Ground broken on new BJ’s in Sandy-battered Gravesend; store will create 300 jobs

December 17, 2012 Thor Equities PR
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Just weeks after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, Thor Equities and BJ’s Wholesale Club broke ground today on a massive new BJ’s Wholesale Club retail destination on Shore Parkway, in Sandy-battered Gravesend, Brooklyn. Joe Sitt, CEO of Thor Equities and Dan Smith, District Manager of BJ’s Wholesale Club were joined by Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, New York City Councilman Domenic Recchia and Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce President Carlo Scissura, to officially put shovels in the ground and make the case that Brooklyn was back in business.

“This project is going to bring jobs and economic vitality to the neighborhood and help support an economic boom fueled by commercial real estate development across the borough,” said Joseph Sitt, CEO of Thor Equities. “All of us understand that its going to take a lot of time and a lot of investment to get this borough back to where it needs to be in the aftermath of Sandy, but let this groundbreaking serve as a down payment on all of our commitment to rebuild, reinvest, and revitalize Brooklyn.”

“Bravo to Joe Sitt and BJ’s, you are raising the bar for how businesses should be run. By moving up the construction time table and creating 300 well-paying jobs, they are helping to drive the economic recovery in south Brooklyn – especially in nearby Coney Island – one of the neighborhoods hardest hit by the storm”, said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. “I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again – Hurricane Sandy may have battered our city, but as Brooklynites, we will rebuild, rebound, and rejoice – and today’s ground breaking is proof of that.”

“The timing of this project could not be better. As we begin what will be a long road to recovery following Sandy, it’s crucial that the public and private sectors work together to ignite our local economy, create jobs, and get our community back on it’s feet, said New York Councilman Domenic Recchia. “The 300 plus local jobs created by this project is a great step forward in rebuilding Brooklyn back better than ever.”

“This truly is a wonderful project that will help create 300 jobs in a part of Brooklyn that really needs it following Sandy,” said Carlo A. Scissura, President & CEO of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. “I would like to thank Joe Sitt and Thor Equities for speeding up this project in the wake of the storm and to BJs for creating jobs in Brooklyn and investing in our communities. Gravesend, and all of Brooklyn, will be better off as a result of this effort.” 

“BJ’s has always valued the relationship with the communities around all of our clubs, and in the aftermath of Sandy we feel fortunate to be able to further extend our reach in Brooklyn to accelerate the recovery,” said Dan Smith, Regional Manager, BJ’s Wholesale Club. “We hope this project in Gravesend will show Brooklynites our commitment to not just the recovery, but to providing every day values to the community. “

The construction of the BJ’s Wholesale Club in Gravesend is projected to create 300 jobs in planning, construction, and personnel, providing a major boost to the borough after the devastating impact of Sandy. Upon completion, BJ’s will occupy a 200,000 square foot building in a high-traffic shopping destination that includes Best Buy, New York Sports Club, and a Mercedes-Benz dealership located on Shore Parkway. This location will be the popular store’s third outpost in Brooklyn, joining stores in Canarsie and on Gateway Drive. 

More on this story here.

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