Highbridge News: Chipolte, Cheesecake Factory could be coming to Ba...

Highbridge News: Chipolte, Cheesecake Factory could be coming to Ba...: Chipolte, Cheesecake Factory could be coming to Bay Plaza? By Michael Horowitz BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 29- A spokesman for th...

Chipolte, Cheesecake Factory could be coming to Bay Plaza?

Chipolte, Cheesecake Factory could be coming to Bay Plaza?

By Michael Horowitz

BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 29- A spokesman for the developer of the Bay Plaza shopping center said, this week, that plans for the new mall that is reportedly coming to Co-op City by mid-August, call for a food court with up to 10 small eateries and two full-scale restaurants to be among the 80 to 90 stores at the new mall.

Michael Stone, a vice president of Prestige Properties, said that the food court that is planned would be an upscale version of the food courts that are found in other parts of the Bronx.

Current eateries in the Bay Plaza shopping center include outlets of Red Lobster and Panera Bread, two of the best restaurants in the Co-op City area.

Sit-down eateries that the developers of Bay Plaza have approached for leases have included the Cheesecake Factory, Maggiano's Little Italy, Brio Tuscan Grille, and Texas de Brazil, the New York Times has reported.

Fast-food restaurants that have considered leasing space at the Bay Plaza food court that is envisioned include Bobby's Burger Place and the Chipotle Mexican Grill.

Macy 's and JC Penney will be the anchors of the combined Bay Plaza mall, which will span more than two million square feet and be totally enclosed when it is completed. JC Penney is the anchor store of the current Bay Plaza shopping center.

The plans for the new mall call for JC Penney to be at its northern end and Macy's to be at its southern end.

###

Developer says new mall will be something very special

By Michael Horowitz

BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 29- A spokesman for the Bay Plaza shopping center said, this week, that he expected the long-awaited new wing of the sprawling shopping area to open by the middle of August.

Michael Stone, a vice president of Prestige Properties LLC, said, this week, that the 780,000-square-foot extension of Bay Plaza is “about two-thirds completed.”

Stone added, “The new Macy's, which will be an anchor store for Bay Plaza's new, enclosed mall and comprise 160,000 square feet on its own, is under construction as we now speak.”

The 780,000-square foot extension of Bay Plaza will mean that the shopping center, which is on the outskirts of Co-op City, will

comprise close to two million square feet.

The price tag for the extension of the Bay Plaza mall is expected to approach $300 million. The enclosed portion of the mall will be home to 80 to 90 stores, Stone said.

The new mall is expected to create 1,700 permanent jobs. And to have parking for up 2,300 cars.

The extension of Bay Plaza's new wing will be connected to the

existing JC Penney store at Bay Plaza.

In recent months, those living in Co-op City and those driving by the community have seen the new wing of the shopping center rising on its southern end of the Bay Plaza shopping center.

The shopping center's developers and elected officials have stressed that the impending of Bay Plaza's new wing is an exciting development for the Bronx and Westchester.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., among others, have touted the development of Bay Plaza's new wing as a sign of progress in the Bronx and in the city as a whole.

Bay Plaza, which first opened in the mid-1980s and spans 1,300 square feet, is already the largest mall in the Bronx.

When the new mall is completed, it will be attached to the current shopping center. The entire mall will be enclosed, making it the first mall of this kind in the Bronx.

“We are talking to all the major chains about coming to Bay Plaza,” Sam Shalem, CEO of Prestige Properties has stressed. “This is just the kind of suburban mall this area needs.”

Shalem said that he is confident that the enlarged mall will have

major appeal to the more than four million people who live in close proximity to Co-op City.

Shalem added that he expected the new shopping center to attract those living in Westchester and southern Connecticut, as well as those living in neighborhoods through the Bronx.

Highbridge News: Islanders Gear Up for Showdown with Rangers in the...

Highbridge News: Islanders Gear Up for Showdown with Rangers in the...: Islanders Gear Up for Showdown with Rangers in the Bx. By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 29-  The New York Islanders made ...

Islanders Gear Up for Showdown with Rangers in the Bx.

Islanders Gear Up for Showdown with Rangers in the Bx.

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 29- The New York Islanders made their first visit to Yankee Stadium on Tuesday afternoon for a practice session on the ice and to experience the aura of Yankee Stadium. 

The words of the players were similar both towards the seriousness of the Wednesday night contest against the Rangers, the opportunity to play outdoors as they did as youngsters and of the awe-inspiring atmosphere of Yankee Stadium. This article will document only the views of captain John Tavares and assistants Kyle Osposo and Andrew McDonald as they are representative of the others on the team.

All here reminisced of playing outdoors when they were children. Kyle Osposo had the opportunity in his hometown of St. Paul, Minnesota. He recalled, “I played outdoors a couple of blocks from my house.” Used to cold weather, he said, “I will wear a turtleneck, nothing else [extra].”

The two Canadians expressed similar memories. John Tavares remembered, “In Ontario, I played a lot outside. Growing up playing outside was a lot of fun.” He felt the memories come back 100 percent while on the Yankee Stadium rink, “Feeling the air and hearing the sound of the puck.”

Andrew McDonald only felt the cold affect his ears and his toes. Of his childhood hockey experience, he stated, “This is where it all started. [We had] random ice patches, not a real rink.”

Being in a historic venue that houses an organization that considers great success a normal expectation every season had meaning to all. The American [Oksposo] seemed most familiar with Yankee attitude, “I have a ton of respect for the Yankees. To have an attitude of winning at all costs is a terrific way to run a business, an organization. When you come out there and it’s Yankee Stadium, it’s pretty cool. It’s awesome.”

McDonald described his feelings coming out on the field and anticipated how special Wednesday night’s game will be for the players, “You can feel the history of the Yankees team when you walk out of the dugout and see the Stadium. The Yankees are the most recognizable team in the world. I’m really looking forward to it [the game on Wednesday], being in the elements surrounded by 50,000 people. The ice will seem a little small compared to [the size of] the Stadium. It’s a very special experience. The fans will really enjoy it. The players will really enjoy it.” 

Tavares, a fan of the Toronto Blue Jays, was nonetheless impressed by the facilities in the Stadium, “They did a great job here. It’s unique. It’s going to be fun.” The team captain had a great experience at Tuesday’s practice, “It was really a great day. My family was here with me.” The players skated on the ice with family and friends after the practice concluded.

The importance of the result of every game to the islanders is huge. They are in last place in the Metropolitan Division, nine points behind the second place Rangers. A victory in each forthcoming contest is a necessity for them to qualify for the playoffs. Every player, the coach and all of their fans recognize this truth.

McDonald commented, “These are important two points. We’re going to be prepared,”

Tavares optimistically remarked, “There’s still a lot of hockey to be played. We know we have to play a lot better.”

Osposo spoke of the uniqueness of each contest, “Once the puck drops, it’s another game.”

The second highly anticipated and final outdoor game in New York City will be played before a sold out crowd of 50,000 fans on Wednesday night. It will be another great day in NHL and New York sports history.

Highbridge News: Rangers Defeat Devils, 7-3, at Yankee Stadium

Highbridge News: Rangers Defeat Devils, 7-3, at Yankee Stadium: Rangers Defeat Devils, 7-3, at Yankee Stadium By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 27-  A below freezing temperature of 24.9 ...

Rangers Defeat Devils, 7-3, at Yankee Stadium

Rangers Defeat Devils, 7-3, at Yankee Stadium

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 27- A below freezing temperature of 24.9 degrees did not dissuade a sell-out crowd of 50,105 from purchasing tickets to the first outdoor hockey game in New York City. 

Neither the cold nor the snow showers that fell on Yankee Stadium later in the game interfered with the contest or lessened the excitement of the fans in the stands. Strangely the game was delayed for more than one hour by weather conditions, the glare of the sun. 

The winning goaltender Henrik Lundquist of the Rangers told reporters after the game, “I was out there when the sun was still out and it was kind of hard.”

After an enthusiastic and entertaining version of a half-dozen of the hit recordings of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons performed by cast members of the Tony winning musical Jersey Boys, the dramatic introduction of the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils began. Members of both teams walked to the ice to the musical accompaniment of the NYPD and FDNY Pipes and Drums. 

The first goal was scored by Patrik Elias of the Devils at 5:36 of the first period. The score was tied on a goal by Dominic Moore 3.5 minutes later. The goals kept coming. New Jersey scored the next two goals, a second by Elias and one by Travis Zajac, to take a 3-1 advantage. Jaromir Jagr assisted on both of the latter goals. His two assists raised his career total to 1,035, which passed the total of Mario Lemiux and his career points to 1,732, seventh in NHL history. The 41-year-old, future member of the Hockey Hall of Fame is the leading scorer of the Devils this year with 44 points.

The happy moments of the contest for the Devils passed quickly as the Rangers scored the final six goals of the game. After a late first period goal by Marc Staal, the game was knotted at 2:48 of period 2 on the first of two consecutive goals by Mats Zuccarello. A fifth Ranger goal was scored by Carl Hagelin. 

Rick Nash scored his 18^th goal of the season 29 seconds prior to the end of the second period. Nash extended his goal scoring streak to five games. He has scored in his last 11 games. The left winger is only two goals short of reaching a streak of 10 straight seasons of scoring at least 20 goals. 

Ranger coach Alain Vigneault commented upon Nash’s recent success, “He’s going to the net a little more. He’s an elite player and we need him to play like that now.”

The only goal of the third period was by Derek Stepan of the Rangers on a penalty shot, the first such score in an outdoor NHL game.

Devils coach DeBoer attributed the change in his team’s fortune in the second period to a mistake in plan, “We had a good first period. We started to open it up in the second and that’s not our game.” 

Lundquist was disappointed in his and the team’s start, “It was not a good start. My first thought was am I going to finish this game.” As the game progressed the goalie saw he and his team adapt, “I recovered and as a team we recovered after that start. The way we responded was just great to see. We took advantage of some mistakes they made. It felt like we had so many guys step up.”

Three Stars were awarded to: 1. Mats Zuccarello (2 goals), 2. Patrik Elias (2 goals) and 3. Anton Stralman (2 assists).

For the losing coach to make the following statement exhibits how great this rare hockey event was, “Other than the outcome, it was one of the best hockey experiences we’ve had.”

On Wednesday night, January 29, Yankee Stadium will host a game between the Rangers and the New York Islanders. 

Highbridge News: Future Hockey Hall of Fame Legends Brodeur and Jag...

Highbridge News: Future Hockey Hall of Fame Legends Brodeur and Jag...: Future Hockey Hall of Fame Legends Brodeur and Jagr Speak in the Bronx (Facebook Photo) By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, JANU...