Courtesy Glens Falls Business Journal
By Paul Post
Aviation Mall is gearing up for a second half-century of business with a go-kart racing attraction for local families, summer vacationers and serious competitors alike.
Scheduled to open Nov. 1, ADK Karting Experience is the newest in a series of sports, fitness and entertainment-type tenants, as the 50-year-old mall reinvents itself in the face of 21st-century consumer demands.
“When you have a very large facility to maintain with costly utilities, insurance and the like, you have to take on opportunities that might not be traditional,” said James Griffith, mall general manager. “We’ve always looked at different uses for getting people in the shopping center because that’s how we’re measured by our tenants. They want to know, ‘What is your foot traffic?’”
“We welcome anything, whenever we can justify that it brings more traffic,” he said.
ADK Karting will occupy the 80,000-square-foot former Sears space at the east end of the mall, near the Food Court.
Aviation Mall was a major, region-wide retail shopping destination when it opened in October 1975 with JC Penney, still there, and Denby’s as anchors. Caldor and Sears joined not long afterward, but later closed in addition to The Bon-Ton, which replaced Caldor.
Target, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet are anchors now along with JC Penney, but filling smaller spaces with retail tenants has been a challenge for malls across America, including this one.
“You can’t run away from it, online buying is how people make their purchases now,” Griffith said.
In response, the mall is now home to tenants such as Planet Fitness, The GYM, Adirondack Axe (for axe-throwers), The Body Barre: Dance & Fitness Studio and 518 Grapplers, a school for young wrestlers that occupies a former shoe store right outside the old Sears.
And in winter, Glens Falls Farmer’s Market uses the Food Court on Saturday mornings, attracting hundreds of people that gives business to full-time tenants as well.
ADK Karting Experience is expected to do the same.
“Our responsibility is getting people here,” Griffith said. “Anything we can do to increase foot traffic has always been a priority for us. That’s when shopping happens because shopping is impulse. That’s when tenants have their opportunity.”
Two arcades, Insane Games and Trading Card Hub are other tenants where people come looking for fun rather than jeans or a new dress. On May 1, Jak in the Box Comics is scheduled to open, too.
But a 50,000-square-foot vacancy still remains between Ollie’s and the Atrium near Regal Cinemas. Ollie’s took less than half of the former Bon-Ton. A large portion of the former Bon-Ton where it connected to the mall Atrium is empty and blocked off.
Griffith said at least two parties have expressed interest in opening pickleball courts at Aviation Mall. One limitation is that ceilings aren’t quite high enough.
“But what it really comes down to is investment dollars,” Griffith said. “Can they justify that it will make enough revenue to cover the build-out expense for one of those facilities.”
Aviation Mall (630,000-square-feet) was originally developed and owned by The Pyramid Companies, which borrowed $20 million in 2011 for capital improvements and leasing opportunities.
The Woodmont Company has managed the mall on behalf of Deutsche Bank since last year when Pyramid Companies was unable to make payments on its loan.
“The whole focus is to lease out property and get it in shape for a potential sale,” Griffith said.
In Saratoga County, plans call for a multi-million dollar upgrade and the addition of 380 residential units to Wilton Mall, which new owner Faraz Khan recently purchased from California-based Macerich, one of the country’s largest mall operators, for $25 million.
Khan, who acquired Clifton Park Center Mall two years ago for $55 million, plans to build 300 apartments and 80 townhomes on the 100-acre property that would connect to the mall, giving residents direct access to its amenities, and helping attract new mall tenants by putting a large market at their doorstep.
He recently presented plans to the Wilton Town Board.
Khan said Clifton Park Center traffic grew 18 percent from 4.8 million to 5.6 million visitors annually within the first 20 months of his ownership. “We plan to finish this month (April) at six million,” he said. “I think we can get to six million visitors at Wilton Mall, too. It’s going to take us about two-and-a-half years, but I think we’re going to hit it.”
But the center basically looks the same now as it did 35 years ago when first opening.
“It’s a great property, a great town, a great location,” Khan said. “Unfortunately, it’s been a little neglected the past several years. We think it’s in need of fairly substantial renovation. Although we do plan on developing apartments, it’s more important for us to first revive the mall.”
He said seven local and national retail, outlet-type clothing stores plan to join the mall by the end of this year. “We’re in talks with others, too,” he said.
At present, the Food Court has one eatery, serving Chinese food. Plans call for adding coffee and pizza chops, a Mediterranean restaurant and others serving a variety of cuisines.
Hosting special events and activities has been a key to Clifton Park Center’s revitalization, Khan said. He plans to employ the same strategy at Wilton Mall.
“At Clifton Park Center we’ve had 48 events such as craft fairs, flea markets, wedding shows and things for non-profits the past two years,” Khan said. “Wilton Mall is so much bigger. We can do a lot more with it. If you need space for a community event, we plan on working hand-in-hand with you to use that space.”
The Town Board allowed for a residential component on the property with a previously-approved Planned Unit Development. A different firm, Paramount Development Group, had proposed razing a vacant, 72,000-square-foot Bon-Ton store and putting housing there, but such plans never materialized and the deal didn’t go through.
But Khan said no part of the existing mall will be demolished including the former Bon-Ton. “From our perspective that’s valuable real estate,” he said. “I’m confident we can fill it with new tenants. It’s important to keep it what it’s meant to be, a mall, by adding additional amenities. You need to be dynamic. People’s needs and wants change over time.”
Work on apartments won’t start until third quarter 2027 at the earliest, after the mall has been refurbished and new tenants brought in.
From a peak of about 25,000 malls throughout America several decades ago, there are now fewer than 930 left. Northway, Latham Circle and Mohawk malls are among those that have closed in the Capital District. But those sites are still home to some type of shopping venue, Khan said.
“It’s not just because online retailers have killed the brick-and-mortars,” he said. “It’s because the brick-and-mortars didn’t always provide the products, services and brands that people are looking for. It’s important to be relevant. Life is ever-changing and you need to keep up. It takes work.”