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Q&A

Chair questions Jarboe on grocery store tenant plans

New York City Council · Aug 12, 2026 · starts 0:28:16 · 1 min 18 sec

Thomas-Henry asks why the applicant seeks rezoning without an identified grocer. Jarboe explains no supermarket will sign a lease until zoning is in place. Danielle Contillo confirms no other tenants have sought larger footprints, and the former Party City space was filled by the NY Blood Center during the lengthy application process.

Shanel Thomas-Henry

Thank you.

Shanel Thomas-Henry

I just have one question about this proposal before I turn it over to Councilmember Aldeball.

Shanel Thomas-Henry

So you mentioned the grocery store, which would be approximately 29,500 square feet, but you haven't identified a grocer yet.

Shanel Thomas-Henry

So I'm just curious why the applicant is seeking the rezoning now without a...

Member of the Public - Justin Jarboe

Because a grocery store will never sign a lease until we have the zoning in place.

Member of the Public - Justin Jarboe

Okay.

Member of the Public - Justin Jarboe

So once we have the zoning in place, then we can identify a tenant.

Shanel Thomas-Henry

Okay.

Shanel Thomas-Henry

And then are there other retailers that are currently there now interested in creating a larger footprint at the store's site?

Member of the Public - Justin Jarboe

Not to my knowledge.

Member of the Public - Justin Jarboe

Perhaps someone from ownership who is online could also answer that.

Shanel Thomas-Henry

And be it existing or other potential tenants that would be interested in a larger footprint.

Member of the Public - Danielle Contillo

As of now, we haven't spoken with any tenants who would like a larger footprint.

Member of the Public - Danielle Contillo

As he stated in his presentation, we did have interest from a supermarket for taking over the party city space.

Member of the Public - Danielle Contillo

We've been going through the zoning process for several years now.

Member of the Public - Danielle Contillo

So over the course of the many years that this has gone by, we have filled that space.