Business & Tech
Dying NJ Mall Has Turned Into An Underground Tourist Attraction
There has been a resurgence of interest in the Livingston Mall as it lumbers towards its final days – which sparked a warning from police.
LIVINGSTON, NJ — A dying mall in North Jersey has turned an underground tourist attraction – but you may want to think twice before visiting for selfies, authorities say.
Over the past year, visitors say that things have gotten even bleaker at the Livingston Mall, a once-bustling shopping center in North Jersey. Recurring complaints have included a parking lot reportedly infested with potholes.
“The place looks like the movies where the atomic bomb drops and all of civilization is in ruins,” a shopper recently remarked.
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Despite the growing infamy – or possibly because of it – there has been a resurgence of interest in the Livingston Mall as it lumbers towards its final days.
Local police issued a public safety announcement about the mall last week, noting that there is a “growing social media presence” surrounding the property.
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“There will be zero tolerance for anyone visiting this property with criminal intent,” Livingston police warned. “Individuals found in violation will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, which could result in a permanent arrest record.”
The mall – located at 112 Eisenhower Parkway – has seen a mass exodus of tenants over the past few years, with many shoppers reporting that the shopping center is now eerily quiet and nearly empty of stores.
Macy’s closed down in April after being one of the mall’s most-iconic stores for years. The location at The Mall at Short Hills remains open.
The last tenant at mall – Barnes & Noble – is expected to move out by the end of the summer.The bookseller’s new store will be located at a former Buy Buy Baby location in Livingston, which has also housed a Spirit Halloween pop-up store.
FUTURE OF THE LIVINGSTON MALL
What comes next for the property? Housing will likely be a big part of the picture.
In 2024, the Livingston Town Council passed a resolution that designates the mall as a condemnation area in need of redevelopment.
The council has approved a redevelopment plan for the northern 16 acres of the site previously occupied by Sears. The plan authorizes 376 units of housing, which includes a combination of one and two-bedroom apartments (with a maximum of 81 townhouses). The township agreed to permit the 376 units in exchange for not being required to allow any housing on the remaining 43 acres of the mall property.
The plan also requires that 20 percent of the residential units be set aside as affordable housing.
Livingston town administrators have been seeking public feedback and suggestions about what to do with the remaining 43 acres.
In the past, the entire mall was owned by Simon, the largest such company in the country. Simon eventually sold its interest to Kohan Retail Investment Group, which also owns several other malls throughout the U.S.
The town has been playing a tug-of-war with the mall’s owners, fining them for alleged code violations. The mall also previously went into delinquency for its property taxes, and has experienced power shutoffs due to non-payment, officials said.
According to previous presentations from the township – despite its current condition – the mall property continues to have “significant economic value,” and Livingston depends on it for property tax revenue.
In 2010, the mall generated nearly $5.2 million in tax revenue. In 2024, it generated $1.46 million, administrators say – about 0.7 percent of all taxes collected.
- Related: Livingston Mall Is ‘Falling Apart,’ Shoppers Say
- Related: Livingston Keeps Hammering Out New Vision For Mall Property
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