In early 2026, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield and Mill Creek Residential will be transforming Paramus’s Garden State Plaza into a mixed- use town center. Utilizing parking spaces, and closing some mall stores, this development creates a modern lifestyle by building 550 apartments and a location where people can shop, live, and socialize.
The project is meant to add numerous apartments, office space and restaurants which will increase the population of the town. However, the project will also add a community feel with new shops that resemble a downtown feel and a place where residents can socialize.
Shopper Jaden Brown said, ¨I don’t like that there adding luxury apartments because it will cause a huge overcrowd which on some busy days, already happens.¨
Additionally, a worker at Espresso located in Garden State Plaza named Mia Slyfield, is concerned about the potential loss of customers for her store, stating, “I’m worried that the new developments will overshadow the smaller businesses, and they won’t be able to compete.” This concern comes from the potential for increased competition and the possibility that smaller businesses may have a hard time attracting customers in the face of larger, newer establishments.
In contrast, Brown argues that the mall’s current problem is a reduction in store count, believing that fewer options will decrease the business the mall achieves from customers.“I believe that the mall will lose a lot of customers due to the decrease in stores,” Brown said. Brown is saying that the loss of several stores could drastically reduce the mall’s appeal to shoppers.
The mall’s management believes that the renovation is going to attract new businesses and keep the mall competitive. The management believes the new apartments will bring more customers, and the updated restaurants and stores will provide a better shopping experience. However, the shoppers and workers remain concerned about the potential negative impact of the changes.
Another shopper, Helena Kiesel, said, “I am scared because I don’t want the mall to take away stores I shop at.”
It has not yet been confirmed on which specific stores will be closing, however, the stores that have been affected so far were already located in separate buildings outside the main mall like Best Buy, Bank of America, and JCPenny.
“It will be harder to find parking because they’re adding a ton of apartments but it can already be difficult to find parking and this is without the apartments,” says Kiesel. Kiesel believes this renovation will lead to the mall losing a lot of outside shoppers because people will have a much harder time finding parking, which in some cases, already happens without even the renovation.
Slyfield said, “We are ensuring a smooth transition for both the existing businesses and the new developments, minimizing any disruption to the customer experience. Our goal is to create a happy environment that benefits everyone involved.” Slyfield’s statement highlights the renovation’s focus on minimizing disruption and creating a positive environment that benefits everyone. This is crucial for the success of Garden State Plaza, which must meet the expectations of today’s customers.
