LOWER EAST SIDE — A shuttered Pathmark on the Lower East Side will be torn down soon, after the city recently approved demolition permits, records show.
The 24-hour grocery store at 227 Cherry St. closed in December. Extell Development Company bought the property for $103 million earlier in 2013, according to records, and began quietly planning a residential development there.
The Department of Buildings approved Extell's demolition permits on Jan. 7, according to the DOB's website, paving the way for the developer to tear down the structure. Extell has not revealed a construction timeline or specific plans for the Cherry Street site.
An Extell representative did not immediately comment.
The Pathmark opened in 1983 after the Two Bridges Neighborhood Council and Settlement Housing Fund advocated for a low-cost supermarket to move into the neighborhood.
Local elected officials fought the closure last year, saying the neighborhood is underserved when it comes to fresh and affordable food. The surrounding area near the foot of the Manhattan Bridge is considered a Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC) because of the high concentration of elderly residents.
To help residents after the loss of Pathmark, the Two Bridges Neighborhood Council recently put out a trilingual guide to other sources of food in the neighborhood. The organization is also planning food tours to help residents explore the area's multicultural offerings.
