User:Yx7791/Sandbox/Stuyvesant Plaza

Stuyvesant Plaza is a major shopping plaza and office complex in the New York State Capital Region. It is located in Guilderland, New York on Western Avenue (US 20), near the south end of the Adirondack Northway, I-87. The shopping plaza opened in 1959, making it the second oldest in the Capital Region, after Westgate Plaza.

The shopping portion in its current incarnation is a U-shaped strip mall featuring high-end boutique style stores. Unlike most strip malls, there is no major anchor. As of 1987, the plaza consisted of 240,000 square feet. The office complex includes high rises and a number of low rise buildings near the shopping center.

Development
The plaza was built by Lewis A. Swyer and opened in 1959. Initially, it had 18 stores, was 170,000 sq. ft., and was L-shaped. By 1964, it had 35 stores and was U shaped, as it is today. Stuyvesant Plaza is on a 28-acre parcel.

Opening
Stuyvesant Plaza opened on November 4, 1959 with ceremonies beginning at 10am.

Ownership
Stuyvesant Plaza and Executive Park office suites are owned by the Swyer Companies.

Size
As of 1987, the plaza consisted of 240,000 square feet.

Shopping Center Tenants
Over the years, tenants have included:

Executive Park Office Complex Tenants
This section includes Executive Park Tower and low-rise buildings. Over the years, tenants have included:

Facelift
By 1981, Stuyvesant Plaza as a shopping center was performing poorly. It was an average strip mall with no serious distinction. Consultants suggested the complex focus on discount retailers. However, the complex ended up focusing on small, high end, non-chain retailers. It was predicted that this would lead to ruin for the plaza. The gamble paid off and a facelift was completed by the mid 1980s. The facelift caused the strip mall to be one of the top performers along the East Coast. By early 1987, there were 62 specialty retail stores at the plaza.