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Fairway signs tentative deal for store in South End development(Stamford Advocate, The (Stamford, CT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Nov. 8--STAMFORD -- Fairway, a popular supermarket chain in New York, confirmed it has signed a tentative deal to open a store on the former Yale & Towne factory site in the South End. The supermarket is the first major retailer to agree to be part of the development. If the agreement is finalized, the store could serve as an anchor for the project, which is part of an 80-acre mixed-use development known as Harbor Point. Originally conceived by Greenwich developer Antares, Harbor Point was taken over by Norwalk firm Building & Land Technology in September. "We think Stamford is a fantastic location," said Aaron Fleishaker, Fairway's vice president of real estate. "It's a great city that has lots of major companies." Fleishaker said the store would be built at Canal and Market streets. It would include 65,000 square feet of retail space with a 15,000-square-foot mezzanine for storage. It would be the company's first expansion into Connecticut. The deal was contingent on getting past "hurdles with the city and state," Fleishaker said. Asked whether he was referring to securing tax incentives, Fleishaker declined to comment. Building & Land Technology was handling negotiations with city and state officials, he said. "We're hoping to get through everything between now and February," he said. Building & Land Technology representatives did not respond to requests for comment. A Sept. 30 city zoning application for the property referred only to "an exciting opportunity for a new tenant to operate a 65,000-square-foot grocery store." City Planner Norman Cole, when told that Fairway had confirmed the deal, acknowledged that developers had privately revealed to him Fairway was the grocery store in mind. "It doesn't change my review process," Cole said, adding that land-use officials had not reached a consensus on the plan. In addition to space for a supermarket and adjacent parking lot, developers have requested to keep a building at Henry and Canal streets that previously was to be demolished. This change, along with adding Fairway, represents a dramatic shift from the original design of the complex, which sought to create a town square atmosphere with a park in the center. The developer would need to explain how the new plan would affect traffic, as well as how it fits in with the rest of the Harbor Point development, Cole said. The confirmation ends weeks of speculation that surfaced last month on the food blog Chowhound, where several contributors responded with giddy excitement at the prospect of a Fairway. With four locations, Fairway is considered a food institution in New York, known for offering fresh meats, seafood and produce, along with gourmet and big brand selections at reasonable prices. The parking lot of the Harlem store regularly contains cars bearing license plates from New Jersey and Connecticut. A family-owned business started in 1954, its reputation has at times gone beyond food. Fairway stores in Harlem and Brooklyn have been credited with re-energizing neighborhoods. A public hearing on the project has been tentatively scheduled for Dec. 8 at the Government Center. Representatives from the developer are expected to present the plans to the Zoning Board. - Staff Writer Elizabeth Kim can be reached at [email protected] or 964-2265. To see more of The Stamford Advocate, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.stamfordadvocate.com. Copyright (c) 2008, The Stamford Advocate, Conn. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |