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REAL ESTATE
Smaller Retail Spaces Replace Big Boxes; New Restaurants & New Facades Part Of Reconfiguration
Responding to a changing retail environment, the owners of Rockland Plaza on Route 59 have come up with a new re-development plan that carves up larges spaces to cater to smaller businesses, and envisions adding at least two restaurants to the center. While the Nanuet Diner has been preserved in this latest round of redevelopment planning, the intended grocery store has been scrapped.
The new plan varies dramatically from a plan submitted in 2021, that included the addition of a 43,000 square-foot grocer (the developer declined at the time to reveal which one) and the demolition of the Nanuet Diner to make way for new outparcel buildings. Overall, in this new iteration, the shopping center will be reduced in size by about 7,500 square feet, from 258,758 to 251,217 square feet.
Brixmor Property Group, a publicly traded company and owner of Rockland Plaza, owns and operates 360 retail centers nationwide.
The new plan calls for demolition of part of the former Modell’s building. In its place, Modells will be divided into five small retail spaces averaging roughly 2,000 square feet each, and a 6,000 square-foot restaurant, all in the smaller footprint. The new configuration will widen the passageway between the new retail and the existing Starbucks.
The former Petco location will be divided into four smaller retail units of about 3,000 to 5,000 square feet each. Some of the larger spaces in the east wing of the building will also be divided into smaller units to attract new retail.
Facing Route 59, a new 4,750 square foot retail bank building with drive-thru lanes would be added. And, in a later phase, a 5,000 square foot free-standing restaurant would be built on land adjacent to Middletown Road.
The parking lot would be reconfigured and restriped with a reduction in parking spaces from 1075 to 969. Clarkstown Town Code requires 840 spaces, according to the developer’s plans. Much of the parking is situated behind the buildings and is under-utilized. The owner hopes the re-configuration will make those parking spaces more desirable.
Reconfiguration is complicated by the fact that most of the shopping center, about 20 acres of the 22.4 acres sits in a flood plain. According to Bill Greimel, the owner’s representative, an underground culvert running through the property presents challenges to redevelopment.
Plans also include an upgrade of the buildings’ facades with a more modern look, similar to what was done for ULTA Beauty at the east end of the shopping center.
The developer will need to secure several variances for the project including setbacks for the new construction. The Planning Board will also likely require a traffic study in response to the new parking lot configuration and new construction.
Restaurants in the Route 59 corridor in Nanuet have faced challenges. Across Route 59 at the Shops of Nanuet, a number of restaurants have closed, including P.F. Changs, Bonefish Grill, Qdoba, and Zinburger (replaced by Buffalo Wild Wings in 2022). Smaller restaurant and fast-food formats have become a staple. The Shops At Nanuet was recently sold by the Simon Property Group to local developer Alexander Properties. No changes to the retail center have been announced.
The former Michael’s Tuxedo building was torn down at Rockland Plaza and replaced by Shake Shack and Chipotle. Demolition of a smaller shopping center east of Rockland Plaza is making way for a Chick-Fil-A. Plans for a second, smaller fast-food restaurant at the Chick-Fil-A site were abandoned. A 2,500 square foot Popeye’s restaurant with a drive-thru is planned for an outparcel across from Rockland Plaza in the parking lot at the Shops At Nanuet.
No construction schedule was discussed, but the owner asked the TAC committee to move quickly because of active interest from an undisclosed tenant.
