Trader Joe's Coming To UWS "Corner"
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A new residential tower on the Upper West Side will soon be home to a well-known grocery chain, ending months of speculation among neighborhood residents. NY1's Jill Urban filed the following report.After more than two years, construction at the corner of 72nd and Broadway in Manhattan is now complete.
The luxury rental tower has been creating quite a buzz in the area, particularly over what stores will occupy it’s more than 50,000 square feet of commercial space.
After much speculation, developers are finally confirming what many have been wondering -- has Trader Joe’s found a home on the Upper West Side?
"It's official. Trader Joe's will be coming. We expect them to open later this year. Other than that we can’t confirm what the date will be but we can certainly confirm that they will be coming to the building," said Gotham Organization Vice President Jeffrey Kaye.
Yes, local residents have heard the back and forth for sometime but the grocery will soon take over two floors at the iconic corner. It's expected to make for an interesting mix in the neighborhood with the famed Fairway Market and Citarella located just two blocks away.
Members of the community who spoke with NY1 say the competition will mean more choices for residents.
"I don’t think any of these Food Emporiums look at it as competition. This is going to become food row and people are going to be able to select from three terrific institutions," said one Upper West Side resident.
However, some residents worry what it will mean for crowds. When Trader Joe’s opened in Union Square, there were lines around the corner. But some say all that foot traffic will be good for other businesses in the area.
"We actually think the Trader Joe's in particular will help new smaller businesses because it will draw traffic to the street. We also like Trader Joe's in particular because it is a neighborhood operation -- even though it is a franchise -- they are branded and really work as a neighborhood grocery market," said another Upper West Side resident.
Residents say they're also hoping the building will help create jobs for Upper West Siders.
There are two other commercial spaces in the building -- one has been rented to Bank of America which will come later this year -- and the third space has yet to be rented.
Upstairs, the residential side brings 196 market rate rentals to the area where rental-only buildings are not so common.
"Most people are forced to rent condos in condo or coop buildings. We have a mix of studios, 1 beds, 2 beds and 3 beds. A bulk of them are 1 bedrooms. We have 47 unique unit types in this building," Kaye said."
Developers say tenants are already moving in.
The building is called "The Corner" and many in the area hope it will help turn the corner into even more of a destination.