By Anna Gustafson
Cord Meyer Development Co. officials are trying to woo a number of businesses to set up shop at Bay Terrace Shopping Center, representatives from the group told the Bay Terrace Community Alliance meeting last week.
Officials from Cord Meyer, the Forest Hills-based landlord of the Bay Terrace shopping complex on Bell Boulevard, said they are hoping Bagels & Co.’s anticipated opening in January will be the first of several new businesses to come to the 300,000-square-foot center that Cord Meyer describes as its “crown jewel.”
“Things are picking up,” Mary Hughes, vice president of leasing at Cord Meyer, said at the alliance’s Dec. 8 meeting at the Benenson Family Center of the Chabad of Northeast at 212-12 26th Ave. in Bayside.
Hughes said the Toys R Us that has opened a temporary holiday store at the center may enter into a yearlong lease, and she said the company is looking into bringing an Italian pizzeria, a Mexican restaurant and an ice cream store to the complex. The Bay Terrace Shopping Center currently includes such stores as The Gap, Barnes & Noble, Victoria’s Secret, Lazar’s Chocolate and Christie & Co. Salon and Spa.
There is also a Waldbaum’s, with which residents at the Bay Terrace meeting expressed disappointment. Residents encouraged Cord Meyer officials to bring in another grocery store to compete with Waldbaum’s with the hope that the produce and general service would improve.
“We were considering Trader Joe’s at one time, but Waldbaum’s has certain restrictions so we were prohibited from doing that,” Hughes said of Waldbaum’s lease that does not allow the landlord to put in a competing grocery store.
Waldbaum’s has another 12 years on its lease, Cord Meyer representatives said.
Cord Meyer officials also said the Loews Cineplex just renewed its lease and will be renovating the building. They also noted the shopping center has not had any bed bugs despite rumors to the contrary. Stores were tested for bugs and showed the negative results to Cord Meyer.
Alliance President Warren Schreiber and other members said they have been pleased with Cord Meyer’s relations with the community and appreciated the officials coming to speak at the meeting.
“Cord Meyer is really good for our community,” Schreiber said. “They’re a good neighbor.”
Reach reporter Anna Gustafson by e-mail at agustafson@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4574.
