Macy’s former Brooklyn flagship to become a 440K-sq-ft ‘experiential destination’

 – 
Staff Writer

 · 
July 10, 2026

A piece of Brooklyn history is about to get a massive, modern facelift.

The legendary former Macy’s flagship in Downtown Brooklyn—which permanently shuttered its doors in March 2025—is officially being resurrected. Rather than sitting vacant or being carved up into boring offices, the historic five-story building is being completely reimagined into BKX: a colossal, “first-of-its-kind” experiential retail, dining, and entertainment mega-hub.

From a 19th-Century Retail Icon to NYC’s Largest Available Retail Block

Located at 422 Fulton Street, the site has served as a central retail destination for Brooklynites since 1885.

• The History: It originally opened as the iconic flagship for Wechsler & Abraham, which later became the beloved Abraham & Straus in 1893 before officially rebranding as Macy’s in 1995
• The Big Closure: Following Macy’s corporate decision to close 150 stores nationwide, the building went dark in 2025
• The Transition: Before developers drew up these massive new plans, the empty department store windows spent early 2026 transformed into In Every Transition, A Pattern—an interactive light installation that pulsed to the real-time sounds of Fulton Street

Now, real estate developers United American Land, Dreamscape Retail & Entertainment, and The Jackson Group are prepared to turn up that creative energy tenfold.

What To Expect Inside BKX

Spanning 440,000 square feet across five levels, BKX represents the single largest contiguous block of retail space currently available in all of New York City, according to a press release.

Instead of traditional storefronts, the developers are focusing heavily on “experience-first” concepts. The design will feature soaring 17.5-to-22.5-foot ceilings and flexible floor plates designed to house a highly curated ecosystem of concepts that don’t compete, but play off each other.

Here’s a quick look at what’s planned under one roof:

• A Dramatic Central Atrium: Designed by the world-renowned experiential design firm iCrave (the creative minds behind the visual design of The Sphere in Las Vegas and TSX Broadway in Times Square). This gathering space will feature massive LED screens, theatrical event hosting, and plenty of jaw-dropping backdrops
• Immersive Attractions & Entertainment: Large-scale, interactive entertainment concepts and next-generation virtual or physical playgrounds
• A Culinary Destination: Diverse food and beverage experiences, including a massive food hall and destination dining
• Flagship & Emerging Brands: Next-gen retail concepts seeking high-visibility spaces to build custom, multi-level interactive shopping environments

Joshua Strauss, President of Retail & Entertainment at Dreamscape, stated:

Consumers today are looking for more than a traditional shopping experience. They’re excited by places that blend retail, entertainment, dining, culture and community, and BKX has been envisioned to meet that demand under one roof, at a scale that simply doesn’t exist elsewhere in New York.

Unrivaled Transit Connectivity

A major reason developers are banking so heavily on BKX’s success is its hyper-accessible location. Sitting directly on top of one of NYC’s busiest transit hubs, the complex offers direct, immediate access to:

• 11 Subway Lines (the 2, 3, 4, 5, A, C, B, D, N, Q, and R trains)
• The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) at nearby Atlantic Terminal
• Thousands of daily commuters and visitors exploring the rapidly growing Downtown Brooklyn neighborhood

When Can New Yorkers Visit?

While an exact official opening date hasn’t been set, leasing is fully underway. Developers have revealed that they’re already in advanced negotiations for about half of the massive space, according to Commercial Observer.

Instead of making locals wait for one massive grand opening, BKX is planning a staggered public opening as individual tenants finish their builds. The first wave of openings is expected to begin in 12 to 18 months (around mid-to-late 2027), according to Staten Island Live, with major tenant announcements likely dropping in the coming months!

The Quick Details

• What: BKX (Experiential Retail & Entertainment Hub)
• Where: 422 Fulton Street, Downtown Brooklyn (between Hoyt St. and Gallatin Pl.)
• When: Openings are expected to begin in 12 to 18 months