We have just confirmed rumors that have been circulating for several weeks — the Pathmark store at 227 Cherry Street is closing at the end of the year. In an emailed statement, Pathmark spokesperson Marcy Connor wrote:
Our Pike Slip Pathmark store in New York, NY, will close at the end of December due to the sale of the lease to a third party. We are relinquishing the lease to accommodate a large scale residential development and improvement project, while preserving the right to operate once the project is complete. We notified our union partners on Sept. 25, and we began notifying associates on Sept. 28. As part of the store closing process, future assignments will be handled pursuant to associate’s respective collective bargaining agreements. While this currently is a difficult circumstance for our associates, customers, partners and local communities, we remain focused on providing great value and service to our customers, and we look forward to potentially operating in this location again in the future.
In 2007 community groups mobilized in an effort to keep the store open after rumors surfaced hinting at a possible closure. At the time, the parcel at Pike and Cherry streets had supposedly been sold for $250 million and luxury condos were planned. Pathmark is owned by the A&P Supermarket chain, which recently emerged from bankruptcy.
The closure is a big blow to the Two Bridges neighborhood, a largely low-income section of the Lower East Side under-served by food retailers. The Two Bridges Neighborhood Council has been a longtime advocate of keeping the store open. This afternoon, Two Bridges President Victor Papa plans to meet with the property owner to learn more about the situation. No matter what happens, he told us a short time ago, the organization will seek assurances that a grocery store will be part of any new residential development on the site. “We fought to keep the Pathmark store there and we will fight to make sure a supermarket stays there in the future,” Papa said.
No plans have been filed with the Department of Buildings just yet. Back in 2007, Curbed dug up a sales brochure floating a couple of different proposals, including one for twin 50-story towers on the Pathmark site. Pathmark possessed a long-term lease at 227 Cherry Street that (if still in place) doesn’t expire for another 35 years or so.
UPDATE 4:10 p.m. Here’s a statement we just received from State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver:
I am deeply concerned by the announcement that Pathmark plans to close its store on Cherry Street. A full service supermarket at this location is of vital importance to thousands of residents in this community who have few other options for fresh food and other essentials. Five years ago, I led an effort to keep this store open and I will once again work hard to ensure that we retain a full service supermarket at this location.
UPDATE 6:56 p.m. The Two Bridges Neighborhood Council has released the following statement regarding today’s news:
… (This) imminent loss to the Two Bridges’ community is unthinkable. The Pathmark supermarket… currently serves the essential needs of every strata of our diverse Lower East Side community, especially seniors and low income families. Furthermore, the possible loss of the Pathmark pharmacy is particularly disconcerting, considering it serves hundreds of families in this area. In essence, the loss of both the Pathmark supermarket and pharmacy is the loss of a very essential social service. In upcoming weeks, Two Bridges Neighborhood Council, Inc. intends to solicit the assistance of our local elected officials, community leaders, and residents to work towards extending the Pathmark’s services for as long as possible, until continuity of services can be guaranteed by a future on-site full service supermarket that aims to serve the diverse communities and needs of this area. A supermarket in our community is essential to thousands of residents who have very few other options for fresh food and other essentials.
BULLSH*T
thats bs now there gona build for the yuppies they been watting to do this for a long time
That M15 bus stop (near the river) on Allen right next to the Pathmark parking lot would be a great place for the wonderful ‘YO’ Bus
It was a matter of time… I’m surprised it even lasted this long. Sad,
really sad. What i’m really worried about now is that, they’ll close and
board up the place, sit on it until they find enough investors and
funding for their “residential development and improvement project” (we
all know that means luxury high rise monstrosities), which may end up
taking years, while the community suffers the loss of a much needed
supermarket.
Lower Manhattan Bus terminal plus a new supermarket?
CONDOS AND LUXURY APARTMENTS BEING BUILT ON PATH-MARK GROUNDS, , DO LOW INCOME FAMILIES HAVE THE FIRST SAY IN RENTING AND BUYING? OR WILL THE MIDDLE CLASS AND THE RICH TAKE OVER THE LOWER EAST SIDE.AND THIS NEW RENOVATION ? WHY TAKE AWAY FROM THE POOR TO CREATE A NEW ENVIRONMENT FOR THE RICH . ISN’T IT SUPPOSED TO BE THE OTHER WAY.. THERE WILL BE SO MANY RIOTS WHEN THIS ALL HAPPENS. THIS IS PATHETIC.
It was a horrible supermarket but no doubt served a given population. Waterfront land is waterfront land so no big surprise they build up.
makes me sick..okay it wasnt the best supermarket but it is our only one!!!!! Where do we shop now??? Residential, ok is it going to be affordable for people that live in the area, including myself? NOT!!! Let’s make the LES for the friggin rich too! Oh no we have to band together to fight this…you want to put housing , make sure it’s affordable!! Who is this 3rd party that the lease was sold to??
Yes, good idea, let’s call it The East River Bus Terminal where all the God-forsaken ‘YO’ buses can rest comfortably. BTW, what idiot came up with this stupid name?
Riots?? You’re correct according to President Obama- it “supposed to be the other way” Forget the fact that that we are a capitalist society – I think that the gov’t should take over all busineses. I can’t wait until Mr Obama wins reelection – I am hoping for him to help me move to a 4 bedroom apt overlooking Central Park !
a whole foods will open mark my words
There are at least three other supermarkets in the area that offer the same if not fresher produce at lower prices
Agreed Pathmark is a horrible Supermarket in fact a dump always a line slow , the service sucks . Whole foods would be good .
I’ve lived in this area several years and I think Pathmark has better deals than the other smaller supermarkets in the area. No, it’s not always the best food but I cannot see how the majority of people living here will be able to afford reguarly buying groceries at a Whole Foods supermarket.
Good, we need a Whole Food or something else higher class and organic in the neighborhood. This will help with the property values around the area.
My goodness they couldn’t find another LES location?! Please! I’ll bet you Two Bridges is behind this to! And folks in this community can’t afford Whole Foods. For hard-to-find items once in a while yeah but definitely not on a weekly basis for basic foods you need. This is crazy!
What about Cooperative Enterprise? Are there people interested in owning a community food store? Could the Park Slope Food Co-op model work in the LES? Are there people interested in organizing and researching the feasibility?
Hello. It has not been publicly announced yet who is behind this deal but can assure you it is not Two Bridges. Please see Two Bridges’ statement in reaction to the news of the impending closure here: http://www.twobridges.org/2012-06-18-20-38-08/what-s-new/153-closure-of-cherry-street-pathmark2
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Two Bridges at info@twobridges.org.
Where? Please provide the addresses I have lived here for 11 years and have not found anywhere within walking distance from Pathmark with better prices or more convenient.
This store services thousands of low income families, Mostly Chinese community. It is a basic neighborhood supermarket that needs to be saved. It is just another example of greed before the services needed to maintain the existing community. BTW, where will the kids in these new apartments go to school? I bet there are no plans to supply any of the basic amenities needed to support the number of apartments planned.
Sad but not surprising. Pathmark has been going downhill for a while.
Time to rally again and win….. the community needs to be heard. Pathmark serves thousands, not only those who live in the area but folks come from other communities to this location. Many seniors even on that very location there’s a senior living development use the pharmacy and the supermarket. I’m sure that what they plan on building will be “low income” Yeah who are you kidding —- their focus is to bring in people to pay 1200+ in rent forcing people out of the area……. Silence is not an option here……
That store was a joke. If people in the neighborhood REALLY cared about it, they would have done more to not turn it into a dump. Blaming everything on being low-income is no excuse for ignorance. And the housing projects around there are a scam, too. All I see are nice cars parked in the free parking lots, next to the free playgrounds and free rec centers. There are lots of middle-class and lower-middle-class areas all over the country who get less free stuff than the people in this neighborhood, yet they do not allow their local supermarkets and housing projects to disintegrate.
This is actually a really nice, well-stocked and well-maintained store that employs a lot of people in the neighborhood.
it was the largest supermarket chain to ever hit the lower east side almost 25 some odd years ago!.it will definitely disappoint the shoppers who for many years have made this their local one stop shop!.but hey, who cares about the people who live there and have been for many many years. innovation rules, no matter how much you protest and make waves about whats right..i mean what would the the lower east side be without another over the top, ridiculously priced waterside condo for somebody to live in……
I passed by the Pathmark supermarket the other day and saw the “closing out.” sign. I couldn’t believe it when I saw the sign. I lived in LES all my life (43 yrs) and I was happy when Pathmark moved in the LES about 25 years ago. I shop my groceries there all the time. I live on Stanton and I walk all the way to this supermarket because of their affordable prices. This supermarket is needed in LES. Why do we/LES need another luxury condo? Most people in LES and around Pathmark are low income people. Now there won’t be a Pathmark and affordable place to buy. Leave Pathmark alone. And put your luxury condos some place else. Also, it employs many people. This is so sad.—- Pathmark, you are needed in that location. —- Please don’t leave.
Pathmark was muscled out? Not surprised. Next will be the poor and elderly. This is Manhattan, after all. What a shame, this wouldn’t have happened in my neighborhood.
Time to build new towers. The Pathmark location there was one of the worst in the country, anyway.
Not everyone can afford OVERPRICED Whole Foods. The reason that Pathmark closed is not because of Pathmark… it’s because wealthy people are taking over Manhattan and waterfront property is valuable. Pathmark prices are good…. the people living there now don’t care if it’s not fancy.