Dead Mall: Exploring the St Lawrence Centre - NOT the Experience I was Expecting | Massena, NY
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- čas přidán 15. 07. 2024
- In today’s adventure, we’re just a few miles from the Canadian border in upstate New York to explore the St. Lawrence Centre in the town of Massena. Things began to turn south for the mall around 2009 with the closure of the local GM plant, a major hit to the Massena economy. In the following years, Alcoa shuttered the majority of it’s operations in the Massena area as well, which was yet another major hit to the local economy. Arguably the final nail in the coffin for the mall, was the covid-19 pandemic which cut off the border to Canadian shoppers and caused the mall itself to shutter for nearly 4 months.
00:00 Intro
01:27 First Impressions
02:40 Exploring a Bit
07:42 I Can't What?
10:21 Oh... I Guess I Should Warp Things Up
As someone that lives here, the mall in spring and summer looks even more dead, grass growing in the parking lot, pot holes that make for good suspension, but the mall is not the only abandoned store in this town, there's an Aldi across the street abandoned because they moved closer to Walmart, even the only exit ramp to get inside is left alone blocked by a wall of snow in the winter. However, some places are revived like an old Ponderosa that's now a vet area... I believe, there's a car wash that's right now being turned into something else leaving us with only one car wash left, and some places are replaced like our Dominos is now a KFC, Family Dollar is part of the story to its left.
hey wait a minute i know you
i grew up in Massena left in 88.
Walmart was originally across the street as well, but due to the massive cliff next door, the foundations were giving way, meaning Walmart had to move. Aldi likely had the same problem building on the same site.
@Bacon-ti9ky Ever since GM left the area, and the Alcoa plant that supplied them shut down a few years later..... Both buisnesses originally locating there due to the cheap power from the dam. In the grand scheme of NY, the North Country is being turned into nothing but a resource generator to support NYC and the other urban areas that vote blue, while the red areas of the state that generate the resources get ignored, as they have slightly less voting power. Generating those resources doesn't even necessarily equal local jobs, as infrastructure projects to that end get outsourced(i.e. the "Smartpath" power line project shipping the dams electric south being given to numerous Wisconsin contractors, to the tune of several hundred million dollars, "because they're union", as I was told by one of them.)
@@stephaniegardner568You do Stephanie
That was cool to just stumble upon this video of a place that I've been to a bunch of times. I'm a Canadian and went shopping there when it was new a few times. I also use to go play hockey at the rink once a week during the summer when most of the rinks around my area don't have ice in them in the summer time.
It sure was quite the place when it was new and busy. I think most of the business was from Canadians because the CDN dollar was high at the time. The Arcade was pretty nice. They had a GNC store there that also got me to go there to buy crap like "Cybergenics" and other crap you don't really need.
Imagine how much money it would cost to build something like that today. It would be ridiculous. I haven't been there in years, but at the time there didn't seem to be all that much of a population around that area to support a mall that size without the Canadians coming over to shop and I think when the CDN dollar dropped back down is what really killed it.
It should have been built in Potsdam or Canton - perhaps the 4 colleges would have been able to keep it afloat longer?
De-escalating people like that guy can sometimes work when you have something ready like a question by saying “oh, hey I’m glad you said something. Can you help me? Do you know what some of these stores used to be? I am looking for some help from anyone that knows the history of the mall.” People (even nasty ones) typically want to help and feel valued and respected when someone is giving them positive attention. You usually will even make a new friend! Just some tips, thanks again for your vids!😊
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This is true, I did something like this on a de@d mall from my city, at the end a guard approaches and say that I can't videoing, so I was walking near a art galery and said I was an artist ??? that I was appreciating the architecture of the building and taking some shots for a work LOL them the guard said "ok o'right but take care because people maybe hostil with someone walking around with a camera".
Create a narrative, some history to justify the camera, or they will think something like "oh what a weirdo what he is doing?" or even "omg he is recording the surroundings to do some kind of ass@lt, call the cops!"
The whole town of Massena looks like it's dying not just the mall.
You are right
The only thing keeping it alive is Walmart
Facts 😔
As a person who's lived there most of my life I can confirm.
Yup the whole downtown area is full of empty stores. Sad to see when I go thru there.
I grew up going to this mall. You're not missing much in the food court area, last I knew the only food establishment left there was a Wendy's and I think even that shut down. The department stores only stay open because they're the only ones in the area
Grew up with that mall. Worked in it back in the 90s. My 10 year old likes to visit when we go back home. When we heard the food court was being demolished, he wanted to do one more walk thru to take a peek and take video. We got similar negative vibes too. The guy in the Mustard Tin was a really nice guy, but one other store owner in particular was being high drama/confrontational. And the signs to not take pictures or video? What person would want to bring their family to that kind of environment? Tear it down already. Move the good store owners into near by Harte Haven or Downtown. It's time. Sad. Lotta memories in that place. Will miss it!
They post on their facebook often that anyone caught filming or taking photos will be banned from they mall- they don't want people to see the leaking ceilings and mold but we all know its there so it just makes them look even worse for getting unhinged about it
This is so sad for me because this mall was my youth. I spent almost every Friday here as a high schooler and made so many memories. It's been heartbreaking to watch it die, and it makes me feel that much older to have to wave goodbye to a part of my history..
My how times have changed for us huh. Massena has pretty much turned into a cesspool. I had some good times in massena and that mall.
Never thought I’d see this mall in a yt video ever☠️
This was fascinating. I live 10 minutes away from this mall and used to shops here often but haven’t been inside in many years. Sad to see it so run down.
The guy who talked to you is just pissed cause he knows hes not gonna have a job soon
Apparently it wasn't just a rumor about the storage sheds. They did rent out a bunch of space to a personal storage company, which is wild. I have never heard of a mall doing that before.
I live near here(other side In Canada) it's been dead for a while now. We use to cross the border and go shopping at this mall frequently believe it or not. Back in the day....
This is what my nightmares looked like as a kid. Places that were supposed to be crowded and busy instead barren and empty. It's so weird walking through these places now and seeing things that brought me so much joy as a kid no longer there.
Perspective from a non resident. My family has deep roots in the North Country. Mom and Dad migrated in the 50s to greener pastures but we grew up spending a lot of time every summer with family. Continued spending vacations as an adult with my own family. Love the outdoors and my wife grew to appreciate all this region has to offer. Natural beauty, great people, slower pace of life, fantastic fishing and hunting. As we got closer to retirement age we started looking at the real estate market and specific areas for a vacation home or potential permanent residence. After retirement we rented a place in St Lawrence county for several months in the summer. What we discovered due to the high property taxes we were better off renting for the summer vs buying and the cost of maintaining a second home. All of my cousins, nephews and nieces have left this area over the last 40 years. A few return during the summer months like us and rent. It's sad, but the area is in a deep decline for obvious reasons but the state of NY isn't helping matters with the crazy property tax rates. They are 2.5 times higher than the mid atlantic state I reside in. North Country residents seem to be subsidizing the city and recieve very little in return for their taxes. I see no benefits to buying a home here and will continue to rent.
Great video! Thank you so much for doing this! These places need to be documented.
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Back in the day, the mall was a ton of fun and had plenty of stores and things to do. Nowadays, thanks to the closing of the GM plant and other things, the place now is just sad. The last time I went was back in 2017, back when Wendy's was still there. I didnt go back there or even Massena since then, but I heard that it had gotten worse with more stores leaving, dilapidated parts of it, and even half of it being closed off now that all the food places are gone. At this point, im surprised they're still open at all.
Great video! This mall was really eerie. Sorry you got kicked out, it happens
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Super cool to see this pop up on my homepage. Used to cross the border and visit with my parents when i was younger. It used to be pretty nice, as a kid I remember the arcade always being busy. went back a few years ago for the first time in a while and was completely shocked. Its like a ghost town in there
So let me get this right... they can record YOU but you cannot record yourself?
Good job - your video is excellent ! All of your videos are so interesting ! thanks..
Final nail in the coffin is when Walmart closed their store across the road and built a new one near Hart Haven plaza on the other side of town. Aldi bailed from this side of town and and built a new store near Hart Haven. Other than JCPenney the mall is DEAD
Agreed
I was there about eight years ago and it was more occupied but felt like an eerie ghost town even then. Its happening directly across the border in Canada now too. It’s sad.
Great work enjoyed Baltimore streets video keep up the good work great style Ian
this mall is eerily similar to the aroostook centre mall up in presque isle, maine. a small, rural town in the far north of maine that was built for pretty much the exact same reasons as this mall, and was opened right aound the same time. even many of the stores were the exact same!!!
It's funny, many many years ago I was inside of Oglethorpe Mall in midtown Savannah, Ga doing a college research project on retail design with a group of class mates. They had no photography posted on the doors even back then. I had a little digital point and shoot camera and we were actually doing our best to look like we weren't there documenting the mall, just a bunch of college kids out having fun... not stealing their retail secrets or anything. Security came down on us in a swarm! Threatened to have us arrested and escorted us off the property! Crazy! This was twenty plus years ago. I guess malls have been that way a for a while. Now with zombie mall syndrome and the associated dead mall tourists I'm sure it's even more of a policy.
Love the vids! Mind blowing to see the implosion of retail spaces everywhere but it's by no means unexpected. They just built one too many malls and then the internet happened.
Me & my sister were just there the other day and the only way I can describe it is it’s like the back rooms 😭😂
I used to go to this mall in the early 90's, their used to be a footlocker/champs sports, jc penny, alaadins castle arcade, the merry go round, the virtual roller coaster, the food court was packed with people. It used to have it all, sites, sounds and people. I wonder what could possibly help this place.
Yea they use to have the video store and the old antiques store were I got a lot of my swords from and the haircut salon that was the only place I would get my hair cut
This happened in my home town mall years ago. It's not going to recover.
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Oh my god I got this recommended and I’ve lived in massena for almost 18 years
I'm literally across the river from this mall and drive past it going to Massena. Went in once for curiosity and wow...no exaggeration on 'Dead Mall'
I live near that mall. I used to go there all the time when I was younger when it was full of life, and stores. I used to get all my video games and music CDs there.
Yea, please see my comments below. I just watched again and saw your are filming with a GoPro on a tripod type stick… dude, you’re basically a Kmart blue light beacon for people that like being pushy and want to exert dominance. Very surprised this cam set up hasn’t gotten you more grief in the past. Love your vids! Please keep them coming, but maybe adapt the rig. 😊
I'm not going to be surprized that one day our mall is gonna be dead, but in my opinion it already is
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Dang o.o .. Blast from the past. I live in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada.. That mall was like 15 mins away.. I remember going to that mall when I was a kid and in my early teens with my parents, used to buy alot of clothing and other things in it. Though to look at it now. o.o Just wow, alot closed due to the covid stuff.. Sweet video though, thanks for sharing your experiances.
i live right across the river from this place, man i miss it. I wish i got to experience it when it was booming. I got to experience it in the 2000's , it was good but not like it was in the 90's.
Nice video
It's so sad to see my favorite place as a kid to be so dead. LIKE AHHH WHAT HAPPENED
The dude who hassled you might have been a plainclothes guard.
Some people like exerting power over others that they actually do not have. It’s a mental game, but I will tell you to not engage eyes with people passing by as there is a natural reaction for people with that power impulse to test you push you around.
When built it had all the stores the watertown mall had but it never got a bunch of new stores watertown got.
i live close by and some people around there can be real bitter and snappy sometimes
I have recently been here. It is more deserted and just have been officially closed except for JC Penney.
Hey if ever back in Baltimore MD would love for you to tour the Garrett Jacobs Mansion downtown Mt Vernon
This was my childhood mall 🥲
It's weird seeing someone make videos of the stuff around me. I remember when this mall was filled with people.
Local here: areas very private, especially at that mall. It's really a last resort kinda mall since its so empty. Very liminal spacey inside. Sorry for the inhospitality bud
In retrospect, the mall should have been built between Canton and Potsdam. The influx of thousands of students from the 4 colleges might have helped keep it alive. I think the original owners were Canadian? Some employees at the former retailers told me that the rents kept increasing, until they were forced to either close or relocate (like the TJ Maxx). Local people now go to Watertown or Plattsburgh is we need something quickly, otherwise we have come to rely on online shopping. I have been to JC Penny several times for something specific, and leave empty-handed. The associate sometimes offers to order online for me and pickup in the store, but I need something right away (like clothing for a wedding or funeral). It was risky to build a giant retail location that relied on foreign shoppers - too many variables out of their control.
Just went by it earlier. I live in Gouverneur. Now theres tons of weed dispensary’s on the reservation why i was up there.
Its so wierd just like when i was a kid.
the fact that i have been there SO many times now i just go for the arcade and show department 😢
Shoe department left
Used to be tj max down that long hall.
Now the Mall houses a Small distribution centre
That first store was sears
It’s worse now! It’s closed isn’t it?
Not closed yet, they just sold off most of the mall to UHaul for self storage
The horse at .45-.55secs 😂
I knew I couldn't be the only one that saw this, was starting to feel crazy 😂
We have Amish families in the area who do carpentry work for English people. I think it must be one of their horses, although I am not sure where the buggy is 🤷♀️
There was a cinabon near them tables
Dude… I like your videos, but if you don’t have one already, get an Osmo pocket and hold it against your phone and walk around talking down to your phone like you are having a conversation at a normal tone of voice. People will not engage or give you a hard time when they think you’re having a conversation. Use your hands during this “conversation” mode while filming. This will work for passerbys and some security as their natural reaction is to not interrupt and face an upset customer altercation.
I helped build the sears store in that mall.
the horse 💀
They should strip the place and turn it into an indoor airsoft feild.
Its the perfect place and theres nothing to clear out.
I’ve lived in Massena most of my life and it has been sad to see what became of the mall. When it first was built there were dozens and dozens of stores, a full food court with an arcade and a carousel, national brands had stores here (Spencer’s, The Gap, Foot Locker, etc) and it wasn’t long before they added on the ice rink/arena, which hosted a lot of events. Even in the time since this video, they moved all the store fronts to the section where you entered up to JC Penney and the rest has been converted to storage, and the Shoe Department left. The roof is notoriously leaky, and the building is falling apart. The only reason JC Penney and Maurice’s have remained, if the story I heard was true, is because they basically are allowed to keep those spots for free, as a drawing point. Every other store there is locally owned but there’s not much worth buying. We have a strip mall complex called Harte Haven that is a lot more vibrant and active than this; the mall is just delaying the inevitable at this point. Sad, but the economic reality of this town.
I heard from a TJ Maxx employee that the reason they moved from the mall to the Heart Haven Center is because the mall keep increasing their rent, and the rent at the new location is less expensive 🤷♀️
This mall is now officially dead. On April 30, 2024, the mall was closed to the public. JCPenney is staying because it has its own entrance. The rest is now an industrial complex.
I went to Chambersburg Mall in PA and got yelled at for recording.
Ever heard of hills or ames?
Do Marley Station Mall, Glen Burniie, Maryland Jerry
I did! Check a few videos ago. Thanks for watching, Jerry.
Ok, who wants to use this mall as a set for filming a zombie movie!?
Stores stocked and gates closed....makes no sense
Countless stores closed their doors one by one, the last to go I believe was Mainly Music, other than that, JCPenny and the alive stores are keeping it alive.
What! Was that a horse!!??????
Yeah... i saw that also, it looked real, maybe security rides around the outside of the mall too. 😊😊👍👍
I know lol. It’s sad looking
The area has a good sized Amish community so there might of been a group selling or buying goods. You can see the buggy just before the clip of the horse.
@@acp6213, actually, they were probably stealing items out of the nearby Ollie's dumpster. I used to work there, and we were constantly chasing them out of it.
The Amish are often hired for carpentry here. I wonder if Amish were hired to do some construction work in the storage area being built.
I live in Massena and I used to go to this mall all the time and I can confirm this mall is DEAD
massena is a corporate disaster , but indoor malls have died off everywhere.
I went here before and I know it started on Wendy's and it ended on shoe dept
Used to be mostly rude french canadians back in tge day. Now noone comes down here to shop.
I’m a resident of St. Lawrence county. The mall was dead before it was built. They relied to much on Canada and not the local population. This man doesn’t know what he is talking about. They should have built it between Canton and Potsdam
It a shame 😞 to bad this happens. The mall owners, have had a greedy war with, nearby, Massena strip mall Harte Haven. The mall owner's started charging too much Rent , soo stores moved or/ just ??? Went Bank rupt, ??? There are many ideas for stores, that would have saved the Mall. The mail owner's greed has been killing the mall !!! The Ice / lacross/ training/ activities Rink & Complex, how did that die ???
I was also told that TJ Maxx left to go to Heart Haven because the rent kept increasing at the mall. An employee at another store told me the same thing - the rent kept increasing.
Ive lived in massena my whole life place is a shi# hole now lot of us born here are embarrassed to live here are towns been destroyed
I don't know what that one hall monitor was on about...the mall is still open and I see kids doing their TikTok videos or whatever all the time. One piece of ratty paper taped up on the interior of a public building isn't a law. Not that there was that much left to see, but you shouldn't have let that weirdo rattle you.
The man who asked you to not “video” had an accent. Canadian or Awkwesasne, not a North Country accent though.
Mold is caused by air conditioning
*Promo SM* 💞
I would have talked to people in any of the open stores instead of walking around with a selfie stick like a creep. No wonder you got weird looks.
I mean going up to random people with a camera in a mall that only gets like 30-40 people at a time is a little bit more creepy then someone walking around with a camera and talking about the mall
So sad that people have issues with other people filming as long as you aren't being creepy like filming kids you should be ok
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More closings soon . We move to new war economy? I hope not . This all in just 2 years 😵
Wow... I grew up in the area, went to that mall as a kid in the 80's/90's when it was bustling.
There used to be a carousel there for kids to ride in.
You totally captured it's current creepiness. Lol
In all seriousness, the newest owner is trying to revive it very wholeheartedly. They're just very limited in resources. Hopefully the entire area can return to it's former glory one day. 😊
I live near Massena, and the reason people were so hostile towards you, was because people are/ were constantly filming in there. It's become sort of a carnival attraction to see the dying/ decrepit mall. Here's an example of one such tasteless video... czcams.com/video/q4gkIW-sTfs/video.html
So its a dead piece of shit mall and people are offended its a attraction? Should be honored some dog shit ass mall is garnering attention only thing massena has going for it lmao
As with any "slowly dying malls/businesses" there is important need for all people in being highly potential customers. Most people like yourself choosing to be there ONLY to capture video the experience is viewed as bringing negative value to their ongoing hopes of "staying alive"! Wow! Hahahahaha! O:-)
Dying? That place has been dead for decades. The north country is nothing but a barren wasteland that anyone who can afford to has fled long ago. NY would be best used as a nuclear test range until nothing but moltedn radioactive bedrock remains, and it would be equally as inhabitable as it is now.
Massena in general is a hostile place so you’ll have that feeling. Alot of people thinking they’re something they’re not
It is hostile because the town leadership failed to develop a plan to allow Massena to change with the changing times, and many families chose to raise generations of kids on welfare, disability, alcohol and drugs. That is a personal choice, Massena can come back if it choses to and get off drugs and promoting alcohol and marijuana sales, and adopt an attitude to survive and prosper. Everyone hear is a victim, victim of drugs, victim of disability, victim of abuse, victim of poor job and economic market. The tax base needs to be based on something other than industrial plants that no longer exist and have poisoned the surrounding ground waters. GM is gone. Reynolds is gone. Alcoa is on life support. Massena, get it together!!
You would think as dead as that mall is no one in it when they see somebody, they would treat them decent with some hospitality hoping maybe they would buy something instead of treating them so bad they don’t want to come back. There are blue people here.
I moved up here 26 years ago. I’m poor I’m disable. I’m so depressed. I tried to kill myself two months ago. The people are so cold up here that’s why they treated you like they did. It’s like a move to the moon no one will help you they want to see you down. They are so jealous of one another I’ve never seen people so cold I have not met one decent person up here. Please help me get out of here please they put me on strong painkillers in Florida. That’s why I moved up here. I wasn’t in my right mind. I would have never sold my house and I suffer from PTSD. I’m so scared of the people up here. I go nowhere I won’t even leave my house the people in the hospital are so mean and rude. I’ve never been treated as bad as I have up here in my whole life. They are horrible. People I wish some men there could take pity on me and help me get out of here and I’m so scared. I even tried to go to mental health and Massena wellness center. The people are so horrible. They treated me so terrible no privacy they violated my privacy. They treated me so terrible. I don’t see how they get away with what they do to people I guess when you’re poor and you can’t sue no one they do what they want to you. The coldest rudest people in the world live here don’t come here.😢
Dont go to claxton they drug you to death . Ev 3 head doctors in that ward .
Work from home with contract world jobs ... take orders for fast food or infomercials. Sucks but a job . Take a bus to train or just take buses . Bicycle even . Take your time . I got bad jnees and easier to rule bike.
Move somewhere. This place isolates you. Competition hell... if cant get into froyo some where or friend your locked out ...
People love me but I'm out of the circle so don't really know people.
Good luck. Better off buy w house or have yurt built or a frame side room. On the ground. Buy home with couple old people.
Try to get in better shape. Garden. Pmanking , dancing . Walking . Biking . Fasting .
Have money saved up can buy baby stem cells to naturally treat joints and arthritis .
Good luck. Move to cheaper country . Could help locals . Pay them to help you . Niquraga is cheap ... Bolivia many places . Improve health any way possible... good luck ... pretend to be happy ...
Raw milk can fix heast disease a d ither things if done right ... hyperbaric oxygen. Chambers but probably gotta get out of New York state... good luck. I'm leaving in few years hopefully or soon.
I'd ask health problems but its public.... try get happy and off drugs ... if possible. Mental health pills cause depression suicide and nervous system problems. Head up. I barely survived this place. disabled, worn out. But good enough to sit around till I can leave ... lol.
If life gets turned in you here your in trouble . Lotta crazy people here for sure . Narcasisits. Few them mess everything up fast. Or 1.