Plan to raze mall and revitalize downtown White Plains

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NEWS) - The White Plains Mall was built in the early 1970s in downtown White Plains, New York. As the area transforms, time is ticking for the almost vacant mall. 

"It's in a bad state of repair at this point and not really functioning very well for anyone," Mayor Thomas Roach said.

That is why the owner of the property, WP Mall Realty, has proposed tearing down the mall and building a mixed-use development.

"That would incorporate a craft food hall, which would be a nice thing to have in the city, some public open space," Roach said.

And 900 multifamily residential units of which 10 percent, the mayor said, must be affordable under the city's affordable housing program.

"It's going to be a net addition to the housing stock, which helps stabilize prices," Roach said. "And an inclusion of 10 percent affordable, which offers our workforce an opportunity to stay in our city."

The project, known as Hamilton Green, would be convenient to those who commute into New York City.

"This going to be built a block and half from a train station that puts you in Midtown in 34 minutes, 125th Street in less than half an hour," Roach said. "So that's pretty prime real estate and what you're going to get is a lot of people moving in that are going to make use of our local businesses, that are going to shop here, go out dinner -- and that is what drives your local economy. "

But not everyone is on board. Some of the mall tenants we spoke to say by closing the mall they will lose their jobs.

The Asian market has been inside the mall for more than 12 years. Peter told us there is no other place like this in white plains.

White Plains Mall is also home to the DMV, a music store, shoe repair, and a few other businesses.

Residents will have a chance to voice their opinions at a public meeting on September 5.