSE: SPG), © Copyright 1999-2016. All Rights. "Do Business at The Mills at Jersey Gardens, a Simon Property". Retrieved December 28, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ↑ https://www.sadat.com/PDF%27s/Project%20Histories/Brownfields/OENJ-Glimcher%20history.pdf
  6. ↑ Antionette Martin (March 30, 2008). "Why Dumps Are Gaining in Allure". The New York Times. Retrieved May 12, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Mall Planned for New Jersey, With a Lure for New Yorkers", The New York Times, June 16, 1998, pg. B12
  8. ↑ Garbarine, Rachelle (November 15, 1998). "In the Region / New Jersey; In Elizabeth, Outlets and Entertainment in a Mall". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 5, 2026.
  9. ↑ "JERSEY GARDENS MALL SET TO OPEN IN OCTOBER". WWD. May 25, 1999. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  10. ↑ Holusha, John (August 29, 1999). "Commercial Property/Jersey Gardens; Outlet Mall Near Newark Airport Prepares to Open". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 5, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Jersey Gardens gets makeover and new brand identity". ChainStoreAge. May 22, 2012. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  12. ↑ "The Outlet Collection Jersey Gardens". ArchitectMagazine.
  13. ↑ "Blooming in Elizabeth - The Outlet Collection Jersey Gardens". NJBMagazine. May 14, 2014. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Century 21 department store opens new concept store at The Outlet Collection Jersey Gardens". PR Newswire. May 14, 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Outlet Collection TM debuts October 30th". Patch. September 29, 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Simon Adds The Mills® At Jersey Gardens And University Park Village To Its Portfolio". PR Newswire. Indianapolis. January 15, 2015. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Simon, Farallon bid $1.56 billion for Mills". Reuters. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
  18. ↑ NJ.com, Katie Lannan | NJ Advance Media for (May 21, 2015). "Jersey Gardens mall to add new shops, restaurants". nj. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Dining Pavilion at The Mills at Jersey Gardens". Simon.
  20. ↑ Kofsky, Jared (April 19, 2017). "Major Expansion Planned For The Mills At Jersey Gardens In Elizabeth". Jersey Digs. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
  21. ↑ Milo, Paul (November 27, 2019). "Neiman Marcus closes 1 of its 2 outlet stores in N.J." NJ.com. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
  22. ↑ Tyko, Kelly (March 18, 2020). "Coronavirus closings: Simon closes all malls through the end of March". USA Today. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
  23. ↑ Tarrazi, Alexis (June 29, 2020). "The Mills At Jersey Gardens Reopens With Social Distancing Rules". Patch. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
  24. ↑ Accardi, Nicolette (December 21, 2020). "Retail store closings 2020: The list of chains that closed stores in N.J. and nationwide this year". NJ.com. Archived from the original on December 21, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  25. ↑ Thomas, Lauren (September 10, 2020). "Discount retailer Century 21 files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and is closing all of its 13 stores". CNBC. Archived from the original on September 10, 2020. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  26. ↑ Hudgins, Ryan (February 9, 2023). "Bed Bath & Beyond Store Closings 2023: See the Full List". Today. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
  27. ↑ Redmond, Kimberly (May 27, 2023). "International fashion retailer sets opening date for new N.J. store". NJ.com. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
  28. ↑ Giambrone, Cat (August 29, 2023). "This Luxury Brand Is Opening Its First NJ Outlet at The Mills at Jersey Gardens". WPST. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
  29. ↑ Kasper, Dan (February 28, 2025). "The Mills at Jersey Gardens Announces Opening of Round1 Bowling & Arcade". WOBM-FM. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Round1 Bowling and Arcade, Find Round1 near you, Location, Price, Arcade near you, Bowling near you". Round1 USA. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  31. ↑ Redmond, Kimberly (April 22, 2025). "Lids to reveal refreshed store concept at this Jersey mall". NJBIZ. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
  32. ↑ Redmond, Kimberly (May 20, 2025). "Uniqlo to open new store at The Mills at Jersey Gardens this week". NJBIZ. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
  33. ↑ Redmond, Kimberly (January 30, 2026). "Nearly all Saks OFF 5th NJ stores to close after bankruptcy". NJBIZ. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
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