Oyster Bay has approved five zoning variances for Broadway Commons, clearing one of the last major hurdles for a $200 million plan to turn Hicksville's struggling mall into an open-air shopping and entertainment hub. The vacant Macy's building is slated for demolition, with developers planning to replace the enclosed mall's dated layout with outdoor plazas, new restaurants and an expanded IKEA.
Schuckman Realty, the firm marketing the project, said the town has granted the development's final key approvals, a milestone that follows months of hearings over the proposal. According to Schuckman Realty, ownership has leases or term sheets out for an eight-screen dine-in theater, a children's entertainment venue and a 30,000-square-foot restaurant, though none of those deals have been confirmed as finalized. The rebranded property, to be called The Shops on Broadway, is expected to total roughly 1.3 million square feet once complete, according to News 12 New York, which first reported the zoning approvals.
What's Coming Down, What's Going Up
The redevelopment calls for razing the vacant, roughly 300,000-square-foot former Macy's along with other retail space to make room for the reimagined complex, per Newsday. That department store has sat empty since Macy's closed in 2020, and Old Navy followed it out the door in 2023 — vacancies that piled up before the mall itself changed hands when UBS Group AG, a Swiss bank, sold the property in February 2024, the newspaper reported.
In their place, plans show a new BJ's Wholesale Club and a fueling station, plus an expansion of the existing IKEA. Newsday reported the IKEA addition at roughly 93,000 square feet, while Mid Island Times put the figure closer to 100,000 square feet — accounts that differ on the exact scope but agree the Swedish retailer is growing. Renderings released with the project show new shops, restaurants and entertainment venues replacing the mall's enclosed corridors, with developers aiming for an open-air design throughout.
Parking, Hours and Other Sticking Points
The project's parking numbers tell their own story about how much the site is changing. The mall currently has 4,848 parking spots, but the new proposal includes only 4,092 spaces — well short of the 8,315 spots town code technically requires, according to the same Newsday report. Developers also sought permission for entertainment businesses to operate until 1 a.m., along with variances tied to lighting and architectural height, details that underscore how far the project departs from the mall's original design.
Cost estimates for the overhaul have varied across coverage. News 12 and Schuckman Realty both cite a $200 million project, while Greater Long Island described it as a more-than-$100-million mall renovation. Timelines have shifted too: Mid Island Times reported the former Macy's was expected to come down by December, while News 12's reporting put the start of demolition in early 2027. Town records show the Oyster Bay Town Board's August 11 agenda included resolutions on K/BTF Broadway LLC's applications for special use permits covering active recreation and motor vehicle fuel sales, though the agenda itself only confirms the items were listed, not how they were ultimately decided.
A Central Lawn and Plans for Concerts
Beyond the big-box swaps, Schuckman Realty described a vision built around walkable plazas, outdoor dining and a central lawn designed to host concerts — an attempt to turn the property into more of a gathering place than a traditional retail center. The firm pointed to Placer.ai data showing Target, IKEA and Chick-fil-A at the center already draw an estimated 3.9 million visits a year and generate $187 million in sales, numbers the brokerage used to argue the site has untapped potential despite its vacancies.
That same report noted Nassau County's five BJ's locations average about $105.4 million in annual sales apiece, roughly 21% above the Long Island average of $87.0 million, and that the Hicksville IKEA already outperforms its three New York-metro sister stores in visits per square foot, including 36% more traffic than the Brooklyn location. If construction proceeds as News 12 reported in August, when it noted that building could begin as early as the following year pending approval, those numbers would form the backbone of the pitch to new tenants.
Part of a Bigger Downtown Push
The mall overhaul is one piece of a broader push to remake downtown Hicksville. Oyster Bay began a multimillion-dollar project last year to improve walkability and create pedestrian space beneath the railroad trestle near the Hicksville LIRR station, Newsday reported. The Town of Oyster Bay describes the broader revitalization effort as including a raised walking path, park expansion and Broadway streetscape upgrades, backed by a $10 million state award and tied to a $132 million MTA investment in the Hicksville train station.
Town officials have also flagged four additional private-sector projects expected to break ground in 2025 and 2026, together bringing a combined 164 planned residential opportunities to the area. One of those, a $111 million privately funded development at 99 Newbridge Road from Alpine Development, broke ground in November 2024 and is planned to include 189 residential opportunities alongside retail and restaurant space.
For residents who have watched the mall empty out over the past several years, the approvals offer a tangible sign of movement. Hicksville resident Christian Hickey said he hopes the project will bring new energy to the property and told News 12 he had heard the plans include activities and events. Fellow resident Patrice Stern said the redevelopment would encourage her to visit more often. Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino said in a statement to News 12 that the upgrades will further transform Broadway Commons into a shopping and entertainment destination and continue downtown Hicksville's transformation.
