Page 4 PRESS of Southeast Queens May 10-16, 2013
New Retail Space Coming To Jamaica
BY NATALIA KOZIKOWSKA On Monday, May 6, the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation announced that it will be pairing up with Blumenfeld Development Group to transform two parking lots on Jamaica Avenue into a large modern retail space. The announcement marks the first time that Jamaica could potentially see a new department store in more than 35 years. In the 1970s and 1980s, big-box retailers left Jamaica Avenue and moved to suburban areas where business was more profitable. “This is a landmark occasion for Jamaica. This is the initial step in bringing back a department store to downtown Jamaica and to help all of southeastern Queens,” U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-Jamaica) said Meeks called on memories from more than three decades ago, when downtown Jamaica was home to three department stores – a Macy’s, a May’s and a Gertz. “I remember my mother was remorseful on that day Gertz announced that it would close, because that was one of the places everybody would go to buy their kids clothing for school and what they needed in the
The Greater Jamaica Development Corporation announced that it will transform two parking lots on Jamaica Avenue into a large modern retail space. Rendering courtesy of GJDC. household, so that was not a good day in the early eighties,” he said. “But that was then, and this is now.” The proposed retail development, located at 168th Street, between 90th and Jamaica Avenues, is not anticipated to break ground for another two years, pending City approvals, but the Congressman and GJDC estimate the $50 million project will create 180 construction jobs, as well as 400 new permanent jobs once a tenant moves in. As part of the proposed develop-
ment, the two parking lots at the location, which are currently owned by GJDC, will be converted into a 160,000-square-foot retail store and build a 500 plus capacity parking garage. “In recent years, with the help of Greater Jamaica, Jamaica has turned the economic corner,” Meeks continued. “Greater Jamaica has made downtown, downtown again and once again, downtown has become a vital center for retail and civic institutions.”
Since the economic setbacks of the 1970s and 1980s, it has been the goal of GJDC to redevelop Jamaica by bringing in more businesses to market the neighborhood as a wellrecognized and thriving shopping center once more. “Our mission is local economic development and it includes a lot more than just commercial development. We work with transportation infrastructure, higher education, industrial growth and retention,” said Carlisle Towery, president of GJDC. A lease for the retail space has not yet been signed and the announcement did not specify which, if any, retail stores are looking at becoming a tenant. Still, Meeks, as well as GJDC and Blumenfeld Development Group are confident that once the retail space is built, it will attract potential tenants. The Congressman also made a promise to the crowd in his final remarks about the announcement. “This is only the beginning folks,” he said. “You need something to kick it off – this gives you an idea of what’s to come.” Reach Reporter Natalia Kozikowska at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 123 or nkozikowska@queenspress.com.