Bill---nice talking to you yesterday
Silver Queen the one and only
Some info from 2011--I think the whole plan started in 2008.
SAYREVILLE — A major retailer of outdoor recreational items is planning to open a store in the borough.
Bass Pro Shops has signed a letter of intent to lease a 200,000-square-foot retail store at The Point, a mixed-use development planned at the former site of National Lead Industries, according to the site’s developer, O’Neill Properties Group.
The planned store of the Springfield, Mo.–based company would be the first in New Jersey for Bass Pro Shops and one of the largest in the Northeast, Larry Whiteley of Bass Pro Shops said.
“The shop will be about the size of 5½ football fields,” Whiteley said. “Each store is a natural history museum, an aquarium, an art gallery, an antique shop and a conservation education center.”
And, he added, the stores do sell a full line of outdoor recreational equipment, clothing and gifts.“But the unique thing about our stores is that every one of them is themed for that particular area of the country,” he said. “Not one is alike. We give so much space to telling the story or history of that area. This store has the potential for being one of our best stores. This project is making it a tremendous location for us.”
The local store would join the 56 Bass Pro Shops currently open, Whiteley said, adding that two more stores are slated to open by the end of the year.
The Point is a planned 8 million–square–foot development that is slated to include a 3 million–square–foot mall and entertainment district. The plans also include 2,000 high-end residential units, 650,000 square feet of office space, hotels and two luxury marinas. The plan also includes waterfront dining, a community center, bike trails, walking paths and an open-space area.
“The Point will be a pedestrian friendly community providing visitors and residents alike with a lifestyle experience unequaled in the tri-state area,” said Brian O’Neill, founder and chairman of O’Neill Properties Group. “Moreover, it will generate thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in new tax revenue.
The estimated development cost for project is about $2 billion, officials said.
Store in first phase
The planned Bass Pro Shops store would be located in The Landing at The Point, which is slated to be the first phase of development, according to the developer.
The Landing at The Point will include several big-box stores, a supermarket, a health club and entertainment destinations. The first retail tenant is expected on site in 2013.
Plans for The Mall at The Point include up to five luxury fashion department stores, retail stores and restaurants. It will be designed with the latest technology, including interactive touch screens, synchronized outdoor LED media towers for brand advertising and messaging, and large outdoor high-definition screens broadcasting live sporting events, concerts and other entertainment, officials said.
The interior will be built based on environmentally friendly principles, with two- and three-story indoor streetscapes throughout.
O’Neill Properties is conducting a worldwide search for a developer for The Mall at The Point, officials said. A mall developer is expected to be selected by the third quarter of 2011.
The Point is a brownfield development and revitalization project, with 74 acres of protected wetlands and wind and solar farms planned on an additional 14 acres. The project also will feature green building construction.”
