Historic Tanger Outlets at The Arches sustains successful opening day reviews

It would take a lot of work to overshadow the historic election results of 2008 but this autumn the opening of the 81-acre Tanger Outlets at the Arches in Deer Park, Long Island, gave the Presidential decision a run for its money. Having celebrated its grand opening on October 23, the $298 million Tanger Outlets at the Arches is the first new retail experience for the region in nearly a generation and celebrates Long Island's first environmentally certified shopping center. Since opening just weeks ago over 400,000 consumers from throughout the tri-state region have already shopped the Arches to find upscale brands and bargains in over 70 stores and enjoy wonderful entertainment opportunities for the whole family. Additional stores are expected to open in the weeks to come. Designed as a European-themed open air shopping village, the Arches is situated at the geographic heart of Long Island at 152 The Arches Circle (intersection of Commack Rd. and Grand Blvd.) in Babylon. With its convenient location approximately thirty-five miles from Manhattan, Tanger Outlet at the Arches is also within a short and complimentary shuttle bus ride from the Long Island Railroad's Deer Park station. Tanger Outlets at the Arches offers a wide variety of fashion and lifestyle brands including Neiman Marcus Last Call; Saks Fifth Avenue OFF Fifth, BCBG Maxazria, Kate Spade, American Eagle Outfitters, Guess, Lucky Brand Jeans, Jones New York, Old Navy, Bose Factory Store, Gap Outlet, Ann Taylor Factory Store, Kenneth Cole, J. Crew, Juicy Couture, Timberland, US Polo, Christmas Tree Shops, Tommy Hilfiger Company Stores, among others. Regal Cinemas, a 16-screen Cineplex, one of the few state-of- the-art digital Cineplexes on Long Island and the only IMAX theatre on Long Island, will be part of the Arches entertainment experience. Proposed and built as a partnership among Tanger, Blumenfeld Development Group, and Apollo Real Estate Advisors, Tanger Outlets at the Arches reflects the collective efforts to create an innovative, environmentally sensitive, community oriented retail complex. David Blumenfeld, of Blumenfeld Development Group, told several thousand people during ribbon cutting that this was a milestone project on so many levels because of the support of Babylon Town officials and town supervisor Steve Bellone. "To the public officials who supported this project - today is about your leadership, vision and commitment. Supervisor Steve Bellone saw that the status quo would stifle his town and rob its future. His role allowed the creation of the most unique project Long Island has seen in the last thirty years. The benefits to his community will be felt from jobs and taxes to property values and new investment throughout Babylon Town. The Supervisor reset the bar for Long Island development and we were proud to meet and exceed that new standard." Of particular importance is that this outlet center is the first in the region to be environmentally certified. The green designation is based on standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council whose Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rates new building designs according to five key disciplines. These include sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. Having already won Long Island Business Real Estate Award for green development, The Arches has not only built with green construction methods, but with resource conservation programs that will span the long life of the outlet shopping village. One of the most unique attractions at the new Tanger Outlets at The Arches is the Long Island Rail Road One day Getaway Pass available to those using the LIRR to reach this wonderful family destination. Riders will get a discounted round trip rail pass to and from the LIRR's Deer Park station, plus free shuttle bus for the very short trip to the mall from the station, and a Tanger Coupon book worth hundreds of dollars in savings.