The residents of the Seward Park Cooperative are getting riled up again! As we reported the other day, the co-op board is re-considering a proposal from 7-Eleven to take over a large space once occupied by the Grand Spa at 403 Grand Street.
When the plan first became public in the spring, residents mobilized, organized a petition drive and began searching for alternative tenants. They managed to find a business, Tribeca Pediatrics, for a smaller storefront, but for one reason or another none of the prospects (including a small grocery store) has panned out for the larger space. In advance of tomorrow night’s board of directors meeting in which the 7-Eleven offer is once again on the table, residents are making their voices heard.
One Seward Park shareholder, Marijke Briggs, is encouraging neighbors to email board members today. The email she sent read:
MY FAMILY AND I DO NOT WANT 7-11 ON OUR PROPERTY!!! WE IMPLORE YOU TO HIRE A PROFESSIONAL BROKER WHO SPECIALIZES IN RETAIL LEASING TO PROPERLY MARKET THE FORMER GRAND SPA SPACE AND FUTURE VACANCIES, AS WELL. 7-11 IS FULL OF POISONOUS AND CHEMICAL FILLED ‘FOOD’ & ‘DRINKS’ AND DOES NOT REPRESENT THE NEEDS OR WANTS OF RESIDENTS OF THE GRAND STREET CO-OPS. THIS CHAIN STORE WILL DRAW A CLIENTELE THAT BELONGS SHOPPING ON DELANCY STREET, NOT GRAND STREET. WE WILL NOT SHOP AT 7-11 OR ANY OTHER SUCH ESTABLISHMENT.
It should be noted that plenty of Seward Park residents are in favor of 7-Eleven taking over the space. Last week, board President Wei-Li Tjong told us the co-op is trying to navigate competing priorities. “The balance to be struck is really between securing a good stream of income in the short-term,” he said, “and risking leaving the space un-rented for some time in order to find a tenant that brings not only rental income, but adds strategic developmental value to the commercial strip.”
We’ll have a followup after tomorrow night’s board meeting.
