UES Community Board Supports New Trader Joe's

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — The Upper East Side's new Trader Joe's took another step toward becoming a reality Wednesday night during Community Board 8's monthly full board meeting.

The board voted overwhelmingly to pass a resolution by the landmarks committee to approve the store's application to open in the landmarked commercial space underneath the Queensboro Bridge on East 59th Street. The city Landmarks Preservation Commission will now take up the application with the board's recommendation in mind.

Trader Joe's is required to gain permission from the city before making modifications to the East 59th Street and First Avenue space such as hanging a new sign and creating a new loading bay. Despite the application process, representatives of the store told the board Monday they hope to open in the space "as soon as possible."

Judy Schneider of the East Sixties Neighborhood Association urged board members to support the new store before Wednesday night's vote.

"The community really needs another market, and is very excited about it. The changes [to the landmarked space] don’t seem to be major," Schneider said Wednesday night.

Board members called the resolution for a vote with little discussion Wednesday. The vast majority of board members voted in favor of the new store, with only a few voting to abstain.

Getting the approval of the city Landmarks Preservation Commission will involve a public hearing in front of the body and a subsequent vote, likely held at a second meeting. The landmarks commission will judge the proposal on its ability to preserve the "cathedral-like" feel of the space, which features Gustavino-style tiled ceilings.

Architects hired by Trader Joe's previously told CB 8's landmarks committee that the store will not need to do much construction to get the new location up-and-running because of the space's previous use as a supermarket.

The most significant work to be done includes covering up some mechanical equipment and the construction of a new loading area. The new loading space will be located two bays to the west of the one used by the Food Emporium on the East 60th Street side of the store. Architects designed the loading doors to match the Queensboro Bridge's exterior profile and to serve as an awning while open, according to the presentation given Monday night.

The Queensboro Bridge retail space was previously occupied by a Food Emporium, which closed in 2015. The arts and crafts store Michael's planned to open in the space — submitting applications to the Landmarks Preservation Commission in 2017 — but the move fell through. Michael's application met some resistance from landmarks commissioners who though the proposed design clashed with the retail space's historical significance.