Second Safest City Blog

Former Rockland Journal News editorial page editor Arthur Gunther published a stinging review of the Palisades Center Mall in today’s paper. This is truly a must-read.

There was just one problem with the article, regarding the quote beginning, “The scenes are there to be photographed …” You can’t photograph anything at the mall.

According to Pyramid management, to take photos anywhere at the mall you need to set up an appointment, have a $1 million insurance policy, and have the approval of mall management. There are no exceptions for amateur photographers. This also applies if you are taking photos on your phone. Even if you just bought a new camera at the mall, you couldn’t use it until you got home. When asked how this rule could be enforced, they couldn’t answer, likely because Pyramid will only enforce the rule if it suits their needs.

If you’re spending money like a good consumer there likely won’t be a problem. But taking a picture of the rusted stairwells, where doors are smashed in, where walls are covered in graffiti, where the smell is reminiscent of a Port Authority urinal, where discarded drug bags litter the floor — taking a picture of those stairwells could get you kicked out of the mall. Then again it might show people that Clarkstown isn’t the la-la-land “safest city” fantasy world we always hear it is.

Anyone else remember how the mall was supposed to lower our property taxes with all the revenue it brought in? Whatever happened to that?