I returned to my old stomping grounds in upstate New York just a couple of months ago, seeking relief for whatever was ailing me down in the hills of North Carolina. A slight challenge readjusting to the norms here, with that banal way of life always tugging at me to get the hell out of here time and again. For now, it's a good place for me. A self-imposed sabbatical to get my mind fresh again.
As with many of my occasions here, returning home comes the inevitable opinions I form concerning the state of decay with this particular town. Streets I walked to schools - once filled with vibrant families, nice cars, and toys scattered on front lawns - now sit boarded up, condemned by health departments and HUD inspectors. Buildings completely disappeared from where I thought they were, now nothing but barren, shoddy parking lots with weeds bursting through asphalt cracks. My own childhood home is now inhabited by folks who seem too incompetent to own a home, tearing apart and replacing just about everything my parents worked hard to maintain there.
One such fortress of my youth about to be imploded goes by Rotterdam Square Mall. Imploded might be too soon to say, but it's likely inevitable. This indoor mall, once buzzing with shoppers and profitable shops and stores, is now a fraction of that. I had prom pictures taken there in front of their center water fountain. One of my first jobs was there, as a Hot Dog Charlie's peon. Today, Rotterdam Square seems to be a place to come and sit. So much, in fact, they have planted numerous couches and arm chairs throughout the place. The food court's biggest attraction is an oversized bounce house for children. It sits in the gazebo space once occupied by a merry-go-round. Just as well, perhaps there's no better sign your local mall is racing down the toilet when even McDonald's leaves. The anchor stores - Sears, K-Mart, and Macy's - remain steadfast in their desire to stick around and watch the anarchy unfold beyond their doors. Three o'clock in the afternoon and multiple spaces down the halls sit empty, their gates pulled to the ground. And they'll stay that way as more and more stores bolt the premises for good.
I can see developers eventually razing this site, just as they did with Mohawk Mall, another local spot from my youth demolished and since reconstructed as a big-box plaza with places like Target, Old Navy, and Lowe's taking up shop. However, there is one small fact demolition crews have to worry about that Mohawk did not:
Rotterdam Square Mall has a family burial plot right on their property.
As with many of my occasions here, returning home comes the inevitable opinions I form concerning the state of decay with this particular town. Streets I walked to schools - once filled with vibrant families, nice cars, and toys scattered on front lawns - now sit boarded up, condemned by health departments and HUD inspectors. Buildings completely disappeared from where I thought they were, now nothing but barren, shoddy parking lots with weeds bursting through asphalt cracks. My own childhood home is now inhabited by folks who seem too incompetent to own a home, tearing apart and replacing just about everything my parents worked hard to maintain there.
One such fortress of my youth about to be imploded goes by Rotterdam Square Mall. Imploded might be too soon to say, but it's likely inevitable. This indoor mall, once buzzing with shoppers and profitable shops and stores, is now a fraction of that. I had prom pictures taken there in front of their center water fountain. One of my first jobs was there, as a Hot Dog Charlie's peon. Today, Rotterdam Square seems to be a place to come and sit. So much, in fact, they have planted numerous couches and arm chairs throughout the place. The food court's biggest attraction is an oversized bounce house for children. It sits in the gazebo space once occupied by a merry-go-round. Just as well, perhaps there's no better sign your local mall is racing down the toilet when even McDonald's leaves. The anchor stores - Sears, K-Mart, and Macy's - remain steadfast in their desire to stick around and watch the anarchy unfold beyond their doors. Three o'clock in the afternoon and multiple spaces down the halls sit empty, their gates pulled to the ground. And they'll stay that way as more and more stores bolt the premises for good.
I can see developers eventually razing this site, just as they did with Mohawk Mall, another local spot from my youth demolished and since reconstructed as a big-box plaza with places like Target, Old Navy, and Lowe's taking up shop. However, there is one small fact demolition crews have to worry about that Mohawk did not:
Rotterdam Square Mall has a family burial plot right on their property.
The family plot is that of the Vedder family, one of the original settlers of the city of Schenectady during the 1600's.
The story is actually pretty fascinating. You can read about it more here.