Woodbury Common plans for another expansion

BY ERIKA NORTON
WOODBURY — The owners of the Woodbury Common Premium Outlets have submitted plans for another expansion project for the popular shopping center, including adding two hotels, a spa and a new parking garage featuring a helipad.
The expansion would be the latest in a series of development projects at the outlet center since its opening in 1985.
More than 13 million shoppers visit the over 250-store mall each year, making the Commons one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Hudson Valley.
In this next phase, owner Simon Property Group is looking to add 143,492 square feet of retail space, as well as a new five-level parking garage with solar panels and a helipad.
Simon would also expand the existing four-level parking garage to include solar panels and more spaces, creating a net gain of 2,140 parking spots across both garages.
According to the plans submitted to the Woodbury Planning Board, other additions include two 120-room hotels, two restaurants and a 6,000-square foot spa.
Construction would begin in July 2020 and end in December 2023, according to the proposal, which is still preliminary and is subject to change.
“We are in the planning stages of a project which will be focused on new enhancements for our world-renowned center,” Woodbury Common General Manager David Mistretta said in a statement. “We are committed to continually addressing our customers’ expectations and delivering to them a best in class experience.”
The last multi-million dollar renovation project was completed in 2015, adding 60,000 square feet of retail space, 14 new food stops and the four-level parking garage, expanding the entire property to more than 900,000 square feet.
Road constructionThis expansion would come amid the major reconstruction of the Route 17/Route 32 Exit-131 interchange underway next to the mall.
While the construction so far has created headaches for commuters, the goal is to improve the flow of vehicles in the area, as well as those entering and exiting the Commons.
“I think it’s premature to be making any prognosis on how it's all gonna end up,” Woodbury Mayor Michael Queenan said of the traffic, “but I’m hoping with the work that they already did in the Commons with the ring road in there and the work being currently done in front of the Commons on Route 32/17 and the exit onto the Quickway, that it will improve the traffic significantly.”
'Black Friday week'As far as holiday traffic, Queenan said that it will always be busy around this time, as it is in other areas with major shopping centers.
When looking at Black Friday traffic, which has been notoriously bad in the area in years past, Queenan said he doesn’t think traffic is as bad as it used to be.
“Now Black Friday is really Black Friday week, because they’re open on Thanksgiving Day, they’re open all night, they’re open all weekend, so the window is much wider, so I don't think we get the congestion that we used to get,” Queenan said. “And I’m hoping with the traffic configuration that they’re working on right now, it will alleviate a lot of the traffic problems that we do have in the area.”