Niagara Falls Mega Mall

Niagara Falls New York was once considered as the site for a Mega-mega Mall as proposed by the Ghermezian brothers, known as world famous mall builders. The project was presented to the City of Niagara Falls New York in 1987 and for several months was seriously considered by elected officials.

The four Ghermezian brothers,  Eskandar, Nader, Raphael and Bahman were Iranian born and their father Jacob had built their fortune from selling Persian rugs in Montreal. The Ghermezian brothers had already built a successful mall project in Edmonton Canada and had just signed an agreement to build the Mall of America in Bloomington Minnesota.

The Niagara Falls Mall was projected to have a huge indoor water park, amusement rides and retail outlets from around the world. The construction alone would have created an influx of jobs similar to the Niagara Power project of the late 1950’s. Yet, despite wall-to-wall news coverage and media conferences the project never got beyond the discussion stage.

The Ghermezian project is one that would now be considered poor timing as the climate in Niagara Falls in the 1980’s for redevelopment was not as it is today. New York State at that time did manage to put together a financial incentive package, but it was far short of what the Ghermezian’s were looking for and they moved on.

Niagara Falls has been the bridesmaid for several other projects over the past seventy years missing out on the site for the United Nations in 1945 and Disney World in the 1960’s.

Russian Leader Visits Niagara Falls

In 1967 Russian Premier Alexei Kosygin visited Niagara Falls on a day trip between scheduled “Big Two” talks with then President Johnson. It was June 24th and Kosygin took Lyndon Johnson up on his offer to take a jet anywhere in the U.S. The head of the Communist world picked Niagara Falls as the one place he would like to see.

Kosygin and Mayor Lackey

Kosygin, his daughter and about sixty comrades flew to the Niagara Falls Air Force base and then drove down to the Falls themselves. The entourage viewed the mighty Niagara and even took a ride on the Maid of the Mist.

U.S State Department officials and Niagara Falls’ Mayor E. Dent Lackey also took Kosygin’s group to the Niagara Hydro Electric Plant down river where he took a tour of the Niagara Power Vista.

In 1967 the Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union was going strong. Yet, Kosygin was not only well received when he arrived in Niagara Falls with short notice, he also acted as any visiting tourist would. Kosygin was not the stoic Soviet as many had expected and greatly enjoyed his visit to Niagara.

When it came time for lunch Alexei Kosygin and company were taken to what was then the finest steak house in Niagara Falls, John’s Flaming Hearth on Military Road. By all accounts the Russian visitors enjoyed the steaks as well as the pumpkin ice cream pie that owner John Prozeralik was famous for.

When the large group of dignitaries and foreign leaders left the restaurant it was discovered that no one had paid the check. The mix-up was the fault of the U.S State Department and resolved when the omission was brought to their attention. However, the late John Prozeralik gained regional fame for playing up the fact that the “Ruskie” didn’t pay his check.

Niagara Falls in the Fall offers a beautiful view of the mighty water falls as well as an appreciation for the changing foliage in the area. Just the drive to Niagara Falls through surrounding rural areas of New York and border states is worth the trip alone.

Niagara Falls is situated on the border of the United States and Canada between Lakes Erie and Ontario. That location is known for its scenic beauty in the months of September and October because of the color changes in the many wooded areas. Combine the yearly painting of the leaves by Mother Nature with the majesty of the mighty water falls of Niagara and it’s a celebration of nature.

Goat Island has some of the oldest forests in the region and it’s accessible all year round. The beauty of this wooded area at the brink of both the American and the Horseshoe falls has been preserved thanks to the efforts of Frederick Law Olmsted. It was Olmsted who designated Goat Island as a park area that should protect nature and in particular the trees of the forest.

On the Canadian side of the border you can find Queen Victoria Park surrounding the Niagara Gorge and Horseshoe Falls. Queen Victoria Park offers a valuable collection of unique native and international plants and beautifully maintained gardens that rival any found in the region.

In the Fall a walk through the Park along the Niagara Gorge from Clifton Hill to beyond the Dufferin Islands is as relaxing a stroll one can take. It is a photographers dream with the cascading water the focal point, but the change in seasons a close second.

Another advantage to visiting Niagara Falls in Autumn is avoiding the crowds of Summer. With over twenty million visitors a year Niagara Falls is a popular destination point, but many of those visits come between June and August. A trip to Niagara in September and October allows viewing of Niagara Fallswithout the crowds and yet still moderate weather.

Niagara Falls offers so much year round so do not rule out a trip to this area even after the kids go back to school.