By Howard Koplowitz
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and state Senate President Malcolm Smith (D-St. Albans) helped break ground on the long-awaited Stop & Shop supermarket that will serve Arverne by the Sea, Water’s Edge and Arverne East.
The Stop & Shop is a $23 million, 55,000-square-foot building to be located at Rockaway Beach Boulevard between Beach 69th and Beach 73rd streets in Arverne.
The supermarket will create 200 construction jobs in the 16 months that the Stop & Shop is scheduled to be developed. Once construction is complete, Stop & Shop is expected to employ 100 full- and part-time workers, according to Bloomberg.
“Arverne has undergone an amazing transformation from a swath of vacant land to a vibrant and growing community,” the mayor said in a statement following the Oct. 24 groundbreaking. “This will be a great addition to the community and is the latest sign that our comprehensive investment in the Rockaway peninsula — through the creation of affordable housing, infrastructure, recreation and retail space — will pay dividends for years to come.”
Smith said once construction is complete, the Stop & Shop will be a boon to the economies of the neighborhoods near the supermarket.
“As a source of jobs and an anchor business to encourage future economic growth, bringing Stop & Shop to Arverne will breathe new life into the local economy,” he said. “The Rockaways have undergone a significant renaissance due to sound investment from the business community and a strong commitment from local leaders to create jobs and develop the economy. I applaud Mayor Bloomberg and all those involved … for helping to provide our community with the tools it needs for lasting economic growth and a brighter future.”
Arverne by the Sea includes 2,300 units of affordable and market-rate housing along with parkland, a new public school and 270,000 square feet of retail space.
Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at hkoplowitz@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 173.
