The Cross County Shopping Center held a VIP reception on October 11th to mark the completion of a $250 million redevelopment project. The extensive renovation and remerchandising of the property positions the 1 million s/f outdoor shopping center as one of the region's most successful and enduring retail developments. The VIP reception, which was attended by state, county and city officials, kicked off a week-long "RE-Launch Celebration" that featured a series of programs. "The redevelopment of Cross County Shopping Center is complete and after more than five years of renovations, we could not be more pleased with the outcome," said James Stifel, chief investment officer for Benenson Capital Partners, LLC and executive vice president for the property's owner, Brooks Shopping Centers, LLC. The Cross County Shopping Center features more than 100 retailers including national brands Macy's, A|X Armani Exchange, Swarovski, bebe, GUESS and H&M. Since the redevelopment project began in 2007, 32 retailers representing 155,288 s/f have opened new stores and/or renovated or expanded existing stores at the center. As part of the redevelopment project, each of the 15 buildings that comprise the center received architectural enhancements including new canopy details, updated lighting and more window frontage for retailers to showcase their merchandise. The 71-acre center has also undergone landscaping to complement the retail venues and restore the center's outdoor setting. Two new children's play areas were opened last year to enrich the family experience at the center. The Zoo Zone play area features an animal theme, complete with eight play pieces and a tree-house/slide as the centerpiece. A second children's play area includes two "park pet" sculptures which are modeled after the Alice and Wonderland statutes seen in New York's Central Park. Both play areas are open to the public at no charge. Last year the center opened a new indoor soft seating lounge and public restrooms. The new restroom facility includes a family restroom as well as two private nursing rooms. Macy's has expanded by an additional 75,000 s/f of new retail space. The $30 million expansion and renovation by Macy's brings its total s/f at the center to over 400,000 s/f. The Cross County Shopping Center is managed by the Macerich. The architects for the project were 505 Design Inc. and AECOM. The general contractor was Whiting Turner. Shown (from left) are: Charles Ferguson, senior property manager, Macerich; James Stifel, chief investment officer for Benenson Capital Partners and executive VP for the property's owner, Brooks Shopping Centers, LLC; Westchester County executive Rob Astorino; Yonkers deputy mayor Bill Regan; and Sean Cutt, assistant VP development, Macerich.