SCHUMER PUSHES FOR FULL-SERVICE SUPERMARKET TO LOCATE IN SYRACUSE’S ARMORY SQUARE AREA, WHICH IS CRITICAL TO ATTRACTING PEOPLE DOWNTOWN – IN PERSONAL PITCH TO CEOs OF TOP GROCERY STORES, SCHUMER MAKES CASE THAT NEW STORE COULD BE A SHOT IN THE ARM TO DOWNTOWN SYRACUSE & HIGHLY PROFITABLE
In Personal Pitch To CEOs of Whole Foods, Tops and The Fresh Market, Schumer
Urges National Supermarkets To Commit to Downtown Presence & Meet
With Syracuse City Officials —Full Service Grocer Will Mean Even
More Residents, Jobs and Projects For City
Schumer, Who Has Successfully Worked With Grocery Brands To Locate In
Areas Lacking In Supermarket Options, Says Now Is Syracuse's Time—Growth
of Downtown Syracuse Makes Area Perfect Location
Schumer: A Full-Service Grocer Should Be In The Bag For Syracuse
Last week, at the Clinton Square Fountain in Syracuse, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer launched his push to bring a full-service supermarket to Syracuse’s Armory Square area. Right now, Downtown is booming with projects and residents, but a full-service grocer remains an elusive piece of the Armory Square puzzle. Schumer said that a full-service supermarket option is essential to continuing the area’s economic boom, and he is reaching out to the CEOs of three major supermarkets currently expanding in other New York cities – Whole Foods, Tops and The Fresh Market – and encouraging them to locate in the Armory Square area. He added that Downtown Syracuse is one of the two fastest growing residential population centers in Onondaga County and, over the last three years, the residential population has increased 31%. According to Schumer, the area now has the residential occupancy numbers to command a full-service supermarket. Schumer announced he plans to make the case to these supermarket CEOs that a new, major full-service grocery store would be a major boost to the area and be highly profitable. Schumer has undertaken similar efforts before on behalf of other cities and towns across the state. For example, in 2010, Schumer stalled the impending bankruptcy of P&C Foods (Penn Traffic), which impacted neighborhoods across Central New York, by working to push back the bankruptcy deadline in time for other grocery bidders to make an offer. The push saved grocery operations across the area from vacancy when Tops stepped in as the Penn Traffic buyer, purchasing the P&C stores and preserving hundreds of jobs and local grocery options.
“New residents and businesses are moving into the Armory Square neighborhood every day, but one thing is missing that would truly put this part of town on the map – a full-service supermarket,” said Schumer. “All of Downtown Syracuse is booming, but the lack of a serious supermarket option is holding the area back from further residential growth and development, and we need to change that right away. That is why I am calling on three of the biggest supermarket chains that have already begun expanding in other cities across the state to open a location in the Armory Square area. We just need one to recognize how important this would be to the area and how profitable a location it can be to really have Armory Square and the rest of Downtown take off.”
Schumer was joined by Mayor Stephanie Miner, representatives from the Downtown Committee and Centerstate, as well as developers and area residents.
Residents of the Armory Square area have been complaining for years that there is no full-service supermarket to satisfy the population’s needs. Instead of having a supermarket within short walking or driving distance, like most booming urban residential areas, the closest option for most Armory Square residents is a Tops Supermarket outside of the city. Schumer said that the lack of a viable supermarket option in the Armory Square area is hindering the growth of the neighborhood and all of residential downtown. Schumer explained that a new supermarket would not only help Downtown Syracuse grow, but given the number of people already living and working downtown, it would be a highly profitable opportunity for one of the major supermarket chains.
In making his case to the CEOs of Whole Foods, Tops and The Fresh Market, saying that one of them should decide to open a location in the Armory Square area, Schumer cited compelling data from the Downtown Committee of Syracuse that explains why opening a store in the area would be such a great opportunity. Schumer noted, according to the Downtown Committee, there are nearly 3,000 people living downtown – a number that has increased by 31% over the past three years. Downtown Syracuse is one of the two fastest growing residential population centers in all of Onondaga County. In addition to the tremendous residential population growth, Downtown Syracuse continues to attract more and more businesses as well. In total, nearly 30,000 employees come to work Downtown each day, and 15 new companies have decided to locate in the downtown area in the past year, as well as 17 other companies who have decided to expand their presence. The Downtown Committee says that as a result of this population and business growth, there are approximately $40 million in untapped retail opportunities downtown, including an estimated $2.5 million in annual sales that a supermarket would generate.
Schumer pledged to work with the City of Syracuse to attract one of these supermarkets to the Armory Square area and he has already sent letters to the CEOs of Whole Foods, Tops and The Fresh Market to get the process moving. Schumer noted that he recently undertook a similar effort in Rochester, where he helped to establish Hart’s Grocers as the first grocer to open a store in the downtown core in around two decades. Schumer helped expedite approval of a loan from the Small Business Administration so they could close on other private financing. In addition, Schumer is currently seeking to attract an anti-“food desert” grant from the Department of Health and Human Services to bring a new grocer, Constantino's Market, into Rochester’s College Town development. Schumer said that SBA loans and anti-“food desert” grants could be viable options to help attract a full-service supermarket to the Armory Square area.
A copy of Senator Schumer’s letter to Walter E. Robb, CEO of Whole Foods Market is included below. Similar letters were sent to the CEOs of Tops and The Fresh Market.
Dear Mr. Robb:
I write today to bring to your attention what I believe is a opportunity
for your company and the residents of Syracuse, NY. This is inspired in
part by Whole Foods’ recent expansions in Eastern New York. As I
have long said, Upstate New York is a wonderful place to live and work.
Given this recent growth in New York, I hope Whole Foods will consider
opening a store in downtown Syracuse. Every day, nearly 30,000 employees
come to work in downtown Syracuse and nearly 3,000 live in the quaint
neighborhoods of Armory, Franklin and Hanover Square. In fact, the number
of residents living in downtown Syracuse has increased over 30% in the
past three years and predictions for the future are even higher amidst
a current 99% housing occupancy rate. Downtown Syracuse is also one of
the two fastest growing residential population centers in all of Onondaga County.
In addition to the tremendous residential population growth, downtown
Syracuse continues to attract more and more businesses, as well. The City
has countless development projects underway and many recently completed,
including a brand new hotel in the heart of Armory Square. Moreover, 15
new companies have decided to locate in the downtown area in the past
year, as well as 17 other companies who have decided to expand their presence.
The Downtown Committee, citing their study, says that as a result of this
population and business growth, there are approximately $40 million in
untapped retail opportunities downtown, including an estimated $2.5 million
in annual sales that a full-service grocer like Whole Foods could generate.
Knowing your company is expert at assessing new markets and that much
time and research goes into vetting locations, I invite Whole Foods to
take a serious look at the downtown Syracuse area. Whether it is an emerging
neighborhood, like the up-and-coming Inner Harbor or Armory Square, I
am confident that the downtown market is ripe for a full-service grocer
and that the opportunity would be a profitable one.
Again, I remain hopeful that this request sparks your interest in looking
at downtown Syracuse and offer the resources of my office to facilitate
a meeting with the City of Syracuse. Please feel free to contact my Regional
Director should you require any additional information about this opportunity.
I look forward to welcoming Whole Foods to more communities across New
York in the future.
Sincerely,
Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator