New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was back in The Bronx on Monday, May 18, together with the NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC) to announce that The Peninsula, a new development in the Hunts Point section of the borough, has been selected as the second site for the City’s municipal grocery store program. The multi-purpose development, which is already underway, is located along Spofford Avenue between Manida and Tiffany Streets and is the former site of the Spofford Juvenile Detention Center.

 

Providing low-cost groceries to New Yorkers was one of the core themes of the mayor’s election campaign, which was centered around affordability and improving the lives of everyday New Yorkers. When first presented, the plan was greeted, and continues to be greeted by some, with a fair amount of skepticism. Despite this, then-mayoral candidate Mamdani received the backing of at least some in the food industry in the form of United Bodegas of America.

 

However, the announcement of the Hunts Point location as the site of the planned 20,000-square-foot store, within The Peninsula’s commercial space, presents a new challenge for those it aims to serve: accessibility. For NYCHA residents of Fort Independence Houses in the Northwest Bronx, for example, one route to get to the store on a Saturday, a typical shopping day, would take over an hour each way and would require taking two buses and two subways. When carrying groceries, and possibly being accompanied by small children, this is not exactly ideal, though it’s clear the program is in its infancy.

 

“Working families in The Bronx have been forced to pay the price for a city that keeps getting more expensive while government looks the other way,” the mayor said. “That has to change. Our administration is putting communities like Hunts Point at the center of our work to address the affordability crisis. Making sure every New Yorker can buy fresh, affordable groceries in their own neighborhood is a key part of our affordability agenda. We are proud to begin this work in the South Bronx and remain committed to opening a store in every borough before the end of our first term.”

 

Last month, the Mamdani administration announced La Marqueta in East Harlem as the first site selected for the municipal grocery store program. City officials said the administration plans to open one store in each borough by the end of the mayor’s first term. Key stakeholders involved in the Bronx project, according to reporting by YIMBY, are Gilbane Development, The Hudson Companies, MHANY Management, and Broadway Builders. City officials said the Bronx store is expected to open in 2027 and serve as an economic anchor for the South Bronx community.

EDC Interim President & CEO Jeanny Pak said in part of the latest announcement, “The selection of The Peninsula is a historic win for Hunts Point, and we are very proud that The Bronx will be the first borough where the first N.Y.C. Grocery store will open by end of 2027 and serve a community that has been neglected in the past.”

 

EDC officials said The Peninsula project is the multiyear redevelopment of the former Spofford Juvenile Detention Facility in Hunts Point. They said the “dynamic, mixed-use campus will include 740 units of 100% affordable housing, more than 50,000 square feet of new public open space, 30,000 square feet of light industrial space, more than 50,000 square feet of community space and 20,000 square feet of commercial space that will house the South Bronx’s municipal grocery store.”

 

They went on to say that Hunts Point is a community where more than half of households have relied on public assistance within the last year, and where 77% of households in surrounding neighborhoods struggle to afford basic necessities.

 

For her part, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), who represents Hunts Point among other areas of The Bronx and Queens, welcomed the news saying, “I am grateful to Mayor Mamdani and the New York City Economic Development Corporation for their work to open a public grocery store at the Peninsula in Hunts Point and strengthen food access across the South Bronx. Access to affordable, fresh food should not be a luxury determined by zip code; it should be a right.”

First announced in April, City officials said the N.Y.C. Groceries Project is an EDC initiative designed to lower the cost of everyday essentials by utilizing City-owned property, where available, to reduce overhead costs that are currently passed on to consumers. City officials said the mayor has allocated $70 million in capital funding to develop five grocery store sites across the five boroughs.

 

“I am thrilled to hear that the second site for Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Municipal Grocery Store will be at The Peninsula in Hunts Point,” said State Senator Jose Serrano (S.D. 29). “As the senator for the 29th Senate District, representing neighborhoods that battle food insecurity, this site is important in ensuring our communities have vital access to affordable food.”

 

City officials said Mamdani’s decision to locate a municipal grocery store at The Peninsula builds on what was described as the City’s broader commitment to transforming the former detention facility, once known, they said, for dangerous and inhumane conditions. They said the site will be transformed into a community-centered development with affordable housing, early childhood education, wellness services, public open space, and soon, New York City’s first operational public grocery store.

James Patchett, CEO of Gilbane Development, one of the stakeholders involved in the project, said, “From the very beginning, the Hunts Point community was clear: The Peninsula should become a vibrant, mixed-use center that provides not just affordable housing but also the amenities residents need and deserve.”

 

He added, “A neighborhood grocery store was central to our vision from day one and we are excited to officially announce a new supermarket. Once opened, it will have an immediate impact on the community and serve as another powerful reminder of how our campus is making Hunts Point healthier and more affordable for generations to come.”

 

The mayor and EDC also announced the launch of the N.Y.C. Groceries Sites Portal to identify potential locations for future stores in Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. They said property owners with eligible sites are encouraged to submit them through the portal for consideration as the N.Y.C. Groceries initiative expands.

 

City officials added that other prospective sites in the remaining boroughs submitted through the portal will be reviewed by EDC to identify and advance potential locations for further consideration. They added that eligible sites must include at least 10,000 square feet of retail space and be available on a timeline that supports opening of a grocery store by 2029.

They went on to say that EDC is also preparing a request for proposals for private operators to manage the stores, which is expected to be released this summer. They added that the N.Y.C. Groceries Sites Portal will remain open until locations in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island have been identified, and that additional information is available on the N.Y.C. Groceries webpage.

 

David Kramer, president of The Hudson Companies, another project stakeholder, said the latter was proud to support Mamdani’s effort to bring affordable, high-quality groceries directly to Bronx residents who need them most. “Integrating a public grocery store into The Peninsula reflects our commitment to building developments that combine housing with neighborhood infrastructure, improving everyday quality of life,” he said in part.

 

According to reporting by YIMBY, construction on the second phase of The Peninsula topped out in 2025 and is progressing on two mid-rise, mixed-use buildings that will deliver 359 additional affordable apartments, comprising studio to 4-bedroom layouts.

 

Amenities across The Peninsula project will include landscaped public plazas, fitness rooms, shared laundry facilities, bicycle storage, and residential lounge spaces with outdoor terraces. YIMBY reports that community-focused facilities planned for the site include a DOE-administered Head Start center, Inspiration Point’s cultural arts facility, and a health and wellness center operated by UrbanHealth Plan. Sustainable design features are expected to include rainwater harvesting systems and rooftop solar panels.

Click here for some related coverage on this topic.

 

As reported, the mayor, along with NYC Department of City Planning (DCP) Director Sideya Sherman announced Wednesday, May 20, that the City will advance a neighborhood plan for the North Bronx, the White Plains Road Neighborhood Plan.