Malls · New Jersey
Wayne Towne Center
Opened 1974. Closed 2008. Partial Redeveloped in 2008.
documented
The center is anchored by Costco, Dick's Sporting Goods, Nordstrom Rack, and UFC Fit.
Solid = from the authors' map · outlined = public source · dashed = model-written, not yet reviewed by a person. Tap any value's source label to see where it came from. documented = a quoted excerpt (click to read it) · reported = a source named, no excerpt yet · no source.
Site profile16 elements · what this retrofit is built with · tap a chip for the evidence
JCPenney
This site: JCPenney wikipedia · all sites with thisNordstrom Rack
This site: Nordstrom Rack wikipedia · all sites with thisOn Facebook
This site: …https://www.facebook.com/138736569478653 overture · all sites with thisWebsite alive
This site: …http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_Towne_Center overture / http check · all sites with this15-minute neighbourhood (5+ of 6 daily needs within 800 m)
This site: 6/6 openstreetmap · all sites with this30,000+ vehicles a day on an adjacent road
This site: 47,433 on US 46 fhwa-hpms · all sites with thisCounty typical rent $2,000+
This site: $2,168/mo zillow · all sites with thisFEMA special flood hazard area
This site: AE fema-nfhl · all sites with thisGrocery within 800 m
This site: 3 stores openstreetmap · all sites with thisHigh inland flooding risk
This site: Very High fema-nri · all sites with thisHigh natural hazard risk (FEMA NRI)
This site: Relatively High; inland flooding fema-nri · all sites with thisHigh-income tract ($100k+)
This site: $118,875 census-acs · all sites with thisTract income up 60%+ since 2013
This site: +63% census-acs · all sites with thisWalkable block group (EPA ≥ 12)
This site: …index 14.5 epa-walkability · all sites with thisRedeveloped
This site: The center is anchored by Costco, Dick's Sporting Goods, Nordstrom Rack, and UFC Fit. extraction · all sites with thisRetail (continued)
This site: …new_use field extraction · all sites with thisNow
| Status | Partly retrofittedextracted, unreviewed documentedThe center is anchored by Costco, Dick's Sporting Goods, Nordstrom Rack, and UFC Fit. |
|---|---|
| Strategy | Partial Redevelopedextracted, unreviewed documentedLater in 2008, the mall began undergoing what is referred to as 'de-malling', which refers to a process where an enclosed shopping center slowly begins a transition to a more traditional shopping center. |
| New uses | retail, otherextracted, unreviewed reported |
| What is there now | The center is anchored by Costco, Dick's Sporting Goods, Nordstrom Rack, and UFC Fit.extracted, unreviewed documentedThe center is anchored by Costco, Dick's Sporting Goods, Nordstrom Rack, and UFC Fit. |
| Retrofit year | 2008extracted, unreviewed reported |
| Redeveloper | Vornado Realty Trustextracted, unreviewed reported |
Deals and debt
| Date | Event | Price | Parties | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Sold | $12.1M closed | Vornado Realty Trust ← Wells Fargo | Wikipedia |
Securitised debt and public filers
Filings (2001 to date) that name “Wayne Towne Center” and “Wayne” (91 hits, first 91 sampled, 3 other filers such as tenants left out). Only weak matches to commercial-mortgage trusts: the mall may have backed a securitised loan, or may just be mentioned in the filing; several trusts usually means one loan split into pari-passu notes. Earliest trust filing in the sample 2003-09-25 (a sample date, not the issuance date); Whether the loan is still in the pool, in special servicing or repaid is in the trust's monthly distribution reports, which are not searchable here. Text matches, not a title search. Open the search · all trusts.
| Kind | Filer | Filings | Dates | Forms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CMBS trust (weak) | BEAR STEARNS COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE SECURITIES INC | 1 | 2003-09-25 to 2003-09-25 | 8-K 1 |
| CMBS trust (weak) | JP MORGAN CHASE COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE SECURITIES CORP | 1 | 2005-03-14 to 2005-03-14 | 8-K 1 |
| Public owner (strong) | VORNADO REALTY TRUST (VNO, VNORP, VNO-PL, VNO-PM, VNO-PN, VNO-PO) | 62 | 2011-02-23 to 2026-02-09 | 10-K 32, 8-K 18, 10-Q 12 |
| Public owner (strong) | VORNADO REALTY LP | 62 | 2011-02-25 to 2026-02-09 | 10-K 32, 8-K 18, 10-Q 12 |
| Public owner (weak) | Urban Edge Properties (UE) | 2 | 2015-01-05 to 2017-10-12 | 8-K 2 |
| Public owner (weak) | Urban Edge Properties LP | 1 | 2017-10-12 to 2017-10-12 | 8-K 1 |
Site context
| Transit within 800 m | no rail station; 3 bus stops within 400 mOpenStreetMap |
|---|---|
| Motorway junctions within 2 km | 52, 53, 54, junctionOpenStreetMap |
| FEMA flood zone | AE · special flood hazard areaFEMA NFHL |
| EPA-regulated facilities within 500 m | 18: BARTON PRESS; BRIDGESTONE FIRESTONE TIRE STORE; BRITTON TRANSPORT INC; COSTCO WHOLESALE #1177; COSTCO WHOLESALE CORPEPA FRS |
| Census tract 34031246300 | 4,453 people, 1,142 per sq mi; median household income $118,875; median gross rent $2,206; 49% renters; 9.0% vacant units; 6.0% commute by transitACS 2023 5-year |
| Walkability (EPA, block group) | index 14.5 of 20; 84 intersections per sq mi; nearest transit stop 526 m; land-use mix 0.78; 467,776 jobs within 45 min by car, 10,032 by transit; 6% of households without a carEPA Smart Location |
| Within a 10–15 minute walk (800 m) | 6 of 6 daily needs: 3 grocers, 2 schools, 2 parks or playgrounds, 58 health, 1 civic, 51 food and drink; 0 cycleway segments, 37 sidewalk-tagged segmentsOpenStreetMap |
| Opportunity Zone | noHUD |
| Housing permits, Passaic County (NJ), 2024 | 614 units in 5+ unit buildings, 29 in 2–4, 209 single-family; 2023: 553 in 5+Census BPS |
| Social vulnerability (CDC SVI 2022, tract) | overall percentile 0.62; socioeconomic 0.58; housing and transport 0.77; 17% below 150% of poverty; 1% of households with no vehicleCDC/ATSDR |
| Other atlas sites nearby | 0 within 10 km, 7 within 25 kmcomputed |
| Overture Maps | place Wayne Towne Center (shopping_mall, confidence 0.99, from Overture, Overture-signals, meta); building footprint 13,590 m²Overture (CDLA-Permissive 2.0) |
| Website and social | en.wikipedia.org (alive) · social: facebookOverture / Internet Archive |
| Attention: Wikipedia page views | 41,136 since 2015; 2,755 in the last 12 months (-10% vs the prior 12); peak 2018-03 with 566Wikimedia |
| Tract change 2013–2023 | population -7% (4,811 → 4,453); median income +63% ($72,928 → $118,875); renters 43% → 49%; median home value +37% ($323,700 → $444,100)Census ACS 5-year |
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA National Risk Index, tract) | relatively high overall (score 94.9); expected annual loss $6.6M; high: inland flooding; community resilience relatively lowFEMA NRI |
| Tax-credit housing within 1 km | noneHUD LIHTC |
| Retail trade in the county, 2025 (BLS QCEW) | 22,372 jobs in 1,666 establishments; average annual pay $45,536; employment location quotient 1.30; employment -0.5% on the yearBLS QCEW 2025, NAICS 44-45, private |
| Jobs located in the tract, 2022 | 9,835 jobs; 3,468 in retail trade, 1,283 in accommodation and food (workplace blocks summed to tract 34031246300)Census LEHD LODES8 WAC 2022 |
| Upward mobility (Opportunity Atlas, 2010 tract) | children of low-income (25th percentile) families reached the 48th income percentile as adults; 2.1% incarcerated at the 2010 count (419 children in the sample); born 1978–83, measured 2014–15Opportunity Insights |
| Food access (USDA FARA 2019, 2010 tract) | low-access at 1 mile, not low-income; 23% of residents more than 1 mile from a supermarket; poverty rate 13.6%; median family income $78,750; 171 SNAP householdsUSDA ERS |
| Schools | Wayne Township School District (KG-12); 1 public school within 1 mile: Little Falls Township Public School # 3NCES EDGE |
| Elevation | 169 ft above sea level at the site pointUSGS 3DEP |
| Storm events in the county, 2016-2025 | 118 county-logged events: 72 flash flood, 38 thunderstorm wind, 6 hail, 1 flood; $3,352,500 property damage reported; 2 direct deaths; forecast-zone events (most flood, winter and heat) not countedNOAA Storm Events |
| Homes for sale in ZIP 07470, 2026-09 | median list price $697,000 (-1.1% on the year); 116 active listings; median 28 days on market; 7% with a price cutRealtor.com Research |
| Retail trade in the county, 2012 to 2023 | 1,840 establishments (-0%); 23,043 jobs (+1%)Census CBP |
| Housing market in the county | typical home value $597,668 (+4% 1 yr, +35% 5 yr); typical rent $2,168/mo (+1% 1 yr), 2026-09Zillow Research |
| House price index, tract, 2025 | 511 (2000 = 100); +9.7% 1 yr, +58% 5 yr, +79% 10 yrFHFA |
| Traffic on the busiest road within 600 m (2024) | 47,433 vehicles a day on US 46 (principal arterial, 4 lanes); 966 trucks; 33 counted segmentsFHWA HPMS |
Summary, model-written
Opened in 1974 as West Belt Mall and renamed Wayne Towne Center in 1989, the site operated as an indoor mall until 2008 when Borders closed and demolition began, initiating de‑malling. Since then, the inner mall has been demolished and big‑box tenants such as Costco, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Nordstrom Rack and UFC Fit have occupied the property, with Vornado Realty Trust acquiring it in 2010. JCPenney announced closure in 2024, leaving the center in a partial redevelopment status.
Why. The record shows anchor loss (Borders closure and demolition) and the start of de‑malling in 2008 as the primary reasons for the mall’s decline; no explicit debt or competition factors are cited.
Where it stands. The site is currently partially redeveloped and owned by Vornado Realty Trust, which has held the property since its 2010 purchase.
For a planner
- Redevelopment strategy labeled “redevelop” with planned new uses of retail and other.
- Large 653,000 sf GLA and partial status indicate substantial remaining developable area.
- Open questions include the fate of the JCPenney anchor and any needed zoning or infrastructure updates.
For a developer
- Site size: 653,000 sf GLA; controlled by Vornado Realty Trust since 2010.
- Entitlement stage: retrofit began 2008, currently partial; further approvals needed for remaining parcels.
- Market signal: median rent $1,553 per unit noted in opportunity score rationale.
- Constraints such as flood risk, transit access, or environmental factors are not stated in the record.
What we do not know yet
- Flood zone, transit proximity, and environmental constraints are not provided.
- Detailed current vacancy, lease terms, and exact remaining leasable area after demolitions are unknown.
- The extent of any outstanding entitlements or pending approvals for future phases is not specified.
- The record is marked as “draft” verified, indicating possible unreviewed or model‑extracted data.
- Opportunity score is 0.0 with reasons citing retrofit already built and large GLA, suggesting limited perceived upside.
Generated by nvidia/nemotron-3-super-120b-a12b on NVIDIA API via Hermes CT from the fields, parcels, deals and context layers on this page, with no outside knowledge. It is regenerated when the record changes and has not been checked by a person. How it is made.
Similar sites
- Cloverleaf Mall, Richmond, VA · Malls · similar GLA (800,000 sq ft); opened 1972; closed 2008
- Foothills Mall, Fort Collins, CO · Malls · similar GLA (800,000 sq ft); opened 1973; same strategy: redevelop
- Century Plaza, Birmingham, AL · Malls · similar GLA (740,000 sq ft); opened 1975; closed 2009
- Machesney Park Mall, Machesney Park, IL · Malls · similar GLA (581,883 sq ft); opened 1978; closed 2008
Elsewhere on the web
Retail history: Wayne Towne Center on DeadMalls.com photos, field notes and visitor memories since 2000; matched by name and city; nothing copied here
Pages with photos
- Wayne Towne Center - Wayne, NJ | Rentail.space rentail.space
- WAYNE TOWNE CENTER | Vornado Realty Trust vno.com
- Wayne Towne Center - SOCO Construction sococonstruction.com
- What Would You Like to See at the old Wayne Towne Center? … patch.com
Search images: Google · Bing · Commons · references: ULI case studies · Google Scholar
Multifamily screen
- retrofit already built
- 653,000 sq ft GLA (large site)
- median rent $1,553
Inputs: record fields (size, status) and county Census ACS 2018–2023 figures (growth, rent). How the points work. Not a recommendation.
History and original facts
| Opened | 1974Wikidata |
|---|---|
| Closed | 2008extracted, unreviewed documentedThe center formerly operated as an indoor shopping mall from the time when JCPenney was built, in 1974, until its de-malling in 2008. |
| Gross leasable area | 653,000 sq ftEsri 2014 layer reported |
| Stores at peak | 30Esri 2014 layer reported |
| Anchors | JCPenney, Dick's Sporting Goods, Fortunoff, Borders Books/Music/Cafe, Costco, Nordstrom Rack, UFC Fit |
| Address | Rts. 23, 46 & I-80 |
| County | Passaic |
| Census division | 2 · Mid-Atlantic |
| Notes | Wikipedia categories: Demolished shopping malls in the United States |
Not yet recorded: acres, original developer. Know it? Tell us.
Background
Wayne Towne Center is a regional shopping center located in Wayne, New Jersey, in the New York City metropolitan area, adjacent to Willowbrook Mall along Willowbrook Boulevard. As of 2008, the mall had a gross leasable area of 653,000 square feet (60,700 m2). The center formerly operated as an indoor shopping mall from the time when JCPenney was built, in 1974, until its de-malling in 2008. The inner portion of the mall, which had one floor, has since been demolished.
Excerpt from Wikipedia (authors and history), CC BY-SA 4.0. May be older than the record above.
Timeline
- 1974 Opened (Wikidata)
- 1974 West Belt Mall opened as a strip mall
- 1989 Renamed Wayne Towne Center
- 2008 Borders Books and Music closed
- 2008 Borders store demolished
- 2008 De-malling begins
- 2010 Sold to Vornado Realty Trust
- 2014 Construction resumed; Fortunoff store demolished
- 2014 Dick's Sporting Goods opened two-level store
- 2015 Nordstrom Rack opened
- 2024 JCPenney announced closure
Sources
- Wikipedia: Wayne Towne Center · supports: after notes, status, strategy, year closed
14 quoted sentences
The center formerly operated as an indoor shopping mall from the time when JCPenney was built, in 1974, until its de-malling in 2008.
The center is anchored by Costco, Dick's Sporting Goods, Nordstrom Rack, and UFC Fit.
The center is anchored by Costco, Dick's Sporting Goods, Nordstrom Rack, and UFC Fit.
Later in 2008, the mall began undergoing what is referred to as 'de-malling', which refers to a process where an enclosed shopping center slowly begins a transition to a more traditional shopping center.
- Esri StoryMaps: Closed_US_Malls feature layer (2014) · 2014-10-02
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