As malls across the U.S. shut down, this New York shopping center is defying the odds

Each year in the United States, an average of 40 shopping malls shut down, but the Cross County Center in Yonkers, New York, is defying the odds.

The mall broke ground Friday on a big expansion.

The Cross County Center opened in 1954 with Woolworth's, Gimbels and Wanamaker's as the anchor stores.

Today, the mix has changed, and while many indoor malls are flatlining, the open air Cross County, with 14 million visitors a year, is leveling up.

"We used to go to the Palisades mall," shopper Albina Berduina said. "Now we don't go there because you don't have a lot of choices."

That's not an issue at Cross County. Two new buildings – 58,000 square feet of retail – are being built, and they're already taken by tenants.

Craig Deitelzweig, CEO of mall owner Marx Realty, did not announce the names of the stores, but called them "two of the most vibrant, exciting retailers in the country."

He said the new project will include 4 acres of landscaped outdoor space.

"People love the open-air lifestyle center that we offer, all the different retailers, all the different events we have," he said, "so this is just the next evolution of that."

"When I was younger, Cross County was the spot," said A.J. Chiarella, a popular Westchester County social media influencer.

He said the Cross County has maintained retail relevance by changing with the times.

"I've seen different versions of Cross County growing up," he said. "And as you can see now, it's like a completely different version than it was in the '90s or even the early 2000s. They've continued to just innovate."

The expansion is due to open in 2027.