Gateway Center (Brooklyn)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 | |
 | |
| Coordinates | 40°39′07″N 73°52′14″W / 40.651943°N 73.870592°W |
|---|---|
| Address | 501 Gateway Drive Brooklyn, New York, 11239 |
| Opening date | October 1, 2002[1] August 1, 2014 (Gateway Center North)[2] |
| Developer | Gateway Center Properties (The Related Companies, Blackacre Capital Management)[3] |
| Owner | The Related Companies |
| No. of stores and services | 51[4] |
| Public transit access | New York City Bus: B13, B83, B84 MTA Bus Company: Q8 New York City Subway:  at New Lots Avenue (via B84) |
| Website | shopgatewaycenterbrooklyn |
Gateway Center, also referred to as Gateway Plaza Mall[5] or simply Gateway Mall, is a shopping complex in the Spring Creek section of East New York, Brooklyn, in New York City. It is located just north of the Belt Parkway at Erskine Street and Gateway Drive, which is near portions of the Gateway National Recreation Area. Built as part of the Gateway Estates plan for commercial and retail development,[6] it consists of two structures: the original structure opened in 2002 (now called Gateway Center South), and a second adjacent development opened in 2014 (called Gateway Center North or Gateway Center II).[7][8]
Transportation
The Gateway Center complex, constructed under the Gateway Estates development plan for Spring Creek,[6] is bounded by Erskine Street to the east, and a road now called Gateway Drive to the south and west, which follows the right of way of Seaview Avenue traveling east-to-west. An access road and parking lot form its northern boundary. It is located just north of the Belt Parkway and can be accessed by the parkway's Exit 15, which leads to Erskine Street.[1][6][9][10]
The original mall (Gateway Center South), which opened in 2002,[7][8] consists of a 640,000-square-foot (59,000 m2) complex, with a large parking lot and three separate structures to the south along Gateway Drive. It is anchored by several major stores, including Target, The Home Depot, Best Buy, and BJ's Wholesale Club.[1][3][9][10][11] The newer northern complex (Gateway Center North), which opened in 2014,[7][8] is similarly sized at 605,000 square feet (56,200 m2), with a second parking lot, four small adjacent buildings for small outlets, a fifth structure for an Applebee's, and a sixth for a bank. Tenants of this section, which opened in stages in late 2014, include JCPenney, TJ Maxx, ShopRite, and Aldi.[2][10][12][13][14][15]
The two-part complex was envisioned as a suburban-style strip mall.[3] The southern complex was designed by GreenbergFarrow Architects. The northern complex was designed by GreenbergFarrow as well as the Perkins Eastman firm.[16][17] Both main structures are designed in Georgian architectural style, with brick outer facades and green trim.[3] GreenbergFarrow also designed Related's Gateway Center at Bronx Terminal Market.[18]
The mall is located north of the former Fountain Avenue Landfill (now re-developed as Shirley Chisholm State Park) and was constructed on part of 230 acres of former landfill, which characterized Spring Creek for much of the 20th century.[6][9][11] Located across Erskine Street to the east is the Brooklyn Developmental Center.[6][10] Just north of the complex are Nehemiah Spring Creek and Gateway Elton, two affordable housing developments which were planned and constructed along with the mall as part of the Gateway Estates project.[5][6][11][19][20] West of the mall across Hendrix Creek is Starrett City (now known as Spring Creek Towers), accessible via the Belt Parkway to the south, or Flatlands Avenue to the north.[3] Spring Creek Educational Campus, which houses two New York City high schools, is also located north at Flatlands Avenue and Elton Street.[21]
Gateway Center South currently neighbors the new housing development The Fountain Seaview from Progressive Management, who opened its residency to tenants and currently filled vacancy of retail vendors on the corner of Erskine Street and Gateway Drive since 2022. The Erskine Shops on the street level (opposite Home Depot) features an outlet of restaurants and free parking. Though not part of Gateway Center, it may be utilized as an expansion. As of 2023 the current retail vacancy filled are Five Guys, Red Crab Juicy Seafood, Sally's Restaurant and a new addition to the Dallas BBQ restaurant chain, which opened in early 2024. More retail and housing are currently in phase developments surrounding the mall. The Alafia Housing Development Phase 1A began development on Erskine street and completed by late 2024. It neighbors Gateway Center and The Fountain Seaview/Erskine shops. It will welcome a few large and small retail spaces as well as a medical facility, which may also be utilized as expansions, though not part of Gateway Center.[22]
The mall is served directly by the B13, B83, B84 and Q8 buses. Formerly terminating at Erskine Street near the Brooklyn Developmental Center, the B13, B83, and Q8 were extended to a new bus terminal area at the west end of Gateway Center North in August 2014. The B84, meanwhile, was created in June 2013 to serve the Spring Creek neighborhood.[7][8][23][24]
The closest New York City Subway stations to the mall are New Lots Avenue in East New York, served by the 2, 3, 4, and 5 trains (connected by the B84 bus),[24] and Rockaway Parkway in Canarsie, served by the L train.[6][19]
