BY ANDY GARDNER
North Country This Week

MASSENA -- The St. Lawrence Centre mall has met the state's requirements for reopening and is now open again.

Mall Manager Erica Leonard said the stores open now are Shoe Department, Maurice's, Olympia, JC Penney and Melissa's Hair Studio.

She said other mall stores are on track to reopen "kind of here and there between now and next week." Food court eateries are now closed, but she said those will eventually reopen too. Wendy's is slated to open Wednesday, Aug. 12.

"We'll also announce openings on our social media and our website," Leonard said.

One of the requirements was to upgrade their HVAC system to add filters capable of filtering coronavirus out of the air.

She said they initially thought it would cost "thousands and thousands of dollars," but was substantially less. That's because their rooftop units didn't need to be replaced. They were able to fit the air filters required by the state.

All seating has been removed at the state's direction.

Customers will be required to wear a mask that covers the nose and mouth to enter the building.

Leonard said they are asking people to follow directional areas to promote physical distancing between people moving through the mall.

"We're just excited to be open, finally. People are going to be required to wear a mask inside the mall. They are not going to be allowed to enter to wear a mask," Leonard said. "We ask that you go down one way and come back another way. We do have a hand sanitizing station set up throughout the mall. We do not provide masks for anybody but we have lots of hand sanitizer."

Mall hours are Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Olympia Sports will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 to 6 a.m. on Sundays.