State officials say a privacy pod at the American Dream mall in the Meadowlands was operating without the necessary permits and was subsequently closed before a permit could be obtained.
The closure of the pods was first described on the social media site Reddit, along with a photo showing one of the pods on the third floor of American Dream, adjacent to the mall’s indoor ice rink.
In the post, a large sticker can be seen at the entrance to the pod that reads “Structurally Unsafe.”
Lisa Ryan, a spokesperson for the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, which inspects malls, said inspectors noticed late last month that the pods were being used without the proper permits. The cabin was temporarily closed.
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Officially known as “peace pods,” the buildings provide “privacy on demand” in public spaces such as cities. A spokesman for Peace, Inc., which owns the pods, did not respond to several emails seeking comment for this article.
An American Dream spokesman declined to comment.
It’s unclear whether the pods are operated by shopping malls or peace groups or when they will reopen.
Daniel Munoz covers business, consumer affairs, labor and the economy for NorthJersey.com and The Record.
e-mail: munozd@northjersey.com; twitter:@danielmunoz100 and Facebook
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: New Jersey closes ‘privacy pod’ at American Dream mall
