Westfield World Trade Center
| Company type | Retail complex |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | August 16, 2016 |
| Headquarters | Manhattan, New York City , United States |
Area served | Manhattan, New York City |
| Products | Shopping mall with 125 stores |
| Owner | Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield |
Westfield World Trade Center is a retail complex situated within the World Trade Center site in Manhattan, New York, managed by Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield. Officially opened on August 16, 2016, it stands as the largest shopping destination in Manhattan, encompassing 125 stores. This mall serves as the successor to The Mall at the World Trade Center, which was the subterranean retail area of the original World Trade Center that was destroyed during the September 11 attacks.
Original mall (1975–2001)
The Mall at the World Trade Center was an underground retail center located in the concourse level of the original World Trade Center complex, which was destroyed in the September 11, 2001 tragedy.
Positioned mainly beneath 4 and 5 World Trade Center as well as Austin J. Tobin Plaza, it opened in 1975 as New York City's largest shopping mall at that time and was operated by the Westfield Group. The primary entrances were situated on Liberty Street (adjacent to the south side of 4 WTC) and Church Street (along the east side of 5 WTC), with additional access points from the lobbies of the Twin Towers. The mall was connected to the Chambers Street–World Trade Center subway station and also intersected with PATH trains at basement levels.
Approximately 80 retail outlets were located within the mall, featuring prominent brands such as Borders, Banana Republic, Coach, The Children's Place, Tourneau, J. Crew, Cole Haan, Sephora, Duane Reade, Gap, Sam Goody, Victoria's Secret, and the Warner Bros. Studio Store. The mall attracted a large number of visitors daily.
On April 26, 2001, a lease agreement was reached between the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey and Westfield Group for a term of 99 years. This agreement was finalized on July 24, 2001. Westfield intended to undertake significant renovations and expansion plans with the goal of rebranding it as Westfield Shoppingtown World Trade Center by 2002.
September 11 attacks
Witnesses present inside the mall at 8:46 a.m. EDT, when American Airlines Flight 11 collided with the North Tower, described fireballs propelled by burning jet fuel descending elevator shafts and erupting into the lobby area, with flames extending into parts of the mall.
According to the 9/11 Commission Report:
The Port Authority's on-site commanding police officer was in the concourse when a fireball exploded out of the North Tower lobby, forcing him to dive for cover.
Survivor Allison Summers recounted:
I had nearly reached the Cortlandt Street Uptown 1 and 9 station when a massive explosion shook the building. A wave of smoke surged through the doorway. We hurried past stores like Coach to escape this smoke wave. Everyone moved with a single purpose: to evacuate the building.
Shortly following impact, water from broken pipes or sprinkler systems flooded sections of the mall. Erik Ronningen described moving through ankle-deep water in darkened corridors while evacuating.
The mall played an essential role during evacuation efforts because debris obstructed exits leading to the plaza; evacuees had to pass through the mall to exit via either 4 or 5 World Trade Center. The collapse of both towers caused extensive damage to the mall, resulting in its demolition after the attacks.
Current mall (2016–present)
The Oculus encompasses roughly 365,000 square feet of retail area. Compared to the original mall, the new structure occupies about half the initial site, as substantial space is dedicated to the underground National September 11 Memorial & Museum. Nonetheless, it incorporates two retail floors rather than the single level previously available. Retail spaces in 3 World Trade Center and 4 World Trade Center span three and four levels above ground, respectively, while 2 World Trade Center is planned to contribute an additional three retail floors. The head house of the World Trade Center station, known as the Oculus, also houses a considerable amount of retail outlets.
Larry Silverstein, developer at Silverstein Properties, explained that the collaboration with the Port Authority was designed to surpass the retail offerings that existed before 9/11, aiming to establish a premier shopping destination on par with New York City's leading retail centers.
Construction on the One World Trade Center portion commenced in 2007. By February 2012, Westfield Corporation formed a partnership with the Port Authority to co-own and operate the mall, establishing a leasing office within 7 World Trade Center. Westfield then purchased the Port Authority’s remaining interest in December 2013, assuming full ownership and control of the retail operations. By mid-2014, approximately 80% of retail spaces were leased, reaching full occupancy across all 125 stores by October 2015.
The mall officially opened on August 16, 2016, marked by a concert featuring headline performances from John Legend and Leslie Odom Jr., alongside a newly introduced food court and flagship retailers such as Pandora and the Apple store. Initially launching with around 60 shops, it expanded to 82 stores by 2017. However, certain units remained vacant and some tenants exited as the Port Authority reconstructed nine key storefronts near the PATH station entrance—previously used for a temporary station access—delaying their reopening.