Syracuse, N.Y. — Pyramid Management Group, owner of Destiny USA and nine other malls in New York, says Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s concerns that the air in enclosed shopping centers may be breeding grounds for the coronavirus are unfounded.
“While we can appreciate the state’s concern about the public’s health and safety, any reporting that suggests that HVAC systems within enclosed shopping centers are more likely to distribute the virus than HVAC systems within restaurants, barber shops, office buildings, museums and freestanding retailers already open like Target, Wal Mart, Hobby Lobby, TJ Maxx (and others) is simply false,” the Syracuse-based mall development company said in a statement Thursday.
“The quality of overall air circulation in our shopping centers, which also benefit from considerable open and airy corridors, is as good or better than those venues that have been allowed to re-open.”
Cuomo’s office told regional officials on Tuesday that malls will not be allowed to open under phase four of the state’s economic reopening plan. Cuomo ordered malls to close March 19 to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus and Covid-19, the highly contagious respiratory disease it causes.
On Wednesday, Cuomo said he is concerned that the air conditioning systems in malls may just recirculate the air rather than clean it of the virus. He said he will not let the interior portions of malls reopen until he learns more. His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.
Pyramid said numerous health and safety experts support the view that enclosed shopping centers “present no greater risk of spreading the virus through their HVAC systems than standalone, freestanding retailers’ locations.”
“If anything, the relative risk within our airy, enclosed malls may in fact be lower as we have done more than is necessary based on health and safety recommendations to improve the existing air filtration systems within our shopping centers to bolster the quality of airflow within our centers,” the company said.
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Rick Moriarty covers business news and consumer issues. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact him anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148