“Full Demolition” Approved For Lafayette Avenue Key Food In Clinton Hill

The Department of Buildings (DOB) has approved a request to demolish the Key Food at 325 Lafayette Avenue in Clinton Hill — dashing the hopes of hundreds of residents who have protested the loss of what they say is the only affordable supermarket for many seniors and families in the area.

The approval was made last Wednesday, April 8, and comes just two short months after news broke that the grocery store would indeed be closing as rumored, and just three weeks after requests were filed with the DOB for permits to begin structural and excavation work on standpipes, sprinklers, and mechanical/electrical/plumbing work.

The building plans, as we noted in February, are for an eight-story, 113-unit residential building with a 15,000-square-foot ground floor retail space. As described further by New York YIMBY, “the project will be an 80/20 building, with 20 percent the apartment set aside to be rented at below-market rates.”

The above rendering, first published by New York YIMBY, is what the structure will look like once completed. Demolition is scheduled to begin later this year.

However, many residents — and elected officials — still hold out hope that the new building’s ground floor retail space will include a supermarket/grocery. Slate Property Group’s principal developer David Schwartz and landlord Richard Grobman have both expressed interest in finding a new market operator to run a store — but neither would commit to guaranteeing its presence.

Leslie Sierra, president of the Pratt Towers Board of Directors, told us in February that she hopes a supermarket is included because the senior population — and greater Clinton Hill neighborhood — needs it.

“The three Mitchell Lama buildings along Lafayette Ave have very large senior populations, where would they shop if Key Food closes,” asked Sierra. “I’m physically able to [walk or drive]somewhere else, but what about seniors and those with disabilities?”

Sierra also expressed confusion at the logistics of bringing more people into the neighborhood while removing crucial amenities such as access to supermarkets, hardware stores, laundry services — the New Lucky Laundromat next door may also be a casualty of the development — and other small businesses.

“I’m perplexed,” she said. “There are a lot more buildings, but no additional services.”

A second April town hall meeting was being planned by Assemblymember Walter Mosley. We’ll update with any info on that once we hear anything.