New York will have its’ very first outlet mall known as "Empire Outlets NYC" has a base officially built! It will be located in Staten Island's North Shore neighborhood known as St. George. The mall will be right next to the Staten Island Ferry, finally giving tourists something to do when they depart the boat.
The Staten Island Outlet project was announced in 2012, and construction has been going on since April 2015 (alongside the construction for the massive New York City Observation Wheel). After hours of pouring concrete, working have completed the first part of the mall; the 2,800 cubic yards of the base.
Empire Outlets will have a great number of places to shop and eat at while having a nice view of the Manhattan skyline and the Atlantic Ocean. The 20-minute ferry ride for the people coming from Manhattan will be in for a treat! About 100 outlet stores will open their doors here, such as well-known stores you can find at the Staten Island Mall and stores that are typically found in Manhattan. The only difference is, these stores will have sales like the outlet malls you visit in other areas.
There will also be a 190-room hotel and a 1,250-space parking garage at the former parking lot, adjacent to the St. George Ferry Terminal and Staten Island Yankee Baseball Stadium. For the commuters going to the city, there will be more parking now available for them, leaving behind the early morning "Lot Full" signs.
Thanks to this 304 million dollar complex project, it will open opportunities for people that need jobs, such as constructions, associates for the stores, parking garage attendants, and etc. It is predicted that over 70,000 people travel on the ferry on a 7-day basis giving these attractions and surrounding establishments on Richmond Terrace some traffic.
Current residents have some concerns on the local traffic situations, whether rent will begin to raise, and if taxes will be higher.
The outlets are predicted to open late November 2017, turning Staten Island into a magnet for tourist, hoping to bring positive attention to us and revenue.
