By Anthony Rifilato
one of the nation's largest electronics retailers, is coming to Baldwin, a move that many say will spur a commercial revitalization in town.
Last month, Baldwin Chamber of Commerce officials said that they learned the store would occupy the former Waldbaum's space at 660 Sunrise Highway, though town officials said it was too early to confirm the news.
Now, the town said that it's official, and that Best Buy's application for occupancy in the 32,000-square-foot space is being processed and the store would be operational sometime this summer.
"Best Buy in Baldwin is a great fit for the former Waldbaum's site," said Town Councilman Anthony Santino. "Having a household name like Best Buy operating in Baldwin will be a great fit for the business community and the Baldwin community in general."
Ever since Waldbaum's closed its doors in December, many were concerned about who would occupy the store. Chamber officials and business owners in the shopping center had heard rumors of a gym - more specifically, LA Fitness - coming to the vacant space, which many said would not be a good fit commercially. The greatest fear was that the store would remain vacant, an issue the Baldwin Shopping Center on Grand Avenue has dealt with ever since it lost several big stores in the past year.
"Having Best Buy commit to the former Waldbaum's has alleviated concerns that the space would remain vacant or be occupied by anything less than a viable retailer," said Town Supervisor Kate Murray in a statement.
At a Baldwin Republican Club meeting last week, Doug Diana, a member of the Town's Board of Zoning Appeals, updated members and said that Best Buy would be a boon for Baldwin.
"That is a shot in the arm for this town," said Diana. "We have something that is now going to bring people here. Not many towns can say that they have a Best Buy."
Diana said that Best Buy did not have to go before the zoning board because the location is already zoned for retail use, and that a permit to occupy the former supermarket has been approved by the Town.
The store will not be expanded, he said, but it will be renovated, elevated and refurbished in keeping with the aesthetics of the Best Buy franchise. For instance, a 287-square-foot illuminated Best Buy sign will be placed on the store's east side, among other changes.
The Baldwin Chamber of Commerce has been working to attract major franchises to town for years, and the opening of Best Buy later this year will only make those efforts easier, members said.
"Most certainly, it will put Baldwin on the map for franchises to come into a viable community," said Erik Mahler, owner of Mahler Realty and a member of the chamber.
Mahler and others said that Best Buy could help the town's revitalization project on Grand Avenue and Merrick Road, after the town acquires the roughly six-acre space through eminent domain. Santino said that franchises and developers will pay closer attention to the area now that a major retailer is going to open in Baldwin.
"It's a real adjunct to what we're doing on Grand Avenue," Santino said. "Part of the reason Best Buy is opening is because of what we're doing there. This area is now - when we're done - going to be a magnet for shoppers in and around the community."
Diana said one main issue that could arise is parking in the shopping center, as he anticipates an influx of shoppers. With only two Best Buy locations in Nassau County, one on Old Country Road in Westbury and the other on Hempstead Turnpike in Levittown, many say that the new location will attract shoppers from nearby towns. "I think it's great because now people won't have to go all the way to Westbury to go to Best Buy," said Joe DiTillio, owner of Amore Mio restaurant in the shopping center.
Santino said that the town is in the process of issuing Requests for Proposals for the redevelopment project on Grand Avenue, and said that they are evaluating the qualifications of interested developers who submitted preliminary proposals for the project. Ideally, the town is looking to attract a developer with a proven history of building large retail stores, such as a Barnes & Noble.
"The town will select finalists who will then go and give us a detailed proposal about what they want to put at that site," Santino said. "From a business point of view, with Best Buy coming in, if we can attract national retail chains that a developer says they can get, it's going to be an absolute boon to the business community. If you can get a Barnes & Noble, Gap or Linens & Things to come to downtown Baldwin, it's going to be fantastic for the mom and pop shops too."
Many are hoping Best Buy - and the downtown project - leads to revitalization in other parts of town. For instance, at the Baldwin Shopping Center, there are several empty stores, which have been languishing for more than a year. Recently, a Dollar Tree replaced the 99 Cent Dreams, but the former site of Mace's and Global Furniture and Bedding have been empty for some time.
Diana said that Applebee's had expressed interest in opening in the Baldwin Shopping Center, but could not come to an agreement with the landlord over subdividing one of the empty stores.
At the Republican Club meeting, one member asked if the town could employ eminent domain there in the hopes of bringing in a national retailer, but Diana said that is not the purpose of eminent domain.
"It has to be so much of an eyesore, which it's not really," Diana said.
Diana also explained that a long awaited project to expand the Waldbaum's on Atlantic Avenue would be underway soon, despite rumors that a King Kullen was going to open there.
"That was so far from the truth," Diana said. "For the new and improved Waldbaum's, they're going to break ground in March."
Diana said that when the store is finished it will be similar to the Waldbaum's in Merrick, complete with a major façade refurbishment and added space. Following the completion of Waldbaum's, the rest of the shopping center will receive aesthetic improvements as well, Diana said.
The good news, he added, is that with Best Buy coming to town, developers have been inquiring about other shopping centers in Baldwin.
"People are starting to look at Baldwin as 'maybe this is the place to be now,'" Diana said.
Comments about this story? Baldwineditor@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 207.
