Garden State Plaza looks to create ‘downtown’ area of Paramus: report

PARAMUS, N.J. — The Garden State Plaza is the mecca of all New Jersey shopping malls, and now there are talks to make the place not only an area to shop, but also a place to live, with hopes to create an entire “downtown” area for Paramus.

Garden State Plaza’s owners have big plans to build luxury apartments in the area so people can literally walk to their favorite stores, Northjersey.com reported.

The first phase of the plan involves taking three vacant spots, once filled by JCPenney, Uniqlo and Best Buy, and turn them into 20 new retail spaces, according to NorthJersey.com.

Mixed-use residential complexes and a luxury hotel are reportedly in the plans.

Think parking will be a nightmare? There are also reported plans to expand an existing mall parking garage.

About 20 million people come to Garden State Plaza every year, which rivals Disney World.

More money is spent here than any other U.S. zip code, drawing in about $6 billion in annual retail sales, despite being closed on Sundays because of Bergen County blue laws.

Though it’s still in the planning phases, if owners get the green light, the first phase to transform the three abandoned anchor stores would be done by the end of next year, and the luxury departments are slated to be completed in 2022.