Thursday, May 23, 2013

Walmart possible in Ridgewood

From the Observer:

It’s been mostly quiet on the Walmart front since plans for a Brooklyn behemoth collapsed last fall, but prominent New York brokers insist that the world’s largest retailer is in active negotiations for a spot in the five boroughs.

Walmart announced in September that its quixotic quest for a New York City location had hit a wall. The company’s latest failed bid for a toehold here came at the Related Companies’ Gateway II project in East New York. A coalition of labor unions, community defenders and politicians (including Christine Quinn) had condemned the proposal. Its downfall was attributed mostly to the company’s employment practices and perennial spats with unions. A unionized ShopRite will rise on the Gateway II site.

The Gateway Walmart had been expected since 2010, though it was never confirmed by the retailer or Related. When the East New York prospect dimmed, Walmart seemed to retreat from its designs on New York.

But several brokers told The Commercial Observer that negotiations are currently underway. “I understand they’re looking at something on the Queens-Brooklyn border,” said Faith Hope Consolo, chairman of Douglas Elliman’s retail leasing and sales division. “There’s an old industrial building over there with vacant lots next to it.”

Another real estate industry source familiar with Walmart’s hunger for a New York location, wishing to remain anonymous, said the company was in active negotiations for a “very substantial,” roughly 300,000-square-foot as-of-right site in the outer boroughs.

Ms. Consolo could not confirm the 300,000-square-foot figure, but did not reject the possibility of a Walmart site in or near Ridgewood, the gentrifying neighborhood between Bushwick and Middle Village that has recently welcomed artists and Polish families priced out of Bushwick and Greenpoint.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good!
I wish that Walmart would come to Flushing.

Get rid of those cheap Asian emporiums and 99 cents stores.

Anonymous said...

Walmart should take a serious look at Atlas Park. Little needed renovation and plenty of parking.

Anonymous said...

Atlas Park baby.

Anonymous said...

Homebound by leukemia, I shop Walmart online

Liman said...

Everyone hates Walmart, except the public.

Anonymous said...

Love Walmart. Wish they would smarten up and open in Atlas Park. Until then, I shop Walmart online.

Anonymous said...

Maspeth Mom...
Why a Walmart for that space...how about a much needed school...ease the over crowding..If they go to Atlas I will never shop there...been to Walmart in upstate NY for hunting gear...almost everyong using government food coupons..its tough to watch.

Unknown said...

Walmart kills mom & pop shops, unions and keeps people poor. To invite a cancer like Walmart to queens would devastate other business' and be a blight to any area. Go visit peopleofwalmart.com & see if you want that next door to your house.

Anonymous said...

..almost everyone using government food coupons..its tough to watch.
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I guess you havent been to shop and stop lately. In line for checkout, i feel like a schmuck for being the only person paying for their own groceries.

As for wal-mart to Atlas, no thanks. Not only will i not go to atlas anymore, i will just avoid every store in that area since traffic will be a nightmare.