Americana Manhasset

History

Early years

The land on which the Americana Manhasset now sits was purchased in the 1950s by Gerace & Castagna, Incorporated – now Castagna Realty – which was founded in 1922 by Ferdinand Castagna as a firm specializing in masonry contracting. The shopping center opened on the site in 1956, known at the time as The Fifth Avenue of Long Island. At the time of its opening, the Fifth Avenue of Long Island included a movie theater, a drugstore, a supermarket, and other businesses – many of which were small. The Fifth Avenue of Long Island would be renamed "The Americana" by Castagna shortly thereafter. It was constructed during a period of massive population explosion on Long Island, and when many of the large, Gold Coast-era estates in the area were giving way to upscale, suburban housing developments.

The shopping center was also built adjacent to New York City-based department store B. Altman and Company's Manhasset branch, which opened in 1947 as one of the company's first branch store locations.

In 1971, B. Altman became one of the Americana Manhasset's major anchor tenants, and The Americana soon started its transformation into a lifestyle- and fashion-oriented shopping mall. Two years later, in 1973, England-based Jaeger opened a store at the mall; this was the first time that a luxury-brand retailer opened a retail store at the Americana Manhasset, and many more luxury- and name-brand retailers subsequently opened up locations at the mall in the years following.

Modern-day Americana: 1990s – present

In the 1990s, the Americana Manhasset underwent an extensive transformation and overhaul. Castagna hired architect Dominick J. Mancino to serve as the mall's master architect; Mancino,was subsequently tasked with the redesign of the shopping mall in the 1990s.

Through the overhaul project, The Americana's exteriors were altered to make the structures more luxurious, with storefront designs similar to those found along Madison Avenue or Rodeo Drive. This included the extensive utilization of limestone for the building façades. The walkways at the mall were redesigned to be surrounded by gardens; the walkways and the landscaping surrounding them were designed by Oheme, van Sweden, and Associates in 1986.

In 1989, the B. Altman department store closed, following the bankruptcy of the company. Following its closure, the former store was sold, and it was rebuilt in the 1990s as a new, separately-owned shopping center located adjacent – and attached – to the Americana Manhasset.

In addition to B. Altman, other major stores which were located at the Americana Manhasset in the past include J.J. Newberry, Escada, Yves St. Laurent, Charles Jourdan, Barneys, and Waldbaum's, amongst others.

In the early 1990s, the Waldbaum's at the eastern end of the Americana Manhasset closed, upon the end of its lease. The roughly 29000 sqft space formerly occupied by the supermarket was subsequently subdivided into nine smaller retail spaces. This new retail space was completed and officially opened in 1996, and it contains numerous stores – including Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci.

In 2019, the Americana Manhasset was connected to the Great Neck Water Pollution Control District's sanitary sewer system, eliminating the mall's reliance on septic systems on-site. The project, which was fully funded by Castagna Realty, saw the eastward extension of an existing district sewer force main underneath Northern Boulevard by approximately 0.8 mi. At the eastern end of the extended main on Northern Boulevard in front of the Americana Manhasset, a new, smaller sanitary sewer line was constructed, leading from the main under Northern Boulevard; the line travels south and east from the main, underneath the mall's parking lot, extending south and east towards the eastern end of its parking lot, where it terminates.

In 2023, the first Ralph's Coffee on Long Island opened at the Americana Manhasset, located inside the Ralph Lauren at the mall.

Tenants and services

The Americana Manhasset includes approximately 60 stores. Some of the retailers at the mall include Audemars Piguet, Bluemercury, Bottega Veneta, Brooks Brothers, Brunello Cucinelli, Burberry, Cartier, Celine, Chanel, Christian Louboutin, David Yurman, Dior, Ermenegildo Zegna, Fendi, Gucci, Hermès, Hugo Boss, Jimmy Choo, Kiton, Kith, Louis Vuitton, MaxMara, Saint Laurent, Salvatore Ferragamo, Todd Snyder, Tesla, Versace, Van Cleef & Arpels, Valentino, and Vilebrequin, amongst others.

A large number of the retail tenants at the mall are luxury brands, and the mall offers complimentary personal shoppers and a concierge.

Furthermore, as of 2023, the mall also contains multiple restaurants, and some stores – such as Hirshleifers and Ralph Lauren – also feature in-store dining options of their own.

Transportation

The Americana Manhasset is served by the following bus routes – all of which are operated by Nassau Inter-County Express (NICE):

• n20H (Great Neck LIRR – Hicksville LIRR)
• n21 (Great Neck LIRR – Glen Cove)
• n23 (Mineola Intermodal Center – Manorhaven)

All three bus routes serve the mall with stops along Northern Boulevard.

In popular culture

The shopping mall is referenced in the book Manhasset Stories, by Suzanne McLain Rosenwasser.

References

References

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5. Jacobson, Aileen. (2013-11-26). "Shoppers' Delight".
6. Paquette, Carole. (2003-09-07). "Commercial Property/Long Island; Upscale Shopping Centers Without Usual Anchors". The New York Times.
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15. Bhasin, Kim. (2018-08-28). "New York's Swankiest Mall Is Actually on Long Island". Bloomberg.com.
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18. Roach, Margaret. (June 16, 1991). "Painting on the Ground". [[Newsday]].
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20. Merin, Jennifer. (1989-11-26). "B. Altman Stores Offering Clearance Discounts : New York: After 124 years in business, the grand dame of Fifth Avenue, B. Altman & Co., is closing its doors, but only after a huge liquidation sale.".
21. (1989-11-18). "B. Altman to Close Most Stores Only Cincinnati Store Will Remain After Chain Liquidates".
22. Shaman, Diana. (1995-01-29). "In the Region/Long Island; Manhasset's 'Miracle Mile' Coming to Life Again". The New York Times.
23. Gordon, Craig. (January 13, 1993). "Backup Plan Sought for Altman's: Town warns developer on 'mess'". [[Newsday]].
24. Shaman, Diana. (1993-03-07). "In the Region: Long Island; The Redevelopment of Northern Boulevard". The New York Times.
25. (July 13, 2000). "Long Island Inc./ Americana's Waldbaum's To Shut When Lease Ends".
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27. Aurichio, Andrea. (1978-11-26). "Shop Talk". The New York Times.
28. West, Teri. (2019-01-11). "Americana Manhasset may install sewers this year".
29. West, Teri. (2019-05-20). "Americana sewer project breaks ground after state approval".
30. Schaden, Marco. (2019-07-26). "From Cesspools To Sewers".
31. (2023-06-01). "Ralph's Coffee opens in Americana Manhasset".
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34. Whalebone. (2016-12-06). "Live Like a King with Americana Manhasset » Whalebone".
35. Bratskeir, Anne. (2017-11-30). "Kith Treats opens inside luxury retailer Hirshleifers at the Americana Manhasset".
36. "Nassau Inter-County Express Bus Route Map, July, 2020".
37. "Nassau Inter-County Express – Maps and Schedules".
38. Rosenwasser, Suzanne McLain. (2012). "Manhasset Stories: More Baby Boomer Memories". Manhasset Times Media Group.