EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — A visibly frustrated East Brunswick Mayor Brad Cohen attempted to set the record straight at Monday's Town Council meeting, when talking about social media chatter about the future of Brunswick Square Mall.
“Just zip it,” Cohen said, referring to those putting out incorrect information on social media.
Information Spreads on Social Media
Cohen says a media outlet contacted him last weekend through his township email asking for comment about the future of the mall. Without waiting for comment, Cohen said, the media outlet published a story “not in a positive manner for the township or for the builder and the owner of the (Brunswick Square Mall) property himself.”
Cohen said the incorrect information continued to spread on social media.
“I think it’s an example of exactly what’s going on today in terms of people going to social media, just assuming that everything you read (or) hear… is the truth," he said.
At Monday's Town Council meeting, Cohen said there are three major property owners on the Brunswick Square Mall site. That includes the mall, Macy's and Penney's. The larger portion, Cohen said, is owned by the mall.
Cohen said some comments on social media said that East Brunswick is going to just tear buildings down.
“News flash, we don't own it,” Cohen said of the mall. “It's private property. We can't just go in and do what we want.”
“Not Enough Foot Traffic”
Cohen also said that “virtually three-fourths of the stores in the mall have not been paying rent for the last several years, because there's just not enough foot traffic in the mall.” He went on to say the mall's owner hasn't kicked them out because he doesn't want an empty mall.
He said the goal of the mall's owner and the township is to turn it into a viable retail property that works in 2025, instead of 1975.
“If all the people on Facebook who said that it was such a wonderful place, if they’re really upset that it’s going, that they’re all the time – I don’t know – I walk down that hallway all the time, I could roll a bowling ball down and it would never hit anybody.,” Cohen said. “There’s nobody in that mall.”
Cohen said he's hearing from East Brunswick residents that they want high-end grocers and retail, in addition to entertainment. He said the developer and owner of the property want to do that too.
“So if you all just zip it for five minutes and let the guy and the town work together to provide exactly what it is that everybody tells me they want there and turn it into a viable mall,” Cohen said.
He also said the mall would also include “some sort of component that helps us meet our fourth round housing obligation.”
“Patience” About the Future
Macy's, Cohen said, was sold several months ago and the company is renting it back from the current land owner.
“The intention is for them to operate it as a Macy’s through 2027, at which point we all know that it’s the whole property will be redeveloped into something, but they don’t want an empty building,” Cohen said.
He said the future of Penney's has not yet been determined.
"They’re negotiating with the owner of the mall to see if that gets sold," Cohen said. “It may or may not be sold. I don’t have a crystal ball."
The mayor says he thinks that the public will be happy with whatever happens. He's just asking everyone for time.
“When we’re at a point where we could actually talk about the stores that have officially signed leases, you will know. We want you to know. I want you to know,” he said. “I think you’re going to be happy with it, but just give it time. We can’t make it go any faster. I just ask that you be a little patient.”
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