The Rise of Green Acres Mall: From Airfield to Retail Powerhouse
Green Acres Mall sits where planes once took off. Before the first department store opened its doors, the land was part of Curtiss Airfield, a busy aviation site that trained pilots and produced aircraft.
Columbia Aircraft Corporation built planes here for World War II. By the late 1940s, aviation activity had slowed, and developers were eyeing the land for something new.
In 1956, the Chanin Organization broke ground on Green Acres Shopping Center, one of Long Island’s first open-air retail hubs.
The timing was perfect. The postwar suburban boom was in full swing, and families were moving out of New York City into Nassau County.
The shopping center promised convenience, parking, and a mix of stores that catered to growing middle-class households.
JCPenney, Gimbels, and Lane’s became the first anchors, and dozens of smaller shops filled the space.
At first, it wasn’t a mall the way people think of it today. Shoppers walked between stores under the sky, dodging rain in bad weather and enjoying fresh air in the spring.
The design reflected the era—retail was about efficiency, easy access, and big-name department stores drawing in steady foot traffic.
Then came the shift. Enclosed malls were popping up everywhere, offering shoppers a controlled environment year-round.
In 1968, Green Acres followed the trend. Developers put up walls, added a roof, and transformed the shopping center into a full-fledged indoor mall.
It wasn’t just about comfort—enclosure meant shoppers stayed longer, spending more.
With the change, Green Acres solidified its place in the local economy.
By the early 1970s, it was one of the largest retail destinations in Nassau County, pulling in customers from Valley Stream, Queens, and beyond.
Today, Green Acres Mall is still a major retail draw, adapting to shifting trends and consumer habits.
For those looking for things to do in Valley Stream, New York, it remains a shopping destination, though the way people use malls is changing.
But in 1956, it was a bold experiment—turning a former airfield into a retail powerhouse that would span generations.
Boom and Bust—The Changing Faces of Green Acres’ Retail Anchors
Retail giants have come and gone at Green Acres Mall. Some flourished for decades. Others disappeared almost overnight.
The mall’s lineup of anchor stores tells the story of shifting shopping habits, industry failures, and changing consumer expectations.
For 31 years, Gimbels was the centerpiece. The department store opened in 1956 and sold everything from fine china to school clothes.
It was a household name, but business was slipping by the 1980s. Gimbels shut down nationwide in 1987, leaving a hole in Green Acres Mall.
Abraham & Straus moved in, only to merge with Macy’s in 1995. The space remains Macy’s today.
Another longtime tenant, Lane’s, had a shorter run. The store closed in 1960, and the space cycled through a series of retailers—Love’s, S. Klein, Korvettes, Gertz, and Stern’s.
None lasted. By the early 2000s, Macy’s turned it into its Men’s & Furniture Gallery, consolidating its presence at the mall.
JCPenney was a steady presence for decades. It anchored Green Acres during the mall’s strongest years, but in 2020, the company declared bankruptcy.
The store shuttered soon after. Then Sears followed. In 2021, after struggling for years, the once-dominant retailer finally closed its doors.
The loss of JCPenney and Sears left two massive vacancies. Empty storefronts sat where shoppers once browsed appliances and clothing racks.
But these weren’t the first anchor changes, and they wouldn’t be the last. Green Acres was already preparing for its next phase.
A Mall in Transition—Adapting to New Retail Trends
Green Acres Mall isn’t the same mall it was 20 years ago. As department stores declined, new shopping habits took over.
The internet changed everything. Consumers didn’t need to spend hours in a mall when they could order the same items online.
In response, Green Acres Mall expanded beyond its original footprint. In 2016, Green Acres Commons opened, a separate complex designed to attract shoppers who weren’t just looking for clothes.
BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Dick’s Sporting Goods gave customers new reasons to visit.
Ulta and Five Below joined the mix. It was a bet on the idea that shopping centers could survive if they offered experiences, not just retail.
Now, another transformation is underway. In January 2024, Macerich launched a redevelopment project to fill the void left by Sears and Kohl’s.
Plans include up to 400,000 square feet of new stores, restaurants, and entertainment spaces.
A ShopRite supermarket—spanning 80,000 square feet—is set to anchor the new wing.
Developers are moving away from the traditional mall model. Instead of large department stores, they’re focusing on smaller, outward-facing shops and open-air gathering spaces.
The idea is simple: make Green Acres Mall a place where people come for more than just shopping.
With this shift, the mall is redefining itself. It’s no longer just a collection of stores under one roof.
It’s an evolving space, trying to stay relevant in an era when malls across the country are closing.
The question is whether this approach will work or if Green Acres Mall will become a relic of a past era, like so many others.
Crime, Controversy, and the Reputation of Green Acres Mall
In October 2023, police responded to reports of gunfire inside the mall. A suspected shoplifter allegedly fired a weapon, sending the complex into lockdown.
Shoppers were told to shelter in place, and security swept the area. No injuries were reported, but the event rattled customers and business owners.
It wasn’t the first time crime made headlines at Green Acres. In March 2022, a worker at the Famous Footwear kiosk was shot in the leg.
Three years earlier, in September 2019, hazardous chemicals were found mixed inside a pump sump.
And in 1968, before the mall was enclosed, Diane Cusick was murdered in the parking lot.
The case remained unsolved for decades until new DNA evidence linked serial killer Richard Cottingham to the crime.
On January 24, 2025, a fight inside Macy’s turned into a stabbing. Two 17-year-olds got into an argument near the clothing racks, and one pulled out a knife, stabbing the other in the arm and back.
Security responded, and the suspect tried to flee, but police caught him outside. The victim survived, but the incident raised more questions about mall safety.
Concerns about security haven’t stopped stores from operating, but they have changed the way people shop.
More cameras, private security patrols, and stricter policies for large groups have been put in place. Some retailers have adjusted hours or increased theft-prevention measures.
Crime isn’t the mall’s only controversy. In 2016, Green Acres Mall received a tax break from the Town of Hempstead’s Industrial Development Agency, cutting its tax bill.
The result? Homeowners in Valley Stream and surrounding towns saw property taxes increase. Angry residents protested, arguing the deal forced them to pay more while the mall paid less.
Lawsuits followed. The backlash was strong enough that the agency backed off plans for similar deals elsewhere.
In late 2024, Valley Stream schools sued, arguing that tax incentives given to Green Acres were cutting into education funding.
The lawsuit is the latest in a long history of disputes over the mall’s financial impact on the surrounding community.
Despite these issues, the mall remains one of the busiest in the area. Customers still fill the parking lot, stores continue to open, and new development is underway.
Green Acres Mall is changing, but not without challenges. As new stores rise, safety concerns and lawsuits continue to shape its future.