New York City's, 9.1 route mile -privately-owned- IRT (Interborough Rapid Transit) line began revenue service on October 27, 1904. Its original guideway is indicated in black on the map above. The system was extended to The Bronx and Brooklyn in 1905 and reached Queens in 1915. The Borough of Richmond (Staten Island) was never connected -via subway- with the four other boroughs.

The boroughs of Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens were eventually served by three separate subway systems. The privately-owned BRT (Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company) was established in January 1896, with its first subway station opening in June 1908. The BRT was renamed BMT (Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation) in 1923. A city-owned system commenced revenue service in September 1932. It was renamed IND (Independent System) in June 1940.

All three networks were consolidated under a single management at this time, with the unified system renamed, as the New York City Subway, in 1967. Today, it is the world's fifth-longest rail rapid transit network, with 248 route miles and 472 stations. Note: as of mid-2025, the world's longest subway system, the Shanghai Metro, stretches for 516 route miles, with 508 stations.

Greater New York City's first suburban-style shopping mall, Westchester County's CROSS COUNTY CENTER, was dedicated in April 1954. This was joined by Long Island's first mall, ROOSEVELT FIELD CENTER, in August 1956. New Jersey's first major shopping mall, GARDEN STATE PLAZA, welcomed first customers in May 1957.

The first regional-class, suburban-style mall within the corporate limits of New York City was built in the Borough of Brooklyn. KINGS PLAZA was completed in September 1970. Next in line was STATEN ISLAND MALL, in the Borough of Richmond, which debuted in August 1973. The third of New York City's regional malls, QUEENS CENTER, opened for business in September of the same year.

There were also many office tower shopping gallery-type malls within the confines of Manhattan; the most noteworthy being the MALL AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER (1973-2001). This complex was replaced by WESTFIELD WORLD TRADE CENTER in August 2016. In addition to this, there are MANHATTAN MALL (1989) and TIME WARNER CENTER (2003).


From Our Shopping Center Article Library, We Now Present New York City Centers: