Yonkers’ Cross County Center, the nation’s first open-air shopping center, will celebrate its 70th anniversary tomorrow – Saturday, May 18 – from noon to 3 p.m.
The event, which kicks off the outdoor mall’s expanded Summer Fest 2024, will feature a journey back to April 28, 1954, when the mall first opened – and back to the future, with selfie stations representing different eras, strolling entertainers and a pop-up roller skating rink. (Activities take place on the green, with a rain date set for May 19.) Additional events marking the 70th anniversary will be held throughout the year as part of the celebration.
“While other shopping centers have come and gone, Cross County Center stands as an enduring beacon of excellence and has remained an iconic, thriving and cherished neighborhood institution since it first opened in this community 70 years ago,” said Craig Deitelzweig, president and CEO of Marx Realty (MNPP), which owns the center with Beneson Capital Partners. “We take immense pride in this community and our role in helping to shape and foster a robust and thriving retail environment that enriches the entire region.”
Seventy years ago, Cross County Center made history not only as the first open-air shopping center in the county but as the first large-scale shopping center in Westchester County, setting a precedent for such projects nationwide. The center started operations with about 30 stores. Within a short time, it expanded to include more than a dozen different buildings and nearly 100 stores anchored by Gimbels and Wanamaker’s. Since its official opening, the mall has flourished, continuing to bring retailers to its 1.1 million-plus square-foot location at the intersection of Cross County Parkway and I-82, and drawing more than 14 million visitors annually.
