Cross County Shopping Center Celebrates Completion of $250 Million Redevelopment

Yonkers, NY (PRWEB) October 12, 2011

The Cross County Shopping Center, Westchester County?s first shopping center, celebrates a new chapter in its remarkable history with a series of events throughout the week to mark the completion of a $ 250 million redevelopment project. The extensive renovation and remerchandising of the property positions the 1million-square-foot outdoor shopping center as one of the region?s most successful and enduring retail developments.

Events to be held this week as part of the mall?s ?RE-Launch Celebration Week? include a VIP Reception for Yonkers civic and community leaders and business professionals, followed by a series of exciting programs including a restaurant tasting event, public art sculpture installation, live concert,fashion shows, beauty makeovers and much more.

?The redevelopment of Cross County Shopping Center is complete and after more than five years of renovations, we could not be more pleased with the outcome,? said James Stifel, chief investment officer for Benenson Capital Partners, LLC and executive vice president for the property?s owner, Brooks Shopping Centers, LLC. ?The center has been transformed into a modern destination with nationally-known retailers, beautifully landscaped gathering spaces and valued amenities including free parking. The one thing that has remained consistent is the connection Cross County Shopping Center has with the local community ? our history with Westchester residents are what set us apart from other shopping centers. We are so pleased to welcome our shoppers back to what we believe to be a brand new Cross County Shopping Center and a brand new shopping experience.?

?Cross County Shopping Center is an integral part of the fabric of our city. We have been pleased to work closely with Macerich and Brooks Shopping Centers to bring this revitalization to fruition. This project has created more than a thousand construction jobs and hundreds of new permanent jobs for our community, and Cross County is one of the city?s largest revenue generators. Congratulations to all involved,? said Yonkers Mayor Philip A. Amicone.

"Westchester loves to shop locally and the Cross County Shopping Center has been filling that need for close to six decades," said County Executive Robert P. Astorino. "Its redevelopment positions it as a go-to destination for shoppers for years to come and is a sign of confidence in the county's continuing economic growth."

Located in Yonkers at the junction of the Cross County Parkway and New York State Thruway, the Cross County Shopping Center features more than 100 retailers including noted national brands Macy?s, A?X Armani Exchange, Swarovski, bebe, GUESS, H&M to name a few. Since the redevelopment project began in 2007, 32 retailers representing 155,288 square feet have opened new stores and/or renovated or expanded existing stores at the center.

As part of the redevelopment project, each of the 15 buildings that comprise the center received architectural enhancements including new canopy details, updated lighting and more window frontage for retailers to showcase their merchandise.

Retail Venues Complemented by Extensive Landscaping

The 71-acre center has also undergone extensive landscaping to complement the retail venues and restore the center?s beautifully manicured outdoor setting. The common area has been transformed into an attractive pedestrian-friendly centerpiece with new brick pavers, colored concrete, new planters with seasonal and local flowers and trees that line the main promenades and entrances. The outdoor shopping experience has been enhanced with the addition of new outdoor gathering spaces with graceful fountains, comfortable seating vignettes and outdoor play areas for children.

Two new children?s play areas were opened last year to enrich the family experience at the center. The Zoo Zone play area features an animal theme, complete with eight play pieces and a tree-house/slide as the centerpiece. A second children?s play area includes two ?park pet? sculptures which are modeled after the Alice and Wonderland statutes seen in New York?s Central Park. Both play areas are open to the public at no charge.

Last year the center opened a new indoor soft seating lounge and public restrooms. The new restroom facility includes a family restroom as well as two private nursing rooms. Restrooms are located to the north of A?X Armani Exchange. Also in this location is a new centralized security office which assists shoppers with services such as Lost & Found, mass transit schedules, taxi contact assistance and store directories.

Major Improvements to Parking and Traffic Flow

A key element in the redevelopment project is the improvement of parking and traffic flow at the center. A new direct entrance into the shopping center from the Cross County Parkway allows shoppers to circle right into the property, while on-going traffic continues on Kimball Avenue. The exit ramp off the Cross County Parkway onto Midland Avenue has been widened to allow more traffic to flow toward the shopping center. There is also a new entrance into the center off Central Park Avenue that leads shoppers directly into a new parking deck with 685 free parking spaces on five levels and direct access into Macy?s on two levels. The center has more than 5,000 free parking spaces.

Macy?s, the largest store in the center, has expanded by an additional 75,000 square feet of new retail space. The $ 30 million expansion and renovation by Macy?s brings its total square footage at the center to over 400,000 square feet.

More Retailers Slated to Open Soon

Additional restaurants are slated to open at Cross County, including a free-standing TGI Friday?s and Red Lobster restaurants as well as Chipotle, BGR The Burger Joint, Noodle House and Sarku Japan. More fashion retailers are also planned to open including Adidas, a renovated Gap, Call it Spring and GNC. Future development plans call for replacing the existing eight-story office building at the center,potentially with a new hotel with approximately 150 beds, meeting space and ground-floor retail.

In addition to its many retail offerings, the Cross County Shopping Center is home to an extension center of Westchester Community College which has re-located and expanded to more than 12,000 square feet at 8510 Mall Walk. The extension center, which serves more than 2,500 students, offers a variety of credit and non-credit courses. WCC has also formed a partnership with AARP to assist the needs of area seniors.

Original Center Featured Gimbel?s and John Wanamaker?s

When it opened in 1954, the Cross County Shopping Center was Westchester?s first shopping center and featured as its original anchor stores such legendary retailers as Gimbels, John Wanamaker and F.W. Woolworth. The property was developed by Sol Atlas and subsequently acquired by Brooks Shopping Centers LLC. The group?s majority partners include Benenson Capital Partners, LLC, the New York-based firm dating back to 1905 whose holdings include over 200 properties throughout the United States, Canada and Europe; and Merchant?s National Properties, Inc., a prominent real estate development company.

The Cross County Shopping Center is professionally managed by the Macerich, a fully integrated self-managed and self-administered real estate investment trust, which focuses on the acquisition, leasing, management, development and redevelopment of regional malls throughout the United States. Macerich now owns approximately 72million square feet of gross lease-able area consisting primarily of interests in 70 regional malls. For more information about the Cross County Shopping Center visit http://www.crosscountycenter.com.

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Krombholz Celebrates Antique Jewelry

Cincinnati, Ohio (PRWEB) September 15, 2011

Krombholz Jewelers has had a love affair with antique jewelry for its entire 71 year history. The company founders, Mallie and Herb Krombholz, were avid antiquers collecting such things as brass keys and locks, art glass, guns and even automobiles. Three generation of Krombholz have bought and sold antique and estate jewelry as an intriguing part of their retail jewelry business.

On Friday, October 7th and Saturday, October 8th Krombholz Jewelers is transforming their showroom into an antique jewelry fan?s dream! All of their cases will be filled with solely antique and estate jewelry. Eight select dealers from across the United States are participating is what Krombholz hopes to be an annual event.

On hand will be jewelry from the 19th and 20th centuries including platinum Art Deco jewels, sleek designs from the Retro Period, and charming gems from the Victorian Period. One of the dealers specializes in fine costume jewelry while another presents jewelry made by some of the finest jewelry designer houses including Cartier, Harry Winston, Buccellati and Tiffany.

?I hope there are some nice examples of Buccellati?s work in the collections. I love to study the details and textures that they include in their designs!? says Krombholz owner, Lee Krombholz. Speaking to the range of jewelry offerings, Lee knows that there will be something for every jewelry lover ?If you?re an antique jewelry fan, this will be a must attend event!?

Krombholz?s hours during this event are from 10-7 on Friday Oct 7th with cocktails from 5-7 and 10-4 on Saturday. For more information call Krombholz at 513-891-1930 or go to their website krombholzjewelers.com.

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Autism Speaks Celebrates Autism Awareness Month With a Series of National Awareness and Fundraising Initiatives

New York, NY (PRWEB) March 23, 2010

Autism Speaks, the nation?s largest autism science and advocacy organization, today announced a series of awareness and fundraising initiatives involving a range of corporate and philanthropic partners that will take place throughout Autism Awareness Month in April.

?We are very fortunate to have this remarkable group of partners who share our passion for making life better for individuals with autism and their families,? said Mark Roithmayr, president of Autism Speaks. ?Our thanks go to the leadership of these companies, but also to their employees, who invest so much time and bring tremendous enthusiasm to the cause of autism advocacy.?

The 2010 Toys?R?Us fundraising campaign to benefit Autism Speaks launched on February 28 and continues through Friday, April 30. Since the partnership launched in 2007, Toys?R?Us, Inc., the Toys?R?Us Children's Fund and customer contributions have combined to provide Autism Speaks with more than $ 5.5 million. Throughout the nine-week effort, donations will be collected in all Toys?R?Us and Babies?R?Us stores in the U.S. and Canada and online at Toysrus.com/AutismSpeaks. Additionally, the company created the ?Ten Toys That Speak To Autism,? a special subset of the annual Toys"R"Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids, to highlight toys that can help children with autism develop language, creativity and social skills, among others, while playing alongside siblings and friends. Information about the 2010 campaign ? including the ?Ten Toys That Speak To Autism? and a full list of Safe Play Tips, as well as a blog titled ?Speaking About Autism? ? is available at Toysrus.com/AutismSpeaks.

In addition to the fundraising campaign, Toys?R?Us is kicking off its national sponsorship of Walk Now for Autism Speaks, a year-long series of more than 80 walk events in communities throughout North America. All funds raised in Toys?R?Us and Babies?R?Us stores, online and through the Walk Now for Autism Speaks events will go directly to Autism Speaks to support research and advocacy efforts. In February, the Toys?R?Us Children?s Fund kicked off the 2010 campaign by providing a $ 400,000 grant to Autism Speaks. Customers who donate $ 10 or more to Autism Speaks at any Toys?R?Us or Babies?R?Us store in the U.S. will receive a colorful floral-themed reusable shopping bag designed by a talented artist with autism, James Hogarth, while supplies last.

On Saturday, April 3, autism advocates Holly Robinson-Peete (an Autism Speaks board member) and Rodney Peete will sign their new books at Toys?R?Us Times Square in Manhattan. The store?s ?GeoffreyTron? electronic billboard will display information about the fundraising campaign to support Autism Speaks throughout the month of April.

Autism Speaks and retailer T.J. Maxx will, once again, partner in April on a fundraising and awareness effort. For three weeks, beginning April 11 at 880 T.J. Maxx stores nationwide, customers will be invited to purchase an Autism Speaks puzzle piece at checkout for a donation of $ 1. All proceeds will benefit Autism Speaks and customers will be able to pick up information about autism.

For the second year, chocolatier Lindt & Spr?ngli is donating 10 cents for every Lindt Gold Bunny sold in leading grocery stores and its own retail stores leading up to Easter for up to a $ 100,000 donation. As part of this promotion, Lindt is auctioning off special celebrity-autographed porcelain bunnies with all proceeds benefiting Autism Speaks. Additionally, the company is participating in Autism Speaks? Light It Up Blue campaign at many of its retail outlets, and will hold its second annual Unsung Heroes of Autism Awards on April 1 at the New York Palace hotel.

Modell's Sporting Goods stores will launch its fifth annual four-week in-store campaign in April to raise funds and awareness for Autism Speaks. Customers at 144 Modell's store locations throughout the Northeast will be able to purchase $ 1 Autism Speaks puzzle pieces at check-out, with all proceeds being directed towards autism research.

Build-A-Bear Workshop and Autism Speaks are also teaming up for the sixth consecutive year. During the month of April, customers at its stores in the U.S. and Canada will have the opportunity to make a donation to Autism Speaks at check-out. All stores will also offer customers printed information about autism.

All 8,800 Dollar General stores will give customers the opportunity to donate $ 1 to Autism Speaks at check-out. Dollar General?s NASCAR and IRL cars will carry the Autism Speaks blue puzzle piece logo during April races. Dollar General also donated $ 50,000 and will make an additional $ 50,000 donation to Autism Speaks for every race won by either Dollar General car in April.

Once again, Ask.com will feature Autism Speaks on its home page throughout the month of April and will be entirely blue on April 1. Visitors to Ask.com will be able to participate in a Q&A that earns donations for Autism Speaks.

Casey?s General Stores, for the first time, will sell puzzle pieces for $ 1 at its over 1,500 stores in nine mid-western states to benefit Autism Speaks.

NEST Home Fragrances has launched its Autism Speaks-branded Blue Garden candle in celebration of the 5th Anniversary of Autism Speaks. Sold through Nieman Marcus, Nieman Marcus.com, Bergdorf Goodman and many small boutiques across the country, this scented candle will also be used by retailers to participate in the Light It Up Blue campaign for World Autism Awareness Day and Autism Awareness Month. All net proceeds from sales of the candle will benefit Autism Speaks.

For the first time, all White Castle stores will participate in an in-store puzzle piece fundraising and awareness campaign. The campaign will roll out region-by-region beginning this spring.

Hy-Vee stores will distribute more than three million plastic grocery store bags with the Autism Speaks logo and awareness facts throughout April. With sales of more than $ 6.4 billion and more than 228 retail stores across eight Midwestern states, Hy-Vee ranks among the top 30 supermarket chains in the nation. Hy-Vee is also a sponsor of the Iowa Walk Now for Autism Speaks on June 19. During the week of April 19-25, a percentage of sales will be donated to the Walk.

Throughout the month of April, a group of 14 Panera Bread stores in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and in Memphis, Tenn. will be giving customers the opportunity to donate to Autism Speaks, and will also donate all proceeds from the sale of Blueberry bagels and a new Wildberry smoothie to the organization. Special blue bracelets will be available for $ 1. The participating stores have teamed up with local groups to support their fundraising efforts throughout March and April; the stores will also hold seminars about autism.

About Autism

Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder that inhibits a person's ability to communicate and develop social relationships, and is often accompanied by behavioral challenges. Autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed in one in 110 children in the United States, affecting four times as many boys as girls. The prevalence of autism increased 57 percent from 2002 to 2006. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called autism a national public health crisis whose cause and cure remain unknown.

About Autism Speaks

Autism Speaks is North America?s largest autism science and advocacy organization. Since its inception only five short years ago, Autism Speaks has made enormous strides, committing over $ 142.5 million to research and developing innovative new resources for families through 2014. The organization is dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. In addition to funding research, Autism Speaks also supports the Autism Treatment Network, Autism Genetic Resource Exchange and several other scientific and clinical programs. Notable awareness initiatives include the establishment of the annual United Nations-sanctioned World Autism Awareness Day on April 2 and an award-winning ?Learn the Signs? campaign with the Ad Council which has received over $ 210 million in donated media. Autism Speaks? family resources include the Autism Video Glossary, a 100 Day Kit for newly-diagnosed families, a School Community Tool Kit, a community grant program and much more. Autism Speaks has played a critical role in securing federal legislation to advance the government?s response to autism, and has successfully advocated for insurance reform to cover behavioral treatments. Each year Walk Now for Autism Speaks events are held in more than 80 cities across North America. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit http://www.autismspeaks.org.

About the Co-Founders

Autism Speaks was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright, the grandparents of a child with autism. Bob Wright is Senior Advisor at Lee Equity Partners and served as vice chairman, General Electric, and chief executive officer of NBC and NBC Universal for more than twenty years. He also serves on the boards of the Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, RAND Corporation and the New York Presbyterian Hospital. Suzanne Wright has an extensive history of active involvement in community and philanthropic endeavors, mostly directed toward helping children. She serves on the boards of several non-profit organizations and is also Trustee Emeritus of Sarah Lawrence College, her alma mater. Suzanne has received numerous awards such as the CHILD Magazine Children?s Champions Award, Luella Bennack Volunteer Award, Spirit of Achievement award by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine's National Women?s Division and the Weizmann Institute of Science. In 2008, the Wrights were named to the Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world for their commitment to global autism advocacy.

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