MASSAPEQUA, NY – After more than five decades as a retail landmark on Long Island’s South Shore, Sunrise Mall in Massapequa is officially set to be demolished. Once a bustling shopping destination since its opening in 1973, the 1.2 million-square-foot mall has faced a steep decline in foot traffic and tenants over the last several years, reflecting a national shift away from traditional indoor malls.
The property’s current owner, Sunrise Mall Holdings – a joint venture that includes Urban Edge Properties – has filed plans with the Nassau County Planning Commission to subdivide the 77-acre site into four parcels. This procedural step is widely seen as the beginning of the long-anticipated redevelopment process. Although exact redevelopment plans have not yet been made public, speculation is mounting over potential new uses, including a possible deal with Amazon for a last-mile distribution center.
Urban Edge acquired the property in 2021 and soon after began winding down existing retail operations. Leases were not renewed beginning in 2022, and anchor tenants began to vacate the property. Macy’s, one of the last remaining major stores, closed its location in March 2025, leaving only Dick’s Sporting Goods still in operation.
The Town of Oyster Bay has acknowledged the owner’s intent to raze the structures and confirmed that future use of the property is expected to remain within the commercial and industrial space – namely, retail and warehouse development. Officials have stated that any formal redevelopment will be subject to local approvals and community input.
While longtime residents express mixed feelings – some nostalgic for the mall’s heyday, others hopeful for economic revitalization – the move marks another chapter in Long Island’s shifting retail landscape. The rise of e-commerce, combined with changing consumer behavior, has rendered many regional malls obsolete. Sunrise Mall is now set to join a growing list of shuttered suburban retail centers being repurposed for modern logistics, housing, or mixed-use developments.
As plans progress, both town officials and Urban Edge have committed to transparency and public engagement, promising that residents will have opportunities to voice concerns and shape the mall’s future. Until then, the Sunrise Mall, once a retail powerhouse, is preparing to fade into history – making way for a new era of development in Massapequa.
