Bucks County’s first shopping mecca, the Neshaminy Mall, is set close before the end of the year, two years after it was purchased with plans for large-scale redevelopment.
Bensalem Mayor Joseph DiGirolamo confirmed Sept. 14 that demolition for most of the mall is set to start in December, though the AMC-24 Movie Theater, and popular anchor stores, Boscov’s and Barnes and Noble, will remain.
It was not immediately known on Monday if those three businesses will remain open during the demolition and redevelopment of the 91-acre property which includes more than 1 million square feet of retail space.
DiGirolamo said he recently met with the owners, but he has not seen the redevelopment plan, and no plans have been filed. The property owner, Paramount
Realty and Edgewood Properties, has not discussed its plans since the purchase in 2024.
The township plansto remove the remaining three dioramasdepicting scenes from American History that have sat outside the former Macy’s for decades within the next three weeks, DiGirolamo said.
The township has already removed four other dioramas and two have been fully restored including their animatronic functions, DiGirolamo said. The two are located at the Mercer Museum and the Bensalem Municipal building.
The pieces, part of the "The Wall of Freedom" have been on display since the mall opened Aug. 18, 1968, part of a historic display that the Strawbridge family commissioned outside its former store.
The other historic piece of art that will be preserved is the 55-year-old bare-chested Lenni-Lenape Chief Tawanka bronze statue located outside the former Macy’s since 1970. It was created by American Sculptor Henry Mitchell, whose works are public installations found throughout Philadelphia.
DiGirolamo said the statue could be incorporated in the redesign, but if not, he intends to have the township remove and preserve it.
As recently as March, DiGirolamo said theredevelopment of the Neshaminy Mall was in its conceptual phase.
Paramount Realty and Edgewood Properties purchased the mall for $27.5 million in July 2024. Today, the spaceremains largely empty save for a few retailers.
Earlier this year, DiGirolamo said the developer is considering bringing in large chains such as Walmart and Whole Foods and it could include an interior walking area.
The mayor also said the redevelopment could include a mix of commercial and residential uses.
Earlier this year longtime retailers Bath and Body Works, Torrid and Shoe Carnival closed their businesses leaving behind less than two dozen retailers in the mall.
As of December, only one restaurant was operating in the food court and only a few kiosks were scattered throughout the concourse.
Some of the vacant retail spots have been filled by nontraditional businesses such as the beauty school Jean Madeline Aveda Institute, a pop-up wedding venue and The Bridge Church, which opens for service three days a week.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Crime and courts reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Neshaminy Mall is closing soon. Demolition set to start in December
