By:Carrie James
east clearmeadow 6/21
Vacant for at least two years, construction crews have started to ready the Clearmeadow Mall, at Newbridge Road and Hempstead Turnpike, for its newest tenant - Wal-Mart.
This commercial property in East Meadow has recently seen lots of activity, including Krispy Kreme Doughnuts opening a new shop near the mall entrance on Hempstead Turnpike; CVS Pharmacy moving out of the mall and into a freestanding building; and AT&T Wireless setting up shop in another retail spot. Now the mall, which once housed Service Merchandise, will quickly be converted into a 127,000-square-foot Wal-Mart, said Wilbur Breslin, president of Breslin Reality Development Corporation and mall owner.
"I do many deals with Wal-Mart, and we've done about five deals recently with Wal-Mart, including this one," Breslin said. "It will be open by the end of the year."
Construction at the Clearmeadow Mall started a few weeks ago, Breslin said, as soon as CVS moved out of the building and into its new one next to Krispy Kreme. Convincing CVS to move was part of the deal with Wal-Mart, he said.
Since Wal-Mart will mainly fill the old mall, Breslin said the building had to be gutted, leaving only the ground work and some steel beams.
"We're literally taking down most of the building, and it's going to be an ultra-modern Wal-Mart store," he said.
Crews are also working on a new parking lot to go with the new business. Already, half the lot has been finished so that customers at Stop and Shop have a place to park.
Hempstead Town Councilman Gary Hudes (R-Levittown), who represents East Meadow, said he is happy to hear Wal-Mart is coming to the area.
Like other discount retailers in the area, such as Kmart and Target in Levittown, Hudes said he believes Wal-Mart will succeed in this location.
"I think those stores have done well, and I think Wal-Mart will also," Hudes said. "East Meadow is really quite economically viable, and that's why you see a lot of business longevity here also."
Hudes said he hopes Wal-Mart will draw other businesses here as well, especially at the Burlington Coat Factory building.
"The hope is that with Wal-Mart coming in, it will start to encourage the rental of the old Burlington Coat Factory across the street," he said. "The amount of shoppers that would come to Wal-Mart would hopefully encourage others to move here and feed off of Wal-Mart's draw."
Already, Breslin said he has received interest from retailers who want to lease the one remaining out-lot, as well as the old Burlington Coat Factory building on the other side of Newbridge Road.
"We have four tenants interested in that one spot [the out-lot next to AT&T Wireless]," he said. "And the answer is yes, we've had people interested in [the Burlington] building. We're looking for a retail business there also."
