Quaker Bridge Mall Reopens, Supports Struggling Residents

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ — The Quaker Bridge Mall reopened on Monday as the overall economy reopens in New Jersey amid the coronavirus pandemic. The mall has developed a coronavirus exposure control policy in conjunction with a team of leading experts in the fields of Epidemiology and Environmental Health and Safety (EHS), mall-owner Simon said.

Simon has informed all stores of these standards, and each tenant is expected to adhere to the same rigorous policies in their spaces. The mall is also joining forces with local non-profits to support residents who have fallen on hard times financially amid the pandemic.

"The health, safety and well-being of the community we serve will always be our highest priority, and we have developed a thorough and detailed set of protocols highlighting the exceptional measures we’ve implemented for shoppers, retailers and employees as we reopen,” Quaker Bridge Mall General Manager Lynda Benedetto said. “We also recognize that individuals and families in our community are suffering significant hardship as a result of both COVID-19 and the economic shutdown, and we believe that reopening our property will not only help people get back to work during these challenging times, but also enable us to use our property to further support charitable initiatives."

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The following safety protocols are now in place:

• Enhanced sanitization and disinfecting using the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) approved products with an emphasis on high-traffic locations such as dining areas, restrooms, escalators, stairs, directories, trash bins and door knobs.

• Shopper safeguards that include making available protective masks, sanitizing wipes and temperature testing at entrances or property offices, as well as the encouragement of pre-visit health screenings to ensure shoppers stay home if they have exhibited COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms within 72 hours.

• Hand sanitizing stations will be deployed throughout the property.

• Signage promoting CDC guidelines for maintaining personal hygiene will be prominently displayed throughout the property.
• Pre-emptive employee health screening to ensure that employees do not arrive at work within 72 hours of exhibiting COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms.
• Employee safety protections including implementing the CDC’s COVID-19 frequent hand-washing protocols, and offering personal protective equipment in addition to other CDC recommended practices.

• Promotion and enforcement of social distancing practices, including occupancy limitations, furniture and restroom spacing, closure of play areas and strollers, as well as coordinated traffic flow with traffic signage and distance markers.

For the first time since the pandemic brought the region and much of the world to a grinding halt in mid-March, indoor dining and drinking, barbershops, gyms, and more will be allowed to open.

"Malls are an undeniable part of New Jersey culture, and we want these businesses to get back up and running in a safe, responsible manner," Gov. Phil Murphy said in announcing that they would reopen. "To keep our restart moving in the right direction, we ask New Jerseyans who wish to head out to the mall or any public setting to do so safely."

According to Simon, the Quaker Bridge Mall provides more than 2,200 jobs and contributes $15.5 million of sales tax and $3.7 million in property tax revenue to the state. These tax receipts fund essential services in communities, including education and infrastructure as well as health and safety services.

“Our property is an integral part of our community not only in terms of shopping, dining and entertainment, but also job creation, small business growth and community support," Benedetto said. "We look forward to once again serving the needs of our community, and doing so in a safe and responsible manner.”

The Quaker Bridge Mall’s COVID-19 Exposure Control Policy can be viewed in its entirety at
www.simon.com/covid19safetyprotocols.

In addition to reopening, the Quaker Bridge Mall has joined a national initiative to host food banks, clothing donations, COVID-19 mobile testing, and blood drives as part of an outreach to 1,300 health providers, government agencies and non-profits.

Retail businesses located in the interior of shopping malls are permitted to reopen to the public, as long as they comply with the requirements contained in Executive Order No. 122.

Restaurants within the interior of a retail shopping mall are restricted to offering takeout and delivery services, except that they may also provide in-person service at outdoor areas outside the shopping mall pursuant to Executive Order No. 150.

Retail kiosks located within malls may operate subject to the applicable requirements contained in Executive Order No. 122, and must ensure that customers remain six feet apart at all times.

All areas with communal seating shall be removed or cordoned off. Isolated seats or benches available for individual use may be accessible, in order to provide customers with a place to rest.
The following services or areas shall be closed at all indoor shopping malls:

• Valet parking;
• Vending machines;
• Stroller rentals; and
• Any type of communal play area.

Businesses located within the indoor portions of retail shopping malls that remain closed to the public by any Executive Order shall remain closed.

Read more here: Gov. Murphy To Allow NJ Indoor Malls To Reopen Amid Coronavirus

See more stories about New Jersey's coronavirus recovery.