30 Year Wait List for Retail Space

The Hub is open for business, with more than 100 retailers calling the space home.

By James R. Lindamood

The Hub, in the South Bronx, has sat vacant for over 30 years. After a groundbreaking ceremony by Abe Bearne, a series of bad investments and lack of will caused enough problems to keep major retailers from migrating into the formerly troubled area of the city. However, with retail space at a premium in the South Bronx, The Hub is open for business, with more than 100 retailers calling the space home. A few of the big name brands, such as Rite-Aid and Staples, are drawing in droves of customers to the newly minted shopping center.

The Hub has everything; it is in a prime location, gathering employees from the neighborhood who commute to and from work each day, often walking through the new shopping bazaar. Yonarys Ramos, who works at Boricua College, likes shopping at the stores in The Hub because they stay open long enough to accommodate her late hours. The mother of four uses The Hub to shop for her necessities, and hopes that more stores will open soon.

There are more development projects in the works, to be sure. There is a proposal to build over 1 million square feet of new development space. If it comes to fruition, it will be called the Plaza at the Hub. However, before committing to the development, the developer is asking that a city agency more into their office space. This, of course ensures that infrastructure will be maintained throughout the life of the development. Many realtors in the area, including Steve Lorenzo of NAI Friedland Realty, say that the new Plaza would, “...bring the Targets of the world to The Hub and make it a place for the 21st-century shoppers.”