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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Westgate Plaza

Westgate Plaza is a large strip mall in the city of Albany, New York, located on Central Avenue. Westgate is considered the first mall in the Albany area, and opened in 1957.

Tenants

Over the years, tenants have included:

Tenant Name Date Opened
JCPenney 1957 (closed in 1984, moving to Crossgates Mall)
Barbizon Fashion Shops 1960s (closed during redevelopment, then reopened) (closed permanently after May 9, 1997)
W.T. Grant 1974 or earlier
Albany Public Market unknown - Became Scot's Lo-Cost for a time (this was their "warehouse" brand), then switched to Gran Union in October 1986 with the other Albany Public locations
Land of Fabrics unknown
Traditions Antiques unknown
National Savings Bank before October 24, 1986, became Key Bank February 1993
Big Dom's before August 26, 1988
Westgate Piano & Organ unknown
Stylish Women Limited unknown
Card Time unknown
Albany Window Design before July 8, 1990
MSS Limited before December, 1990 (planned to relocate to Builders Square Plaza in Colonie by January, 1991)
Grand Union Approximately October 1986, as noted in the GU Page closed before February 23, 1993
Woolworth's unknown, closed before February 23, 1993
Wheels April 23, 1992
Paper Cutter before February 23, 1993
Rose Dental Associates unknown, moved before March 7, 1997
Harold L. Joyce headquarters (political campaign office) before September 15, 1993
Champion Factory Outlet before April 13, 1994 (closed 2004))
Price Chopper Spring, 1995 (left Colvin Central Plaza) (renovation around 2000)
Fay's Drug before Spring, 1995 (left Colvin Central Plaza) - This location had been a Brooks Drugs that had closed prior to Fay's move. Later Eckerd, then Rite Aid until Walgreen's purchase of Rite Aid locations
Westgate Barber Shop before April 22, 1995
Cohoes Savings Bank (branch inside Price Chopper) May 15, 1995
J.B.'s Theatre before June 18, 1995
Duane's Toyland before December 21, 1995
Empire Cellular before January 28, 1996
The Party Experience June, 1997 company took over Paper Cutter in 1996 (liquidation in May, 1998)
New Music Center before July 25, 1998
Mini Mall Theater before February 13, 1999
Capital District Equal Opportunity Center before July 12, 1999
Key Bank February 1993, on taking over the National Savings Bank that was in the plaza (along with the rest of their branches
American Institute of Japanese Karate before July 12, 2000
Mailboxes Etc. before November 18, 2000
Call to Pray Ministry before September 12, 2002
Mr. Subb before March 17, 2003
One Price Clothing Store before February, 2004 (closed by end of March, 2004)
Payless Shoes before October 25, 2004
Fashion Bug before June 18, 2005
Dean's Incredible Edibles opened Sep 15, 1980, the name changed to Dean's Natural Foods in 1994, and closed July 31, 2015
UPS Store before December 27, 2005
PCX Corp. after June 12, 2007
Horizons Management Associates LLC after June 12, 2007
A.J. Wright October 16, 2008 (24,000 sq ft.)
BEST Fitness Unknown

En lai restaurant

Campus Pizza

Record Town" "before 1982

Redevelopment

Plans were submitted to the city of Albany before February 23, 1993 for redevelopment of parts of the plaza. This would include demolishing the section that included the closed Grand Union and Woolworth's stores, as well as the still open Wheels and Paper Cutter stores, with plans to relocate the latter stores. A new section would be built on space occupied by the section to be demolished.

By October 26, 1993, the redevelopment plans had been approved by the city of Albany.

Ownership/Property Management

As of February 23, 1993, the plaza was owned by Russell Road Associates of Boston. On that date, the plaza was only 40% full and the owners were bankrupt.

Nigro Cos. was managing the shopping center in October, 1993.

Price Chopper purchased 2 acres (8,100 m) from owner Russell Road Associates in 1993 at a cost of $3 million. This purchase allowed Russell Road Associates, bankrupt at the time, to jumpstart their reorganization. Price Chopper built an 82,500-square-foot (7,660 m) store on the land for approximately $4 million. The building was sold to Mesirow-Heller and Price Chopper leases the building. In early 1997, Ruskin Investors of Northbrook, Illinois purchased the building from Mesirow-Heller for $9 million. Lease terms did not change as a result of the purchase.

Boston Development Associates of Westwood, Massachusetts, became the manager of the plaza property in January, 1997.

Historic Sign

The sign for Westgate Plaza is unofficially considered a landmark for the uptown Central Avenue area. There have been concerns about damage or renovation of the sign as removing a piece of history for the area.

Miscellaneous Notes

By 1994, it was noted that Crossgates Mall, which had been open for ten years by that time, had had a negative effect on older city shopping plazas such as Westgate.

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42°40′56.5″N 73°47′25.5″W / 42.682361°N 73.790417°W / 42.682361; -73.790417