Cohoes Commons

Cohoes Commons was a small urban enclosed shopping mall on Mohawk Street in Cohoes, New York. Developed as an expansion of the existing Cohoes Specialty Stores operation, it was conceived as a destination for upscale fashion outlet and specialty retailers rather than as a conventional suburban shopping center. Plans announced in 1986 called for a two-story addition containing approximately 56,000 square feet of new retail space, with an estimated construction cost of $4 million. The project was intended to attract stores that were not commonly represented in the larger suburban malls serving New York's Capital Region. Construction was carried out by Zandri Construction Co. of Cohoes. The mall was scheduled to open in August 1987. Including the existing anchor operation, the completed development contained approximately 75,000 square feet of retail space. Cohoes Specialty Stores served as the principal anchor and retained a 50 percent ownership interest in the building. A related clearance concept, Cohoes Too, was also established across the street in a former Dansk building, while Dansk itself became one of the mall's original tenants. The development initially benefited from its specialized merchandise mix and from the completion of improvements to New York State Route 787, which improved connections between Cohoes and the interstate network. Contemporary accounts described substantial Saturday visitor traffic, including bus groups. The project nevertheless faced structural challenges from the beginning. Some local observers questioned whether visitors would spend money in Cohoes's traditional downtown businesses, which largely served more price-conscious shoppers. The site also lacked the extensive surface parking associated with suburban malls. More seriously, the anchor retailer entered financial difficulty soon after the mall opened. Cohoes Specialty Stores was sold in 1989 after accumulating heavy debt; its Cohoes Commons store was temporarily closed during the transition, and Burlington Coat Factory ultimately acquired the chain through a bankruptcy sale. Burlington inherited the chain's 50 percent interest in the mall. Ownership and financing became increasingly complicated. In 1987, the Mohawk Group, a Manhattan-based partnership, purchased the mall from Cohoes Specialty Stores, Ltd. By 1993, Cohoes Fashions, operated by Burlington Coat Factory, participated in the mall partnership as a limited partner. First International Bank of California held the mortgage and filed foreclosure papers in 1993 after the partnership failed to meet a monthly payment of $44,000. In an effort to avoid foreclosure, ownership was transferred by the end of 1995 from the Mohawk Group to National Enterprises of California. Although the center performed reasonably for a period after the anchor's ownership change, tenant departures steadily weakened it. By 1995, approximately 68 percent of the mall was vacant. The new owners proposed renovations, including skylights and other design changes intended to restore a more upscale atmosphere. Remaining or recently reported tenants included Cohoes Fashions, L'eggs/Bali/Hanes, Labels, Polo/Ralph Lauren, and Prestige Fragrances. These efforts could not reverse the broader loss of retail momentum. Cohoes Fashions announced in April 1999 that it would move to Crossgates Mall, and Polo/Ralph Lauren and other boutiques subsequently announced departures. The anchor was liquidating its Cohoes Commons store by October 1999, and local reporting in January 2000 described the mall as largely empty. The loss of the anchor produced the familiar traffic decline and secondary tenant exodus associated with enclosed-mall contraction. The relatively small scale of the property, which was under 200,000 square feet, made it difficult to recruit replacement retailers. Unlike many larger failing malls, however, the property was not entirely demolished. Its principal function shifted toward office use, including occupancy by Seton Health and later a unit of the New York State Department of Civil Service. Part of one of the original buildings had been demolished by November 2009. Cohoes Commons therefore survives primarily as a former retail development whose built environment was adapted for institutional and office purposes rather than as an operating shopping center.

Cohoes Commons developed from the retail presence of Cohoes Specialty Stores in downtown Cohoes, New York. In the summer of 1986, developers announced plans to add a two-story enclosed shopping center beside the existing store. The planned addition was approximately 56,000 square feet, with construction estimated at $4 million. Its purpose was to create a compact specialty-shopping destination featuring retailers not commonly found in the larger suburban malls of the Capital Region. Zandri Construction Co. of Cohoes was selected for the building work, and groundbreaking was scheduled for October 1, 1986. The center was planned to open on August 1, 1987. Once completed, it offered about 75,000 square feet of retail space when the anchor operation was included. The concept emphasized upscale fashion outlets and specialty merchandise. Cohoes Specialty Stores owned half of the building and operated as its anchor. The mall also prompted the creation of Cohoes Too, a clearance store across the street in a former Dansk location. Dansk moved into Cohoes Commons as an original tenant, linking the new center to the broader Cohoes Specialty Stores retail ecosystem. The development attracted community concerns. Cohoes's established downtown businesses generally served more cost-conscious consumers, and some residents doubted whether mall visitors would circulate through the traditional business district. Parking was another issue because the property did not have the large surface lots associated with suburban malls. Nonetheless, the completion of New York State Route 787, an arterial connection to I-787, improved access to Cohoes by 1989. Reports of busloads of Saturday visitors and discussion of additional nearby development suggested that the center initially generated meaningful regional traffic. The mall's financial and retail position deteriorated after the anchor chain encountered severe debt problems. Cohoes Specialty Stores was sold in 1989. Its Cohoes Commons anchor closed temporarily from June 2 through June 18 during the transition, while other locations were permanently closed. Burlington Coat Factory eventually purchased the chain in a bankruptcy sale and acquired its 50 percent ownership stake in the mall. The mall itself continued to perform for a period, but the instability of its principal retailer weakened the tenant base. The ownership structure became increasingly troubled. The Mohawk Group, based in Manhattan, had purchased the property from Cohoes Specialty Stores, Ltd. in 1987. By 1993, the partnership operating the mall included Cohoes Fashions, then controlled by Burlington Coat Factory, as a limited partner. First International Bank of California, the mortgage holder, filed foreclosure papers after the partnership failed to make a reported $44,000 monthly payment. By the end of 1995, the property had been transferred from the Mohawk Group to National Enterprises of California in an effort to avoid foreclosure. By 1995, vacancy had reached approximately 68 percent. The new ownership sought to reposition the property, proposing skylights and other improvements to make the interior feel more upscale. Reported remaining tenants included Cohoes Fashions, L'eggs/Bali/Hanes, Labels, Polo/Ralph Lauren, and Prestige Fragrances. These measures were insufficient to overcome the center's disadvantages: limited size, competition from larger regional malls, weakening anchor support, and difficulty replacing departing specialty retailers. The decisive setback came in 1999, when Cohoes Fashions announced a move to Crossgates Mall. Polo/Ralph Lauren and another boutique subsequently announced departures, and the anchor was completing its liquidation sale by October. In January 2000, the Albany Times Union described the complex as largely empty. The loss of the anchor reduced customer traffic and encouraged smaller stores to leave, while the mall's size—under 200,000 square feet—made it difficult to attract replacement tenants. Cohoes Commons avoided complete demolition. Instead, its principal use changed from enclosed retail to office and institutional occupancy. Seton Health moved into the building, followed later by a unit of the New York State Department of Civil Service. Part of one original building had been demolished by November 2009. The property is therefore best understood as a former shopping mall whose remaining structures were adapted for non-retail use.

• 2009

  Part of original building removed

  [1]Cohoes Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  Part of one original building had been demolished by November, while remaining space was being used primarily for offices.

• 2000

  Retail operations effectively collapse

  [1]Cohoes Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  The property was reported as largely empty after the anchor's liquidation and the departure of other retailers.

• 1999

  Anchor announces relocation

  [1]Cohoes Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  Cohoes Fashions announced that it would relocate to Crossgates Mall, followed by additional tenant departures.

• 1995

  Ownership changes amid vacancy crisis

  [1]Cohoes Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  National Enterprises of California received the property from the Mohawk Group, while vacancy reached approximately 68 percent and renovation plans were proposed.

• 1993

  Foreclosure proceedings begin

  [1]Cohoes Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  The mortgage holder filed foreclosure papers after the mall partnership failed to meet its reported monthly payment obligation.

• 1989

  Anchor chain sold to Burlington Coat Factory

  [1]Cohoes Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  Cohoes Specialty Stores was sold after entering financial difficulty, and Burlington Coat Factory later acquired the chain through bankruptcy proceedings.

• 1987

  Cohoes Commons opens

  [1]Cohoes Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  The enclosed mall opened with roughly 75,000 square feet of retail space including its anchor operation.

• 1986

  Development plans announced

  [1]Cohoes Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  Plans were announced for a two-story retail addition beside Cohoes Specialty Stores, intended to create a distinctive upscale specialty-shopping destination.

A compact urban specialty and outlet-oriented shopping center designed to offer upscale fashion retailers distinct from the larger suburban malls in the New York Capital Region.

• Anchor fashion retailer

  Cohoes Specialty Stores

  The original anchor and a central part of the mall's identity, Cohoes Specialty Stores supplied fashion-oriented merchandise and helped establish the center's upscale outlet positioning. The chain owned half of the building at one stage and its financial collapse became a major factor in the mall's later decline.

• Fashion retail

  Cohoes Fashions

  Cohoes Fashions was the principal anchor presence during the mall's later retail years. Its decision to relocate to Crossgates Mall in 1999 removed the center's most important traffic generator and accelerated the departure of smaller tenants.

• Clearance retail

  Cohoes Too

  Cohoes Too operated across the street from Cohoes Commons in a building formerly occupied by Dansk. It sold clearance merchandise sourced from stores throughout the Cohoes Specialty Stores chain and complemented the mall's outlet-oriented retail model.

• Shopping mall · 1987

  Cohoes Commons retail center

  The enclosed center focused on upscale fashion outlets and specialty shops, including apparel, hosiery, fragrances, and branded merchandise. Its retail operation declined after anchor and tenant departures, and the building was subsequently adapted mainly for office and institutional use.

• 2000

  Conversion from retail to office useStrategy

  Background

  The small enclosed mall could not replace its anchor or attract enough new retailers after the late-1990s departures.

  Action taken

  The remaining property was repurposed primarily as an office and institutional complex, including occupancy by Seton Health and a state civil-service unit.

  Aftermath

  Cohoes Commons ceased functioning as a conventional shopping center, although portions of the building remained in use and part of an original building was later demolished.

  Source

• 1999

  Anchor relocation to Crossgates MallStrategy

  Background

  Cohoes Fashions remained the mall's principal traffic generator while the property struggled to maintain occupancy.

  Action taken

  Cohoes Fashions announced a move to Crossgates Mall and liquidated its Cohoes Commons store.

  Aftermath

  The departure triggered additional tenant losses and left the center largely empty by early 2000.

  Source

• 1995

  Attempted upscale repositioningStrategy

  Background

  Vacancy had reached approximately 68 percent after years of tenant movement and ownership and financing problems.

  Action taken

  New owners proposed renovations, including skylights and other improvements intended to make the mall appear more upscale and attract replacement retailers.

  Aftermath

  The renovation strategy did not prevent further anchor and boutique departures later in the decade.

  Source

• 1989

  Transfer of anchor ownership to Burlington Coat FactoryM&A

  Background

  Cohoes Specialty Stores was carrying substantial debt and was sold after financial distress.

  Action taken

  Burlington Coat Factory acquired the chain through a bankruptcy sale and assumed its 50 percent interest in the mall.

  Aftermath

  The anchor survived under new ownership, but the chain's instability and store closures weakened the mall's long-term tenant base.

  Source

• 1986

  Position the project as a specialty alternative to suburban mallsStrategy

  Background

  Developers believed shoppers visiting Cohoes Specialty Stores wanted additional stores located nearby and sought retailers that were not commonly available in larger regional malls.

  Action taken

  They planned a compact two-story enclosed center emphasizing upscale fashion outlets and specialty merchandise.

  Aftermath

  The center opened in 1987 and initially attracted regional traffic, but its limited scale and lack of extensive suburban-style parking later became competitive disadvantages.

  Estimated construction cost. $4 million (1986 development plan)

  Source

• 2009

  Parts of the original complex are demolished[1]Cohoes Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  By November 2009, part of one of the original buildings had been removed as the property continued its transition away from retail use.

• 2000

  Former mall is reported largely empty[1]Cohoes Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  After the anchor's liquidation and the departure of other retailers, local reporting described Cohoes Commons as largely vacant.

• 1999

  Cohoes Fashions announces move to Crossgates Mall[1]Cohoes Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The mall's anchor announced that it would relocate to Crossgates Mall, beginning the final phase of the center's retail decline.

• 1995

  Cohoes Commons ownership transferred to avoid foreclosure[1]Cohoes Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  The property was transferred from the Mohawk Group to National Enterprises of California as an alternative to foreclosure.

• 1995

  Owners propose renovations amid high vacancy[1]Cohoes Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  With vacancy reported at approximately 68 percent, new owners planned upgrades such as skylights to restore the mall's upscale image and attract tenants.

• 1993

  Mortgage holder files foreclosure papers against mall partnership[1]Cohoes Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  Lawsuit

  First International Bank of California initiated foreclosure proceedings after the operating partnership failed to make its reported $44,000 monthly mortgage payment.

• 1989

  Burlington Coat Factory acquires Cohoes Specialty Stores[1]Cohoes Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy · M&A

  Following the financial distress and sale of Cohoes Specialty Stores, Burlington Coat Factory acquired the chain through a bankruptcy sale and assumed its interest in the mall.

• 1987

  Cohoes Commons opens as an urban enclosed shopping center[1]Cohoes Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The mall opened with approximately 75,000 square feet of retail space including its anchor operation and a specialty fashion-oriented tenant mix.

• 1986

  Plans announced for a specialty shopping mall expansion in Cohoes[1]Cohoes Commonsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  A two-story, approximately 56,000-square-foot retail addition was proposed next to Cohoes Specialty Stores, with the goal of attracting upscale and distinctive retailers.

1. 1Cohoes Commonsen.wikipedia.org