MEADOWLANDS XANADU RETAIL ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX

MEADOWLANDS XANADU RETAIL ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX

Located in the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in an area which was once an under-utilized parking lot, is this five-storey retail and entertainment complex which when completed, will be the largest shopping mall in the United States and the third largest shopping mall in the world.

Visible from the New Jersey turnpike and New Jersey Route 3, this massive edifice is primarily composed of horizontal rectilinear prefinished metal panels in a variety of colours with mechanical screening of red and orange mesh. Added to this are four precast concrete parking decks, a 330 ft (100.5 m) tall Ferris wheel and an indoor year-round ski slope. As a whole this mammoth project exudes an industrial aesthetic, similar to that of three large, brightly coloured cargo container ships docked at a shipping yard.

Internally, this retail and entertainment complex is organized around five retail “districts”,  finished according to their specific theme (see General Program), allowing shoppers to easily map out their route and return to their car, without getting lost.

To properly service so many consumers under one roof, the need for quick, direct parking became tantamount to a good shopping experience. As such, a unique design feature of this complex, is that ground level parking is available below the entire building – which itself is raised on columns – with a multitude of glass vestibules signaling the entrances to themed retail “districts” above, complete with escalators and elevators.

LOCATION: East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA

ARCHITECT: The Rockwell Group – Design Architect

EXECUTIVE ARCHITECT: Adamson Associates Architects

TECHNICAL DESIGN LEADERSHIP: Michael Poitras,
Partner-in-Charge of Design, Adamson

CLIENT: The Mills Corporation in partnership with Mack-Cali Realty Corporation

STATISTICS:

  • No. of storeys: 5
  • Total floor area:
    4,500,000 ft2 (418,064 m2)
  • No. of zones: 5 themed retail districts
  • Parking: 42,250 (includes 3 parking decks)
  • Loading docks: 12 large + 4 small

MATERIALS:

  • Prefinished insulated metal panels (various colours)
  • Curtain wall doors & windows
  • Stucco
  • Modified bitumen roofs
  • Concrete
  • Concrete block (service zones)
  • Precast concrete (parking decks)

GENERAL PROGRAM: Themed Retail Districts

Sports:

  • Cabela’s
  • Snowpark (year-round indoor ski slope)
  • I FLY Meadowlands
  • Sports Authority
  • Adrenalina

Youth Culture:

  • Legoland Discovery Center
  • It’s Sugar
  • Wanna Do City

Entertainment:

  • AEG Live
  • Muvico 26
  • Lucky Strike
  • The Funplex
  • Wonder Works
  • Digital Playground
  • Virgin Megastore

Food & Home:

  • Zeytinia
  • Cooking Studio
  • Culinary Arts Centre
  • Mitchell’s Fish Market
  • The Melting Pot
  • Sofrito
  • The Cheesecake Factory
  • Benihana

Fashion:

  • The “fashion district” will contain the majority of the smaller stores as well as a large stage for fashion shows, complete with tiered audience seating

COST: US $2.4 billion

COMPLETION: 2011