King Of Prussia Mall Planning For A Radically Different Reopening
KING OF PRUSSIA, PA — As certain coronavirus mitigation measures are lifted around Pennsylvania, some businesses are reopening their doors. But they'll be opening their doors to a murky, post-pandemic future — one that is unlikely to resemble the world before the outbreak began.
Perhaps nowhere is that more true than the King of Prussia Mall, the retail center for the region and one of the world's largest and most popular shopping destinations.
The reopening date for nonessential businesses in Montgomery County remains unknown, even as certain counties around the state begin to move into the second "yellow" phase of reopening. Montgomery County remains firmly in the red phase and still has a ways to go.
Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday extended the region's stay-at-home order through June 4.
In order for Montgomery County to reach the state's final "green" phase, where major mitigation measures are lifted, the total number of cases must be down to fewer than 50 new confirmed cases per 100,000 people — or a total of 415 new cases over a 14-day period. The county has seen more than 1,600 cases over the last two weeks.
Simon Property Group, which also owns Montgomery Mall, has already opened 59 shopping centers in 13 states, in places where the virus has not hit as hard.
In the malls that are opening elsewhere, food courts are takeout only, entrances are limited, and temperature-taking will be offered via infrared thermometers.
Numerous distancing strategies are in place at these locations. The malls are aiming to not exceed a targeted level of one shopper per 50 square of space. They're also working to restrict the number of entrances to properties and, like grocery stores, will establish lines to manage traffic.
Simon officials also listed new protocols on its webpage, including requiring its own employees to wear protective equipment on the job. The company said it is recommending that its tenants follow suit.
Announcing the reopening schedules in other states, Simon struck an optimistic note, saying that some of its tenants experienced "much stronger than expected sales" and citing "significant pent-up consumer demand."
"Shopper response to our reopenings has been very positive," the company said in a statement. "Initial traffic has been better than expected, and at times we have had to limit access to our properties to ensure enthusiastic shoppers adhere to the social distancing standards outlined in our COVID-19 safety protocols." (See video)
Individual tenants within malls are responsible for managing the occupancy in their specific stores. It's not clear if, at King of Prussia, the occupancy of the general mall floor would be similarly enforced from the outside of the building.
The properties will be sanitized nightly, the company said.
A recent analysis of the King of Prussia Mall from the Philadelphia Business Journal says that coronavirus could "accelerate" trends such as online shopping that, even before the pandemic, were already leading to the decline of brick-and-mortar stores. The report notes:
"From an increase in online shopping to the survival of restaurants, all types of retailers are being tested at this time, (Villanova University professor of finance Shawn) Howton said. Some questions that will arise from the changes underway include whether restaurants need to provide more space for social distancing and if a landlord will adjust rents downward to reflect that. When some retailers go dark, how will malls and property owners backfill the space since demand for traditional retail is expected to remain sluggish?"
Montgomery County has 4,839 confirmed cases of coronavirus and had recorded a total of 393 deaths as of Thursday afternoon.
With reporting from Patch correspondent Lanning Taliaferro
This article originally appeared on the Norristown Patch
