Empire Outlets
An outlet shopping complex beside the St. George Terminal on Staten Island in New York City.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Empire Outlets is a retail and visitor-oriented complex in the St. George neighborhood of Staten Island, New York City. Positioned immediately beside the St. George Terminal, the principal ferry, railway, and bus interchange for Staten Island, it was conceived as a major commercial and tourism project for the borough's North Shore. The complex is notable for being New York City's first outlet mall. The project was developed by Brooklyn-based BFC Partners through Empire Outlets Builders, LLC, an entity associated with the New York City Economic Development Corporation's development program. SHoP Architects designed the complex, with DeSimone Consulting Engineers serving as structural engineers and Casandra Properties and EB involved in leasing. Construction began in 2015. The original development concept called for approximately 100 designer outlet stores, a 200-room hotel occupying about 120,000 square feet, extensive outdoor space, and structured parking. The completed retail complex contains approximately 350,000 square feet of space, about 3.5 acres of outdoor areas, an underground garage with roughly 1,200 spaces, 22 escalators, and 21 elevators. A staircase leads toward a landscaped green-roof area. The opening schedule changed repeatedly. The project was initially expected to open in fall 2017, but delays moved the target first to March 2018, then to late 2018, and later to spring 2019. Empire Outlets ultimately held its grand opening on May 15, 2019, while individual retailers opened on a staggered basis during the remainder of that year. Planned and announced tenants included H&M, Nordstrom Rack, Levi's, Nike Factory Store, Banana Republic, and Old Navy, although the actual tenant roster and occupancy changed over time. The complex initially depended heavily on visitors arriving from outside Staten Island, including international tourists. By November 2019, about 30 stores were operating, and international visitors accounted for a large share of spending. The project was also expected to gain additional visitation from a food market and a 600-seat beer garden, but those facilities did not open as anticipated in early 2020. The COVID-19 period and the mall's difficulty in maintaining high occupancy placed further pressure on its finances and tourism-centered business model. Empire Outlets entered foreclosure proceedings in February 2022. Reported obligations included approximately $38 million owed to Sterling National Bank and $174 million associated with Goldman Sachs' Urban Investment Group. The complex remained substantially vacant during the foreclosure process. At a foreclosure auction held on September 21, 2023, Goldman Sachs acquired the property for $10 million. The transaction changed the ownership context but did not by itself resolve the site's longer-term retail and development challenges. The complex is connected to the wider waterfront and transportation redevelopment of Staten Island's North Shore. It was located next to the proposed New York Wheel, a large Ferris wheel project that was canceled in 2018, although the two projects were separately financed. A separate NYC Ferry stop was ultimately established at Empire Outlets after concerns that small NYC Ferry vessels and the much larger Staten Island Ferry boats could not safely share the existing terminal dock. The St. George NYC Ferry stop began service in August 2021, linking the area with Battery Park City and West Midtown in Manhattan. By late 2024, Nordstrom Rack announced that it would close its Empire Outlets location. In response to the site's weak performance in attracting tourists, the New York City Economic Development Corporation began seeking feedback from local residents in 2025. Proposals announced with City Councilmember Kamillah Hanks contemplated as many as 2,500 residential units and would require rezoning. These discussions indicate that Empire Outlets has increasingly been considered not only as a retail destination but also…
History
Empire Outlets was developed as part of the broader redevelopment effort on Staten Island's North Shore. Its location next to the St. George Terminal gave the project an unusually strong transportation connection: visitors could reach it by Staten Island Ferry, railway, bus, and later NYC Ferry. The project was intended to convert that flow of commuters and tourists into retail activity while adding a new visitor destination to Staten Island. BFC Partners developed the complex through Empire Outlets Builders, LLC. SHoP Architects provided the architectural design, and DeSimone Consulting Engineers handled structural engineering. The original approved concept envisioned approximately 100 designer outlet stores, a 200-room hotel, outdoor public space, and structured parking. Construction began in 2015, but the opening date moved several times. A fall 2017 opening was first anticipated, followed by target dates in March 2018, late 2018, and November 2018. The project eventually opened on May 15, 2019, with stores continuing to launch progressively through the rest of the year. The completed complex contains approximately 350,000 square feet of retail space, about 3.5 acres of outdoor areas, a 1,200-space underground parking garage, 22 escalators, and 21 elevators. Its announced tenant mix included national fashion, footwear, sportswear, and outlet brands such as H&M, Nordstrom Rack, Levi's, Nike Factory Store, Banana Republic, and Old Navy. The development was marketed not simply as a local shopping center but as a destination for visitors arriving from Manhattan and overseas. Early operating results showed both promise and structural difficulty. By November 2019, roughly 30 stores were open and hundreds of thousands of visitors had visited the complex. International tourists were reported to account for nearly two-thirds of spending, and international spending on Staten Island had increased substantially. At the same time, the reliance on tourism made the project vulnerable. A planned food market and 600-seat beer garden were expected to strengthen the site's visitor appeal in early 2020, but they did not open as planned. The COVID-19 disruption further weakened the tourism and retail environment, and the complex later struggled to meet loan payments. The New York Wheel, a proposed 625-foot Ferris wheel beside the outlet complex, was canceled in 2018. Although the wheel and Empire Outlets had moved through parts of the approval process at the same time and shared some consultants, they were separate projects with separate financing. The cancellation removed a major anticipated visitor attraction from the surrounding development strategy. Transportation connections continued to evolve. NYC Ferry announced a planned St. George service in 2019. Because of concerns about operating small NYC Ferry vessels alongside the much larger Staten Island Ferry boats, officials selected a separate dock near Empire Outlets and SIUH Community Park. The St. George NYC Ferry stop opened in August 2021, providing service to Battery Park City and West Midtown in Manhattan. Financial and occupancy pressures became increasingly visible by the end of 2020. In February 2022, the complex entered foreclosure proceedings. Reported liabilities included approximately $38 million owed to Sterling National Bank and $174 million owed to Goldman Sachs' Urban Investment Group. Proceedings continued into 2023, when the property was reported to be about 60 percent vacant. A foreclosure auction was scheduled for September, and Goldman Sachs acquired the complex at the September 21, 2023 auction for $10 million. The site's retail role remained uncertain. Nordstrom Rack announced that it would close its store in December 2024. In 2025, the New York City Economic Development Corporation sought input from residents about the future of the property, reflecting a shift away from an exclusively tourism-led strategy. Plans announced with Councilmember Kamillah Hanks contemplated up to 2,500 residences in the area and would require rezoning. The future of Empire Outlets therefore became linked to a broader debate over housing, land use, transportation, and the redevelopment of Staten Island's North Shore.
- 2025
Future redevelopment consultation
[1]NYCEDC began collecting community feedback while officials considered rezoning and residential development options.
- 2024
Nordstrom Rack announces closure
[1]Nordstrom Rack announced that its store at the complex would close in December.
- 2023
Goldman Sachs acquires the property
[1]Goldman Sachs acquired Empire Outlets at a foreclosure auction on September 21.
- 2022
Foreclosure proceedings begin
[1]The complex entered foreclosure proceedings amid substantial reported loan obligations and occupancy challenges.
- 2021
St. George NYC Ferry stop begins service
[1]A ferry stop near Empire Outlets began operating in August, connecting St. George with Manhattan ferry terminals.
- 2020
Planned food and beverage amenities fail to open
[1]A proposed food market and 600-seat beer garden expected for early 2020 did not open as planned.
- 2019
Grand opening
[1]Empire Outlets opened on May 15, becoming New York City's first outlet mall.
- 2019
Early tenant operations expand
[1]By November, about 30 stores were operating and the complex had attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors.
- 2018
New York Wheel project is canceled
[1]The proposed adjacent New York Wheel was canceled, removing a major planned visitor attraction from the surrounding redevelopment program.
- 2017
Opening schedule is delayed
[1]The planned opening moved from fall 2017 to a later date, beginning a series of schedule changes.
Products and positioning
A transit-connected outlet shopping and visitor destination designed to serve tourists, international shoppers, and Staten Island residents.
Apparel and accessories · 2019
Outlet fashion retail
The core offering is a collection of outlet stores selling discounted apparel, accessories, footwear, and lifestyle merchandise. Announced or operating tenants have included national brands such as H&M, Levi's, Banana Republic, Old Navy, and Nordstrom Rack. The tenant mix was designed to combine recognizable international brands with outlet pricing and to appeal to both local shoppers and visitors arriving through the adjacent transportation hub.
Sportswear and footwear · 2019
Sportswear and athletic outlet retail
Sportswear and athletic merchandise formed part of the planned outlet assortment, including Nike Factory Store retail. These stores broadened the complex beyond traditional fashion and helped position it as a general-purpose outlet destination rather than a single-category shopping center.
Shopping-center services · 2019
Retail and visitor amenities
The complex provides outdoor areas, landscaped space, parking, circulation facilities, and direct access to nearby ferry, rail, and bus services. A food market and a large beer garden were planned as additional attractions but did not open as anticipated. The site also benefits from the nearby NYC Ferry stop that began service in 2021.
Brand decisions
2025
Community-led reconsideration of the site's futureStrategyBackground
The outlet complex had struggled to attract tourists and remained substantially underoccupied, while local officials considered broader North Shore needs.
Action taken
NYCEDC solicited resident feedback and officials announced plans that could support as many as 2,500 residences, subject to rezoning.
Aftermath
The site began to be evaluated as part of a possible mixed-use or residential redevelopment strategy rather than solely as a tourism-oriented outlet mall.
2023
Goldman Sachs acquires Empire Outlets through foreclosureM&ABackground
Foreclosure proceedings followed reported loan obligations and continuing vacancies at the complex.
Action taken
Goldman Sachs purchased the property at the September 21 foreclosure auction.
Aftermath
Ownership changed, while the property's retail occupancy and long-term redevelopment strategy remained unresolved.
Foreclosure auction purchase price. $10 million (September 21, 2023)
2021
A separate NYC Ferry dock is establishedOtherBackground
Officials were concerned that NYC Ferry vessels could not safely share a dock with the much larger Staten Island Ferry boats at the existing terminal.
Action taken
A new NYC Ferry stop was built near Empire Outlets and SIUH Community Park.
Aftermath
The St. George route began service in August 2021, linking the area with Battery Park City and West Midtown in Manhattan.
2020
Additional food-and-beverage attractions are abandoned or delayedStrategyBackground
A food market and a 600-seat beer garden had been expected to support visitation and extend the site's appeal beyond shopping.
Action taken
The planned amenities did not open in early 2020 as anticipated.
Aftermath
The complex lost expected visitor-oriented attractions while its tourism-centered operating model faced further pressure.
2019
Shift toward a tourism-led outlet destinationStrategyBackground
The project was positioned as a destination for tourists and international shoppers as well as Staten Island residents, using its location beside the St. George Terminal.
Action taken
The complex opened with a national and international outlet-brand mix and emphasized its transportation access and proximity to North Shore attractions.
Aftermath
International visitors generated a large share of early spending, but the dependence on tourism left the property exposed when visitor traffic and occupancy weakened.
Recent events
- 2025
NYCEDC seeks community input on the future of the site[1]
Regulation
The New York City Economic Development Corporation began soliciting local feedback as officials considered a new direction for the underperforming site, including a possible rezoning supporting residential development.
- 2024
Nordstrom Rack announces closure of its Empire Outlets store[1]
Other
Nordstrom Rack announced that its Empire Outlets location would close in December 2024.
- 2023
Goldman Sachs acquires Empire Outlets at foreclosure auction[1]
M&A
Goldman Sachs acquired the complex at a foreclosure auction held on September 21, 2023.
- 2022
Empire Outlets faces foreclosure proceedings[1]
Bankruptcy
The complex entered foreclosure proceedings amid reported loan obligations and continuing occupancy problems.
- 2019
Empire Outlets opens on Staten Island[1]
Other
Empire Outlets held its grand opening on May 15, 2019, becoming New York City's first outlet mall. Retailers opened on a staggered schedule after the formal opening.
- 2019
NYC Ferry announces a St. George route[1]
Other
NYC Ferry announced plans for a St. George route, later leading to a ferry stop located at Empire Outlets rather than sharing the existing Staten Island Ferry dock.
Sources3 sources
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