In the mid-1990s, Forest City Ratner built Atlantic Center, and it has had rather mixed results. Some of the anchor tenants have gone, which means the state Department of Motor Vehicles occupies what should be retail space, closed on weekends and evenings. The mall was built without a lot of benches or gathering places--a defensive action against youth gathering and scaring the shoppers. The developer himself, Bruce Ratner, admits it wasn't a good design. The design of the mall has been cosmetically improved a bit, but it's still reviled by many. But if you need to go to places like Circuit City, this is the mall forit.
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