The developer of a megamall at the Meadowlands Sports Complex signed a union agreement Monday to jump-start work on the long-delayed project, then addressed the question on the minds of anyone who has driven past the pastel-hued monstrosity: Will something be done about the exterior Gov. Chris Christie said made the complex “the ugliest damn building in New Jersey and maybe America”?
Mall developer Triple Five — which counts among its properties the Mall of America in Minnesota — recently gained approval from the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority for a revamped exterior that replaces the odd mishmash of colored panels with a cleaner design that emphasizes an outdoor look, according to company exec Paul Ghermezian.
“It’s no secret the facade is ugly,” Ghermezian said. “We got your tweets, we got your e-mails, some people managed to get my cell number and texted me directly.”