Crosstown Plaza (Schenectady, NY)


Crosstown Plaza is a large strip mall in Schenectady, NY along Watt Street and NY State Route 7 near the I-890 entrance. As of January, 1991, the strip mall consisted of 183,500 square feet. By August, 1995, it was 193,500 square feet.

Tenants

Over the years, tenants have included:
Tenant NameOpening Date
Chuck E Cheese's Around Quarter 2, 1983;
Price Chopper1970s
Caldor1979
Red Cross Blood Donor Center1985
Spa Ladybefore July 25, 1986
Champion Factory Outletbefore May 10, 1990
American Cancer Societybefore May, 1993
Nutri/System Inc.before May, 1993
BuyerSmartunknown, closed late 1993/early 1994
Old Country Buffet between 1994 and 1995April 29, 1999 - Has since been a Chinese Buffet Restaurant
P.T. Barnum's Magical Emporiumbefore December, 1995
Sears Hardwareapproximately 1996 After this closed the space became a Grossman's Bargain Outlet in 2010 closing announcement in May, 2006
Fabric Bonanzabefore March, 1997
Fay's Drugsunknown and closed shortly after the purchase of Eckerd by Rite Aid. Space is now part of the Ocean State store.
WOW Family Amusement Centerbefore April 29, 1999
AmesJuly 20, 2000
Tuesday MorningSeptember, 2000
King Cork Wine & Liquorsbefore February, 2002
Yankee One Dollarbefore September, 2002
PriceRiteOctober 16, 2002
Household Financeafter October 23, 2004
Ocean State Job Lotbefore March 10, 2007, with a later expansion into the former Eckerd space after that store closed.

Considered as a DMV location

In mid-1990, Schenectady County considered moving a DMV office in either Crosstown Plaza, Mohawk Mall, or Rotterdam Square Mall. However, the county legislature ultimately decided against the move. If moved, annual rent at Crosstown Plaza would have cost $29,640.

Finding a new grocer

When Price Chopper left a space it held in the plaza for decades in March 2002, the plaza was without a grocery store. The owners obviously needed to fill the space, but looked specifically for a grocery store over other store formats. The population in that area was without a nearby grocery store after the Price Chopper vacancy. A grocery store also brings in the type of frequent traffic needed to support other stores in the plaza. After writing to numerous companies, even asking companies that typically use smaller space to consider a larger format, PriceRite happened to learn about this space. The former Price Chopper space became PriceRite's first location in the New York Capital Region. PriceRite later moved into the former Ames located in the same plaza in 2007. Ocean State Job Lot later occupied the vacant PriceRite and has also expanded into space next door that was a Fay's drugstore before that closed when Rite Aid bought the Eckerd chain.

Former Sears Hardware

Sear's Hardware vacated the plaza in 2006, leaving it empty since. This space was frequently used for large liquidation sales for a few years. It was announced in November 2009 that Grossman's Bargain Outlet, located on Erie Blvd., would be moving its store into the former Sears Hardware building. It was opened in February 2010.

Ownership

As of July 1990, Crosstown Plaza was owned by Wade Lupe Construction Company, a developer in Schenectady County. By April 1994, the construction company's name was Hexam Gardens Construction Company.