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Burlington Center Mall

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Coordinates: 40°02′28″N 74°49′30″W / 40.041°N 74.825°W / 40.041; -74.825
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For the shopping mall in Ontario, see Burlington Centre.

Burlington Center Mall
Main entrance, exterior view, c. March 2018
Map
LocationBurlington Township, New Jersey, U.S.
Coordinates40°02′28″N 74°49′30″W / 40.041°N 74.825°W / 40.041; -74.825
Address2501 Mt Holly Road, 08016
Opening dateAugust 5, 1982; 43 years ago (August 5, 1982)
Closing dateJanuary 8, 2018; 8 years ago (January 8, 2018) (mall interior)
September 2, 2018; 7 years ago (September 2, 2018) (final tenant Sears)
DemolishedMarch 2021–2022
DeveloperThe Rouse Company
ManagementClarion Partners
OwnerClarion Partners
ArchitectRTKL Associates (mall)
Charles J. Collins Jr. Architects (storefronts)[1]
Stores and services125 (at peak)
Anchor tenants3 (at peak; 4th one at 2497 Mt Holly Rd)
Floor area800,000 sq ft (74,000 m2)[2]
Floors2
ParkingParking lot
Websiteshopatburlington.com (2011 archive)
Building details
General information
StatusDefunct; permanently closed early due to broken fire sprinkler system

Burlington Center was a shopping mall located in Burlington Township, New Jersey. It was built by The Rouse Company of Columbia, Maryland. Its anchors were Macy's, JCPenney, and Sears.

The mall closed on January 8, 2018, with only Sears remaining open until its closure on September 2, 2018.[3][4] Demolition of the mall began in early 2021 and continued through 2022.[5]

History

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Pre-construction and development

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The development of Burlington Center Mall began in the late 1970s, initiated by James W. Rouse of The Rouse Company, a Columbia-based real-estate developer known for creating retail centers and planned communities that integrated retail with community-oriented design. The project centered on acquiring a site spanning more than 270 acres in the rural expanse of Burlington Township, New Jersey, along Route 541 (Mount Holly Road), to develop a regional mall accessible to the Philadelphia metropolitan area and nearby communities in South Jersey. The purpose of the development was to revitalize the area from growing suburban population, which in turn led to shifting consumer preferences toward convenient, all-weather shopping centers.[6]

RTKL Associates was selected as the architect for the mall, along with Charles J. Collins Jr. Architects for the mall's storefronts. Construction initiated through the early 1980s. RTKL announced that the mall would feature a spacious central atrium illuminated by large skylights, allowing for an open-air feel while also providing protection from the elements, and was targeted to suburban retail demands with a focus on family-oriented amenities and easy navigation. An ample parking lot would surround the facility, helping Burlington Center with high traffic from nearby highways like I-295 and the New Jersey Turnpike.[7]

Burlington Center had its grand opening on August 5, 1982, housing around 125 stores and restaurants, along with a diverse mix of national chains and local vendors that catered to everyday shopping needs. The mall's success erected significant economic growth in Burlington Township, increasing local tax revenues and inspiring similar development such as nearby housing and services.[8]

After opening

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JCPenney opened a 103,000-square-foot (9,600 m2) store in August 1996 as an addition to the existing Strawbridge's and Sears stores. The Rouse Co. sold the mall to Jager Management in November 1999 for $10.5 million.[9] Chuck E. Cheese, a family entertainment center, opened nearby Burlington Center at 2497 Mt Holly Rd on January 31, 2002.[10] Strawbridge's was converted to a Macy's store in September 2006, along with the rest of Strawbridge's remaining locations following its acquisition by Federated Department Stores.[11] At this period, the mall had 3 anchor stores and 100 smaller stores and restaurants.[12]

Decline and redevelopment

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Starting in the mid-2000s, the Burlington Center Mall's personality as a community-gathering, family-friendly retail center was gradually turning around, following the rise of e-commerce like Amazon and competition from modern shopping centers and recently expanded ones, such as Quaker Bridge Mall. The 2010s saw an increase in the vacancy rate with few national chains remaining in the mall. In January 2010, Macy's announced that its Burlington Center location would close by March 2010.[13] In June 2012, the mall was sold at auction to Moonbeam Equities for $4.4 million.[9][12] In 2014, JCPenney left the mall as part of the chain's round of closures affecting 33 locations nationwide,[14] leaving Sears as the only anchor store at the mall.[15]

In 2014, Moonbeam Capital Investments announced plans for redevelopment that would demolish the former Macy's and JCPenney and replace it with an outdoor shopping area.[16][17] Construction was expected to begin by the summer of 2016,[18] but work was delayed as a result of lease renegotiations with Sears, a primary property holder.[19]

Chuck E. Cheese closed its doors on October 2, 2016,[10] exacerbating Burlington Center's low traffic by removing a popular, family-friendly entertainment center. Throughout 2017, the mall continued to decline. By summer 2017, only a few stores were left at the mall, including a food pantry, arcade, Bath & Body Works, and Foot Locker. The food court was completely vacant and portions of the parking lot were overgrown with weeds.[12] In the 2017 Christmas season, two non-profits–the Burlington Township Food Pantry and Burlington Center Mission–were evicted, being requested to leave the mall by December 22.[20]

Burlington Center Mall was at its peak as a "dead mall" in late 2017. The mall's plants were removed, and it voluntarily closed on January 8, 2018 due to extensive damage from the mall's fire sprinkler system, after originally planning to close in March 2018. The Sears store located on the property, which was under separate ownership than the rest of the mall, remained open.[12]

On May 31, 2018, it was announced that Sears would be closing in September 2018 as part of a plan to close 72 stores nationwide, leaving the mall entirely without tenants.[3][4]

In January 2019, Clarion Partners, LLC was moving ahead with plans to acquire the former mall from Moonbeam Capital Investments, LLC and demolish it for an industrial development.[21] OClario Partners purchased the mall for $22 million.[22] On February 1, 2019, a large bronze elephant named Petal that had been in the mall since 1982 was moved out of the closed mall and was relocated to the Burlington Riverwalk.[23]

In November 2019, a new proposal, known as The Crossings, was introduced for the redevelopment of the mall, including retail, restaurants, 400 to 500 housing units and several large warehouses.[24] Following the demolition of the mall in 2021, construction on a warehouse on the former site of the mall began in 2022.[25][26]

Controversy

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The mall was closed early on January 13, 2007, due to gang-related violence that may have involved 20 individuals connected with the Bloods and the Next Level Gang (considered a stepping stone to the Crips).[27][28]

2018 fire sprinkler problem

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In early January 2018, the fire sprinkler system in Burlington Center Mall was extensively damaged due to record-breaking cold, causing multiple water pipes to burst. The resulting flooding caused significant damage to the mall's interior, particularly in the common areas and other remaining storefronts.

On January 8, 2018, Burlington Township Fire Marshal permanently shut down the mall's interior from public access because after the incident, the fire sprinkler system was confirmed to be non-functional, and the cost for repairing the infrastructure was deemed prohibitive by Moonbeam Capital Investment. Additionally, the freezing not only damaged the sprinkler system but also damaged HVAC systems and electrical systems. Only Sears remained open, but the tenant could only be accessed from its exterior entrance. It closed in September 2018.[29]

Former anchor stores

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Mall anchors included:[30]

  • Sears – 145,039 sq ft (13,474.6 m2), (opened August 2, 1982; closed September 2, 2018)[31]
  • Macy's – 175,686 sq ft (16,321.8 m2) (originally Strawbridge & Clothier; closed 2010)
  • JCPenney – 102,704 sq ft (9,541.5 m2) (opened 1996; closed 2014)
  • Chuck E. Cheese (nearby) – 14,500 sq ft (1,350 m2) (opened January 31, 2002; closed October 2, 2016)[10]

Location

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The mall was located on Mount Holly Road (County Route 541), between Interstate 295 (exits 47A/B) and the New Jersey Turnpike (exit 5).

References

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  1. ^ "Clients". Collins Architect. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  2. ^ International Council of Shopping Centers: Burlington Center Mall Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine, accessed September 21, 2006
  3. ^ a b Halyey Peterson (May 31, 2018). "Sears is closing 63 stores as sales tumble — here's the full list". Business Insider. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Sears store in Burlington Township to close". The Courier-Post. Cherry Hill, NJ. May 31, 2018. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  5. ^ Walsh, Jim. "As one South Jersey mall comes down, others see need for change". Courier-Post. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  6. ^ "Burlington Center Mall turns 30". Burlington County Times. August 22, 2012. Retrieved February 16, 2026.
  7. ^ Frush, Charlie (November 19, 1986). "Boom Times Seeking Gold in the Route 541 Corridor". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  8. ^ "Sears store in Burlington Township to close". Courier-Post. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  9. ^ a b O'Sullivan, Jeannie (August 22, 2012). "Burlington Center Mall turns 30, gets new owner". Burlington County Times. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  10. ^ a b c "CHUCK E CHEESE'S - CLOSED - 2497 Mount Holly Road, Burlington Township, New Jersey". MapQuest. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
  11. ^ Bishop, Christopher (April 30, 2006). "Strawbridge's retail reign ends". Burlington County Times.[permanent dead link]
  12. ^ a b c d Hoover, Amanda (January 11, 2018). "The saddest mall in N.J. shutters after years of uncertainty". NJ.com. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  13. ^ Conaboy, Chelsea (January 7, 2010). "Macy's closing new blow to a mall some call dead". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on May 9, 2012. Retrieved May 4, 2011.
  14. ^ "Here's A List Of The J.C. Penney Stores That Are Closing". The Huffington Post. January 15, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
  15. ^ "JCPenney closing in Burlington Twp". The Courier-Post. Cherry Hill, NJ. January 16, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
  16. ^ Rojas, Cristina (February 2, 2014). "Closure of J.C. Penney at Burlington Center mall a 'possible opportunity' to expand redevelopment, owner says". The Times. Trenton, NJ. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
  17. ^ "Burlington Center Mall redeveloper buys shuttered J.C. Penney store as part of $230M revamp".
  18. ^ "Archives - Philly.com". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on February 3, 2015.
  19. ^ "SJ mall's renovation delayed".
  20. ^ Levinsky, David. "2 nonprofits asked to leave Burlington mall amid potential closing".
  21. ^ Adelman, Jacob (January 26, 2019). "Investment group set to buy Burlington Center Mall, with reported plans for industrial project". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  22. ^ Broadt, Lisa (May 8, 2019). "After $22 million purchase, Burlington Center waits for redevelopment". Burlington County Times. Archived from the original on May 8, 2019. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  23. ^ "Petal the elephant moved from Burlington Center mall, headed to new home". Philadelphia, PA: WPVI-TV. February 1, 2019. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  24. ^ Broadt, Lisa (November 10, 2019). "Rebuilding Burlington Center". Burlington County Times. Archived from the original on November 11, 2019. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  25. ^ Walsh, Jim. "What's coming to former site of Burlington Center mall?". Burlington County Times. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  26. ^ "Retail will return to former New Jersey mall site—along with three warehouses". Chain Store Age. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  27. ^ Fight closes mall in Burlington Twp., The Courier-Post, January 16, 2007
  28. ^ Mall Brawl Possibly Sparked by Mistaken Identity, WPVI-TV, January 16, 2007
  29. ^ "Burlington Center Mall future remains unclear". Burlington County Times. December 19, 2018. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
  30. ^ Hoover, Amanda. "NJ.com ranked all the malls in the state. See inside the saddest one", NJ.com, August 21, 2017. Accessed March 9, 2018. "The mall opened in August of 1982 on the nearly 42-acre site. In the late 1990s when Jager Management purchased the space, it was valued at $10.5 million. JCPenney became a third anchor, along with Sears and Strawbridge's, which later became a Macy's."
  31. ^ "Burlington Center mall lease map". Moonbeam Capital Investments, LLC. Las Vegas, NV. Retrieved May 15, 2014.[permanent dead link]
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