You’ve walked past it. Honestly, if you’ve spent any time dodging tourists or rushing for a PATH train at 33rd Street, you’ve probably used its revolving doors just to escape the humidity or a sudden Manhattan downpour. The Manhattan Mall New York NY isn’t exactly the glitzy, neon-soaked retail mecca it used to be back in the nineties, but its story is basically the story of New York City real estate in a nutshell. It’s weird, kinda quiet now, and surprisingly complicated.
Walking in today feels a bit like entering a time capsule that’s been partially erased. Most of the storefronts are dark. The bustling food court that once smelled like Sbarro and Auntie Anne’s is a ghost town. But to understand why this place matters—and why its current state is such a massive deal for Midtown—you have to look at what it was supposed to be. This wasn't just a mall; it was a gamble on the idea that suburban-style vertical shopping could survive in the densest part of the world.
The Gimbels Ghost and the Birth of a Vertical Mall
Before it was the Manhattan Mall New York NY, this massive footprint belonged to Gimbels. Gimbels was the primary rival to Macy’s, famously immortalized in Miracle on 34th Street. When Gimbels shuttered in 1986, it left a massive hole in the heart of Herald Square. The solution? A $400 million renovation that turned the old department store into A&S Plaza.
It opened in 1989 with a level of fanfare that’s hard to imagine now. We're talking about an eleven-story atrium, glass elevators that made you feel like you were in a sci-fi flick, and enough neon to be seen from space. It was a vertical mall, a concept that rarely works in the U.S. but was trendy at the time. The idea was simple: lure people off the street and keep them moving upward through layers of retail.
By 1995, A&S (Abraham & Straus) was gone, rebranded as Stern’s, and eventually, the building became what we know today. Vornado Realty Trust took the reins, and for a solid decade, it actually worked. You had JC Penney taking up the basement levels, which became one of the highest-grossing stores in their entire chain. People actually shopped here. It was the hub for affordable fashion right across from the more expensive Macy's flagship.
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Why the Lights Went Out
The decline of the Manhattan Mall New York NY didn't happen overnight, but it felt fast. You can blame the "retail apocalypse," sure, but it was more specific than that. The mall's layout was always its Achilles' heel. Navigating eleven floors of retail is exhausting. Unless you have a "destination" store—something people have to visit—no one is going to the seventh floor just to browse.
Vornado, being one of the biggest landlords in the city, saw the writing on the wall. Offices are more profitable than malls. Slowly, the upper floors were converted into office space. Then came the big blow: JC Penney filed for bankruptcy and closed its massive anchor store in 2020. When your biggest tenant leaves 200,000 square feet of empty space, the ecosystem collapses.
The Current Reality of the Space
If you go there right now, the experience is... let's call it "minimalist."
- The PATH Connection: This is the mall's literal lifeline. The entrance to the 33rd Street PATH station is inside. Thousands of commuters from New Jersey pass through every day.
- The Ground Floor: There are still a few tenants hanging on, mostly near the street level where foot traffic is guaranteed.
- The Upper Levels: Mostly walled off or converted to private office use for companies that need to be near Penn Station.
It's a bizarre contrast. Outside, Herald Square is a chaotic swarm of humanity. Inside, there's a muffled silence. The glass elevators still exist, but they don't carry bags of clothes anymore; they carry office workers and security guards.
The Future: It's Probably Not a Mall Anymore
Vornado has been pretty transparent about their plans for the area around Penn Station. They want to turn it into a modern commercial district that rivals Hudson Yards. This means the Manhattan Mall New York NY is likely headed for a total identity shift. There have been talks for years about demolishing or completely gutting the structure to make way for a massive new office tower.
The COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench in those plans. With the office market in a state of flux, the mall is stuck in a sort of limbo. It’s too valuable to tear down right now, but too empty to be a "mall."
Some urban planners suggest it should be converted into housing or a massive life-sciences hub. Others think it should become a "last-mile" delivery center for Amazon. Whatever happens, the era of buying a pair of jeans on the sixth floor of a Herald Square atrium is effectively over.
What You Should Know Before Visiting
If you're heading to the Manhattan Mall New York NY today, adjust your expectations. Don't go there looking for a shopping spree. Go there for these specific reasons:
- Commuting: It is the most convenient way to access the PATH or the B, D, F, M, N, Q, R, and W trains without standing in the rain.
- Cleanliness (Relatively): It’s one of the few places in Midtown with decent security and a bit of climate control where you can catch your breath.
- Architecture: Look up. The atrium is still an impressive piece of late-80s design, even if it feels a bit dated.
It’s worth noting that the "mall" tag is basically a legacy title at this point. Most locals refer to it as "the building with the PATH train" or "the old JC Penney building."
Navigating the Herald Square Chaos
The area surrounding the mall is actually more interesting than the mall itself right now. You’ve got the flagship Macy’s, obviously. You’ve got the Koreatown food scene just a couple blocks over on 32nd Street. You’ve got the newly renovated Penn Station (Moynihan Train Hall) nearby, which is actually beautiful.
The Manhattan Mall New York NY sits at the center of this hurricane. It’s a transition point. A place people pass through on their way to somewhere better. And in a city as fast-paced as New York, maybe that’s all a building needs to be to stay relevant. It’s not a destination; it’s a thoroughfare.
Actionable Steps for the Modern New Yorker
If you find yourself near 33rd and 6th, don't waste time looking for a directory. It won't help you much.
- Use the 32nd Street entrance if you want to avoid the heaviest crowds.
- Check the PATH schedule on your phone before you go down; the cell service in the lower levels is notoriously spotty.
- Head to Koreatown for food. Seriously. The mall's food options are basically non-existent compared to the world-class bibimbap and fried chicken just two minutes away.
- Monitor Vornado Realty Trust's public filings if you're a real estate nerd. They are the ones who will decide if this building stays standing or becomes a 1,000-foot glass needle in the next five years.
The Manhattan Mall New York NY is a reminder that in New York, nothing is permanent. Not even a $400 million mall. It’s a placeholder for whatever the city decides it needs next. Right now, it needs a hallway to the train. Tomorrow? Who knows.