PARAMUS, NJ—Built in 1957, Bergen Town Center is the second oldest mall in New Jersey. Located off Route 4 in Paramus, the mall has gone through numerous transformations, renovations, and re-branding over the years. Formerly known as Bergen Mall, the shopping area was revamped in 2006 to turn it from a traditional mall into a "town center” where customers could enter individual stores from the parking lot, instead of having to walk through mall corridors to gain entrance to retailers.
To differentiate it from the other malls in the area, such as The Garden State Plaza, the last makeover included adding the outlet store versions of high-end retailers, such as Saks, to make it an outlet destination for people who want fashion for less. Bloomingdale's The Outlet Store, Marshall's, Saks OFF 5TH, Whole Foods Market, Target, Burlington, Ruth's Chris, Nordstrom Rack, Nike Factory Store, H&M, Target, Gap Factory, Old Navy Outlet, and Chico’s Outlet are popular destinations.
Construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2023, once they have completed all the approvals from the borough’s Planning Board. They hope to open to the public in the fall 2024 or early 2025. Urban Edge Properties, who owns the site, has announced several new tenants set to open including Kohl’s department store, the chicken and waffle restaurant Chick’n Cone, Ani Ramen, V/O Med Spa, and Pandora Jewelry. Kohl’s, which is now on the opposite side of Route 4, will take over a majority of the 140,000 square foot location that was once Century 21.
The most significant change will be the addition of a Hackensack Meridian Health state-of-the-art medical facility. The 80,000-square-foot, four-story facility will be near Route 4, adjacent to Olive Garden. Executive Vice President of Urban Edge Properties Chris Weilminister is hoping to add retail that is relevant to today’s consumers, with the right mix of shops and restaurants. In order to keep the “town center” feel, the renovations will include improved walkability, more light, and more open sections offering shoppers fresh air.
"We have been the town center for Paramus for many, many years," said Weilminster. "It’s been that way for the last 70+ years and we want to make it that way for the next 70+ years. That’s what our long term mission is." He says that having a medical facility next to a shopping center will make it a go-to place for the community, where they can take care of errands, doctor appointments, shopping, and dining, all in one centralized area.
Hackensack Meridian Health is New Jersey’s largest health provider, and this new location will provide another option for care for its many patients. The four-story building will offer a wide range of affiliated providers who provide same-day care. Urban Edge Properties is working in conjunction with the New Jersey Department of Transportation to improve the entrance into the parking garage on the west side of the mall’s entrance to ease traffic flow.