New York City

New York City Now Has Its First-Ever Outlet Center

What to Know

  • New Yorkers have a new shopping destination now that the city’s first-ever outlet center has officially opened its doors on Staten Island
  • Empire Outlets at the St. George Waterfront allows shoppers to enjoy retail outlets, green public open spaces, art installations and dining
  • Later this summer, a 40,000-square-foot food and beverage deck with views of Manhattan, will open with dozens of food concepts

New Yorkers have a new shopping destination now that the city’s first-ever outlet center has officially opened its doors on Staten Island.

Empire Outlets at the St. George Waterfront allows shoppers to enjoy retail outlets, green public open spaces, art installations and dining all in one space across 340,000 square feet.

Later this summer, a 40,000-square-foot food and beverage deck with views of Manhattan, will open with dozens of food concepts including MRKTPL, Staten Island's first-ever artisanal food hall.

"The opening of Empire Outlets is a historic day for Staten Island and for BFC Partners," said Donald Capoccia and Joseph Ferrara, Principals of BFC Partners, developers of the property. "We set out to revolutionize the shopping experience in New York City and we are proud to have successfully created a unique and unforgettable shopping destination for New Yorkers and visitors from around the world."

Visitors can access Empire Outlets as they depart the free Staten Island Ferry which provides service 24/7 at the St. George Ferry Terminal, as the outlet center is located mere steps away from the terminal.

"The grand opening of Empire Outlets means thousands of local jobs and millions of tourists from near and far flooding to Staten Island every year. For years I have advocated for the development of these outlets and requested that the Federal Transit Administration expedite the development's application. I'm proud and excited to see the project reach completion and I look forward to the prosperity it brings to the North Shore of Staten Island and the rest of the city," U.S. Senator Charles Schumer said.

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul echoed similar sentiments.

"Empire Outlets will be a game-changer for the North Shore of Staten Island and is part of our regionalized economic development strategy to support world-class attractions across New York State," Hochul said.

Meanwhile, Vicki Been, Deputy Mayor of Housing and Economic Development, called the opening of Empire Outlets “a testament to the significant investments being made on Staten Island.”

"The Empire Outlets is the first large domino to fall in what hopefully will be a reclaiming and revitalization of a huge swath of Staten Island's waterfront. It will lead to further investment, big and small, from the private sector and government, all while being an exciting tourist attraction that finally gets tourists off the Staten Island Ferry and into our community. It will help us show folks we are the Unexpected Borough," Staten Island Borough President James Oddo said.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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