What Does Moorestown Mall Have in Common with the Space Needle?

Think you know your mall history? It's the Moorestown Mall's 50th anniversary. Catch up on the last half century here—and learn a little more about its future.

There’s been so much talk about the Moorestown Mall’s future lately, it’s easy to forget it has quite a history as one of the region’s oldest malls. Opened in 1963, the mall was built on farmland that had been in the Roberts family from the early 1700s through at least the 1800s, according to Stephanie Herz, vice president of the Moorestown Historical Society. The Society’s records don’t indicate who owned the property in the 20th century. However, according to researcher Bill Archer, who works with the Historical Society, in the years before the mall was built, it was an apple orchard. A Federal-style brick farmhouse (circa 1820s/1830s) sat on a small hill facing Lenola Road, roughly where Macy’s now stands, Herz said. The mall—the …

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What Restaurants Would You Like to See at the Moorestown Mall?

PREIT has revealed very little about what type of restaurants it plans to bring in, so tell us what you'd like to see.

New news regarding PREIT's expansion plans for the Moorestown Mall has been somewhat scarce since both liquor referendums passed in November, particularly when it comes to what restaurants it plans to bring in. PREIT has said it plans to have at least some of the restaurants open in time for the 2012 holiday season. At a recent council meeting, township manager Scott Carew said PREIT hoped to attend council's June 25 meeting to lay out its plans for the mall and may even announce some of the restaurants at that time.  PREIT spokeswoman Judy Trias said the company won't be able to make any announcements about restaurants—as those deals are contingent on the availability of liquor licenses. However, someone from PREIT will be at the meeting …

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PREIT Ready to Buy Liquor Licenses by July

The owner of the Moorestown Mall may make a big announcement at a council meeting next month.

If everything goes according to plan, the township could be counting its millions from the sale of liquor licenses before the end of the summer. Following a meeting with PREIT representatives last week, Mayor John Button said the Moorestown Mall owner said it would be ready to purchase four licenses, at $1 million a pop, by July 9. “They sat across from us and pledged their commitment again,” the mayor said. Though the township is in the midst of fighting a lawsuit with the owners of the East Gate Square shopping center—who have claimed the restriction of the issuance of licenses to the mall is illegal—township attorney Thomas Coleman explained the suit would not prevent the township from selling licenses to PREIT. The mall owner has …

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Rob Scott

2:55 pm on Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Suds, I'm certainly no legal expert, but based on everything I've heard and my own knowledge and research, the worst the judge could do is throw throw out the second question, which restricts liquor licenses to the mall. At that point, anyone could buy a license for anywhere in town. However, the township attorney has said, in that event, he would suggest council pass an ordinance to restrict …   more ›

Demolition of Moorestown Mall Theater Imminent

Mall owner PREIT is planning special family entertainment options for the summer to replace movie theater traffic.

Construction crews are set to begin demolition of the United Artists theater at the Moorestown Mall any day now. A chain-link fence recently erected around the outside of the theater and a steel gate closing off the interior entrance serve as physical reminders that the multiplex is no longer in business. The theater closed within the last month, according to Judy Trias, spokeswoman for PREIT (Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust), which owns the mall. Though an exact date has not been set, Trias said demolition will commence very soon. She said crews will raze the theater using heavy-duty construction vehicles. The new theater—a 12-screen Regal Premium Experience (RPX) theater—will occupy the existing theater space, as well as the …

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East Gate Owners Sue Township Over Liquor Restriction

They don't think the Moorestown Mall should have the sole right to sell alcohol.

The owners of East Gate Square Shopping Center have sued the township, alleging its restriction of alcohol sales to the Moorestown Mall is a violation of state law. East Gate filed the lawsuit last week, five months after voters, by a roughly 2-to-1 margin, lifted Moorestown’s centurylong ban on alcohol, and at the same time voted to restrict those sales to the Moorestown Mall. The second referendum question—written by mall owner PREIT (Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust)—approved by voters restricts the issuance of liquor licenses to full-service restaurants “located on the same tax lot as an indoor shopping mall in the SRC zoning district.” East Gate is also located in the SRC zone, right across the street from the mall, but …

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Pizzicato at Mall Closing

A representative for mall owner PREIT said the move is part of the company's attempt to rebrand the Moorestown Mall.

Pizzicato at the Moorestown Mall will soon close its doors, according to a representative for mall owner PREIT (Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust), who said the closure is part of the mall’s “overall remerchandising strategy.” Judith Trias, PREIT’s vice president of retail marketing, said the decision to close Pizzicato was made mutually between the restaurant and PREIT. Though the Italian restaurant is still open for business, Trias said it would probably close within this quarter. PREIT is already involved in negotiations with another restaurant to replace Pizzicato, she said, but could not say how long the property—located outside the mall building, near Boscov’s—might be vacant. “Obviously we’d like to have a site down for as …

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New Moorestown Mall Theater Will Be State-of-the-Art

3D, stadium seating, and digital screens all part of Regal's plan for new theater. Plus, restaurants keep calling, PREIT says.

Regal Entertainment Group plans to transform the existing theater at the Moorestown Mall into a state-of-the-art movie-watching venue with the addition of 3D, digital projection screens, and stadium seating with reclining seats. According to an article on the Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch website, Regal and mall owner PREIT (Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust) have executed a deal to convert the existing four-screen United Artists theater into a 12-screen Regal Premium Experience (RPX) theater. The RPX—featuring all the aforementioned amenities, as well as surround sound, larger screens and kiosks for automated ticket purchasing—represents Regal’s high-end theater model. There are currently only 17 RPX theaters in the country, …

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Town Council Approves Move to Put Liquor Referendums on Ballot

Council members heard plenty of opinions Monday, but passed resolutions to put the liquor license debate to voters this fall.

Now it’s up to voters. Township council approved two resolutions Monday to have referendums regarding liquor sales placed on the November ballot—but not before hearing an earful from residents on both sides of the issue. The council was legally bound, per state statute, to pass the resolutions after Township Clerk Patricia Hunt certified petitions last week—one to approve the sale of alcohol in town, the second to restrict those sales to certain areas—asking for the placement of the ballot questions. Nonetheless, roughly a dozen people took to the microphone to voice their opinions, the majority of them expressing either opposition to the referendums, doubt about the council’s motives or concern about the potential consequences should the …

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BYOBs See Battle Brewing Over Liquor Licenses

Local restauranteurs debate the costs of selling cocktails in town.

During an overcast summer afternoon on tree-lined Main Street, quiet saturates the surroundings, mostly caused by an unbearable wave of mid-summer heat infusing the region. Some folks are boiling hot—not because of the weather, but over the controversial push to allow a referendum in November on whether to discard the town’s nearly century-old dry status and permit liquor licenses. Over the last couple of weeks, a petition has been circulating, led by Joe Coradino, president of the Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT), who owns the Moorestown Mall. And, if enough voters sign, upward of 2,000, residents may see restaurants at the mall selling alcoholic beverages. For decades, patrons have been allowed to bring alcohol—a bottle …

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Front Desk

8:42 am on Saturday, July 23, 2011

Utr- you stance sounds like what others have said the mall owner Preit is for Preit . It doesn't appear moorestown would get any significant return or perhaps negative with liquor licenses.   more ›

Under the Radar

Make It a Double

Ginning up support for liquor sales at the Moorestown Mall

This is a multiple-choice question. Please feel free to stop reading right now if you don’t enjoy test taking or you have never been able to make up your mind about anything and instead rely on a Ouija Board to make all your important decisions. I do NOT want to see alcohol come to the Moorestown Mall because: a) I don’t need liquor in order to shop foolishly b) I love paying high property taxes due to our lack of ratables in town c) I am afraid of change d) I don’t drink, ergo no one else should drink I have been avoiding this particular atomic bomb of a topic because of my mixed feelings and because there are still some people in town that don’t understand the difference between journalistic writing and opinion. Journalistic writing is …

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