New Essex Street Market Opening Pushed Back To 2019

LOWER EAST SIDE, NY — Construction delays have pushed back the opening of the new Essex Street Market from this fall to early 2019, according to the city's Economic Development Cooperation.

City officials expected to move all 28 vendors from the current Essex Street Market, which has stood at the corner of Delancey and Essex streets for 78 years, into the ground floor of the nearby Essex Crossing mega-project this fall. Developer Delancey Street Associates has since hit construction delays, forcing the city to move back relocating vendors into the gleaming new space, according to a city spokeswoman.

“Due to delayed construction of the new Essex Market, relocation of existing vendors will occur in early 2019, following the holiday season," said Shavone Williams, a spokeswoman for the Economic Development Coporation.

"NYCEDC will continue to work closely with the vendors association to ensure a seamless moving process and address any additional concerns they may have.”

The city expects to begin moving vendors into the new space early 2019 to avoid transplanting vendors during the peak holiday sales season.

In its new home, the market will be known as Essex Market and will include 25 original vendors, along with 14 new shops and two full-service restaurants. The space will also connect to the Market Line, a subterranean marketplace that is also part of the Essex Crossing development.

Delancey Street Associates is building stalls for each vendor at no cost to shop owners. The space will also feature larger stalls and dedicated loading docks and storage space. It will also boast an entirely different architectural feel with high ceilings and street-front windows compared to the old market's cinder block-esque structure.

Delancey Street Associates emphasized the delay is to ensue a smooth transition into the new space.

“This is an incredibly complicated project and we want to take the time to get it right so it’s ready for vendors to open for business without a hitch right when they move in," said James Yolles, a Delancey Street Associates spokesman.

Image courtesy of the New York City Economic Development Cooperation