Roosevelt Field Mall was built in 1955 at a cost of $35 million. A common misconception is that the mall stands on the site where in 1927 Charles Lindbergh began his flight across the Atlantic, but in fact, he took off from the original Roosevelt Field, located in Westbury, Long Island, NY. Later, in 1929, Curtiss Field and Roosevelt Field were united and both were called Roosevelt Field, which led to the confusion. Roosevelt Field Mall now stands on the original Curtiss Field.
When it opened in 1956, Roosevelt Field was open-air, with parking for 11,000 cars, and the largest mall in the country. The shopping center was one of the first to realize the modern "mall" as we know it. Designed by I.M. Pei, the mall had an ice skating rink, 400 seat community theatre, an art gallery, and space for car and boat shows. By 1956, it had been further developed to include 300 acres, with restaurants, bowling alleys, a hotel, and a medical building.
Surprisingly, the mall was a loss throughout the early 1960's, losing more than $8 million over 1962 and 1963. However, when the mall was enclosed in 1968 and sold to Corporate Property Investors of Manhattan in 1973, it began to grow in size and success.
In 1993, the second story was added, and in 1996 the second floor was completed, along with the 70 new stores and food court. Now, the mall is the 5th largest in the country, and the 3rd most profitable in sales per square foot. It averages more than 20 million shopper visits annually. It contains 260 stores, including Bloomingdale's, JCPenny, Macy's, and Nordstrom. In addition, it has 18 restaurants, a post office, and a cinema.
Roosevelt Field Mall is undoubtedly the center of Long Island commerce, and with good reason. It has pretty much every store you could ever dream of either inside or within its borders (for example, a Comp USA is on the property but not inside the mall), and despite the crowds, it's easy to get to and very easy to navigate. If you're in the area, this is the place to shop, unless you're in New York City. It is, admittedly, an easier and more relaxing shopping experience, in many respects, than shopping in NYC, despite size constraints.
Roosevelt Field
Old Country Road and Meadowbrook Parkway
Garden City, NY 11530
(516)742-8000
Hours of Operation:
Monday - Saturday: 10:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Sunday: 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Directions
From Brooklyn - Take Belt Parkway East, which will turn into the Southern State Parkway. Take the Southern State Parkway to Exit 22N Meadowbrook Parkway North. Take exit M-2 West.
Public Transportation - MTA Bus Company runs 10 lines through Roosevelt Field. For further information, contact the local Nassau MTA at (516)766-6722, or the NYC MTA at (718)330-1234.
From Queens - Take Grand Central Parkway East (becomes Northern State Parkway) to Meadowbrook Parkway/Jones Beach. Take exit M-2 West.
From Westchester/The Bronx - Take Throgs Neck Bridge to Cross Island Parkway to Grand Central Parkway East (becomes Northern State Parkway) to Meadowbrook Parkway/Jones Beach. Take exit M-2 West.
From New York City/Manhattan - Take Queens Midtown Tunnel to LIE (495). Exit 38 to Northern State Parkway to Meadowbrook Parkway/Jones Beach. Take exit M-2 West. | 
