1st New York City enclosed fashion mall in 40 years opens in the Bronx

BRONX (WABC) -- The Mall at Bay Plaza, New York City's first enclosed fashion mall in over 40 years, officially opened on Thursday.

To celebrate the occasion two years in the making, elected and community officials, mall representatives and retailers gathered for a ribbon cutting Thursday morning.

At 780,000 square feet, the newly completed three-level mall will be the largest shopping mall in the city. The mall includes a new, ground-up Macy's and an existing JC Penney as the anchor tenants.

Over 100 retail shops have been constructed, many of which are operating in the Bronx for the first time such as H&M, Michael Kors, Ulta, Victoria Secret, Kay Jewelers and many others.

Shoppers have access to four new restaurants, a new gym and AMC Theater on the site as well. The mall features a 2,400-car parking garage and ample public transportation.

Sam Shalem, CEO and Chairman of Prestige Properties & Development Co. Inc., the mall's developer, created more than 2,000 construction jobs and has now opened its doors to more than 1,700 permanent jobs in a county that holds the highest unemployment rate in the state.

The mall is located at 200 Baychester Avenue in the Bronx. It opened to the public at 10 a.m.