West Orange, New Jersey: Changes might be coming to a suburban Essex County shopping plaza.
According to a listing from Ripco Real Estate, redevelopment is planned for the Essex Green Shopping Center, located along Prospect Avenue near Exit 8 on Route 280. The listing features images of a potentially redesigned plaza, which is currently one of the largest in the county.
Businesses currently located at Essex Green include ShopRite, Sears Outlet, AMC Theaters, Total Wine and More, and Panera Bread. However, it appears that many businesses at the shopping center may soon be closing. The Ripco listing states that the spaces occupied by Petco, Gamestop, Torrid, Dress Barn, Dress Barn Woman, RadioShack, Essex Green Cleaners, GNC, and H&R Block will soon be available.
Despite this, Stephanie Wilson of Petco told Essex County Place last month that "to our knowledge, the West Orange store is not set to be closed at this time".
Some businesses at Essex Green have already closed or downsized. The Essex Grand Buffet and Citibank closed earlier this year, and Macy's downsized its 40-year-old department store into a Macy's Backstage location.
Areas nearby are seeing redevelopment. LA Fitness opened one of the region's largest gyms across the street last year, and a Cambria Suites hotel is reportedly planned for a nearby lot.
Earlier this year, Essex Green was sold to Clarion Partners by RREEF America for $97,850,000, according to NJ Parcels.
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