Hicksville's Revitalization
By Wendy Elkis Girnis ('77)
Mid-Island Plaza 1957 Open Air MallIf you grew up in Hicksville, chances are you either worked at one of the stores in Mid-Island Plaza, or you worked at Sears. You probably hung out at the
Sears mall with your friends on a Friday or Saturday night, or maybe you went to see a movie at the Twin Theaters during the summer or during winter break. Maybe you took the LIRR to the city to see a play or skate at Rockerfeller Center. Those days are over. Hicksville’s downtown is going through revitalization.
Hicksville's Revitalization
In 2017, Hicksville received a $10M grant to kick off Hicksville’s revitalization. In 2020, a vacant office building on Broadway was repurposed for office and living space. There were more changes coming. Twenty-four projects were up for consideration.
In December of 2023, local officials broke ground for a development project for a mixed-use property at 99 Newbridge Rd., not far from the train station. 
99 Newbridge When completed in 2026, it will consist of retail space, restaurants, office space, and residential apartments. Another mixed-use development is planned on the old Sears property. Although the original developer withdrew their plans, another developer put in 
195 North Broadway Sears Propertya bid. In 2023, the property sold. It is zoned for retail, medical, and office space. These projects are a mix of public works and private-sector developments. These developments will include improvements in transportation and walkability and an investment in the Long Island Railroad. There will be the creation of open space, the easing of traffic congestion, and the building of residential homes.
Back to the Future for Shopping
One of the most glaring changes is the Mall. Mid-Island Plaza- Broadway Mall- Broadway Commons Mall, whatever you call it, just sold in February of 2024 for $40 million. The building we knew as Gertz- Stern’s- Macy’s will be torn down, as well as 100,000 sq. ft. of the interior of the mall. By razing these
Rendering of the the Shoppes on Broadway spaces, it will provide room for an open-air concept shopping center called The Shoppes on Broadway. It will have a 70,000 sq. ft. three-story building containing restaurants, outdoor seating, and entertainment businesses. A 100,000 sq ft. anchor store, BJ’s Wholesale Club, has been signed. BJ’s will also include a gas station and EV charging stations. The developer, Schuckman Realty, hopes to make the mall more shopper, community, and pedestrian-friendly by reimagining the mall. The shops will be returning to their beginnings as an open-air shopping center.
Changes for 2025-2026
As you see, there are a lot of changes coming to Hicksville. The Town Board and the TOB approved more projects. Per the Mid-Island Times article from December 12, 2014,
"The $6.2 million invested yesterday by the Town Board complements the $8.7 million awarded to the Town of Oyster Bay through the New York State Downtown Revitalization Initiative. These funds are earmarked for:
- Festival Plaza: construction of a raised walking path with landscaping, seating areas, and safer pedestrian connection to LIRR station
- Kennedy Park Expansion: transforming an existing parking lot into green space for outdoor activities like concerts and pop-up vendors
- The Underline: expansion of the area under the train trestle between Newbridge Rd. and Broadway for pop-up shops and outdoor cafes.
- Beautification Upgrades: new lighting, trees, benches, trash cans, crosswalks throughout the area."
Five more private sector projects are also in the works for 2025-2026. These include residential projects on West Cherry St. as well as the Bank of America Building. More mixed-use projects will also be constructed on Broadway.
Hicksville is changing. Those of us who have been away from Hicksville for a while may not recognize it as the sleepy town we grew up in. It seems to be becoming a vibrant, up-and-coming destination.
Resources:
If you would like to read more about the changes in Hicksville, click on the links below.
- Town of Oyster Bay, Former Sears Property Development September 17, 2020 https://oysterbaytown.com/sears/
- $130M project lifts Hicksville’s downtown revitalization efforts – April 23, 2023 https://libn.com/2023/04/20/130m-project-lifts-hicksvilles-downtown-revitalization-efforts/
- JLL inks sale of vacant Sears property, occupied pad sites on Long Island https://re-nj.com/jll-inks-sale-of-vacant-sears-property-occupied-pad-sites-on-long-island/
- Bethpage Newsgram - Ground broken on $111 million revitalization in Hicksville Dec 14, 2023 https://www.bethpagenewsgram.com/articles/ground-broken-on-111-million-revitalization-in-hicksville/
- Long Island Mall set for $100M Makeover 6/12/2024 https://chainstoreage.com/long-island-mall-set-100-million-makeover
- Bringing the Shops Broadway Back to the Future: A Bold Vision for the 21st Century Oct 31, 2024 https://www.kron4.com/business/press-releases/ein-presswire/756309550/bringing-the-shops-broadway-back-to-the-future-a-bold-vision-for-the-21st-century/
- Alpine Resisdential 99 Newbridge Road https://alpine-re.com/property/hicksville/
- Mid Island Times: Town authorizes funds for Hicksville revitalization projects- December 19, 2024
https://www.midislandtimes.com/articles/town-authorizes-funds-for-hicksville-revitalization-projects/
