July 3, 2008
Forget IKEA: East Harlem Target Looms on Horizon
Rendering of East River Plaza Target courtesy Target.
"Everyone is super excited about the Target." Everyone! Or at least real estate players like Jessica Armstead of the Corcoran Group, who predicts that the Target store finally coming to fruition in East Harlem will “totally change” the area’s lagging pace of gentrification. "It appeals to everyone," she tells the Sun. "You go in to get toothpaste and come out with three bags. It's amazing." Armstead is already luring condo buyers into East Harlem with the amazing, exciting shopping utopia to arrive any year now.
Currently scheduled to open in October 2009, the store is part of the perennially delayed East River Plaza shopping complex, which will cluster other exciting big box stores such as Best Buy, Marshalls and Home Depot – unless that company decides to sublet its 110,000 space to Costco. The Harlem Target (the first in Manhattan) will join a growing Target army in New York City, with seven currently open and two others under construction in the Bronx and Flushing, Queens. To help inspire shoppers to stimulate the national economy, the Harlem store’s façade will be wrapped in a steel mesh American flag.
And those who recall how the controversy surrounding the Red Hook IKEA tended to split along class lines know how this will play out: Kenneth Knuckles, president of the Empowerment Zone Development Corp., is framing the $440 million project as a chance to provide 2,000 full and part-time jobs to East Harlem residents, who will then “take money they've earned and spend it in the community.” But NIMBY brownstone owner (and architect) Raymond Plumey predicts terrible traffic and pollution from consumers flocking to the amazing 485,000-square-foot shopping center, whenever it finally opens.
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Freaking Target will only build urban stores with parking -- they just don't get that shoppers in Manhattan manage to consume plenty without a car. If KMart can function without parking, why can't Target -- their execs need to get out more often and see how real people live in real cities.
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I got no problem with target moving to Harlem. The problem with Big business moving in Harlem is that the residents only get the worst jobs. You will not see residents in the Management position. This is what upsets the locals you cant tell me that there is not one person who is qualifed for a Management position in all of Harlem who is looking for a job. I don't believe in Afferimative Action but I do think that Target should look at residents for jobs that entail more than just pushing a broom.
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the target at Atlantic center doesnt have a parking lot and its a shitshow in there 24/7.
you cant find crap because everyone is there buying it all.
if the brooklyn target is any idication people in East Harlem are going to eat this shit up.
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Fuck this. God, the architecture looks hideous.
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#3 -- there is parking in Atlantic Center. You will never see a Target without parking in or connected to the store -- they just don't get that a store can thrive without it.
But you are right about that branch being a sh*tshow!!!! Same with the one in Queens near the mall on Queens Blvd.
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That flag is classy!!
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"You go in to get toothpaste and come out with three bags. It's amazing."
that quote is amazing.
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the target at Atlantic center doesnt have a parking lot and its a shitshow in there 24/7.
you cant find crap because everyone is there buying it all.
if the brooklyn target is any idication people in East Harlem are going to eat this shit up.
The reason why the Atlantic Center Target is a shitshow is because of poor management and employees who don't give a shit. I can't tell you how many times I've gone there looking for something I know they should have but don't. And it's not because everyone is buying it all.
I was looking for a dvd set which they didn't have for WEEKS! I asked a manager about it and within a few days there were a stack of them on the shelf. The managers at that store either doesn't or doesn't know how to properly do inventory. And the store is a bloody mess.
I understand that this store is in an urban setting with high volume traffic, but with so many employees in red shirts hanging out having loud bullshit conversations instead doing what they're being paid to do is ridiculous.
I love shopping at Target and it was always a pleasant experience when I was living in Western NY. The Targets in NYC is a fucking joke.
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You looked for the same DVD set at a brick-and-mortar Target store for weeks? Even though you know that Target is a mess? Obviously since you're posting here, you've heard of the Internet - maybe you should use your brain and order the thing from Amazon.
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Sounds just like the USA Center we just got in DC, minus the home depot or costco.
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I should've added that I got the DVDs elsewhere, but thanks for being a dick.
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Re: [9]
Online shopping and price comparing is proof that I was born in the correct century.
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this target is not very convenient to get too. E. harlem at 119th street? The atlantic target is much more convenient. My place down in Tribeca is where it's at. They are opening a New Whole Foods, 7-eleven in addition to a lot-less, bed bath and beyond and the best Barnes and Nobles-starbucks in the city at Warren Street. Combine this with the uncrowded regal cinema at the world financial center and It truly is a haven. The great thing about these tribeca locations is that they are huge, expansive and yet not crowded at all. No ghetto people too.
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I registered on Gothamist just to respond to this.
I live in Brooklyn, and my family lives in the burbs. When I visit my family in the burbs, I love to go to Target.
I was so excited when the one in Brooklyn opened, and for the first few weeks it was great. Then, it went downhill fast. I could never find anything in there, and the lines for purchasing were always ridiculously long, even in the middle of the day on a Tuesday. It is incredibly irritating to wait on line, and see an un-used register right nearby.
I hope that Target gets more feedback like this, and does the East Harlem Target better.
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Hmmm.. so much fuss over a target.
I suppose if done right it can be good for the community. Especially because they offer pretty low prices on generic drugs - which is a big help to me.
I see comments here about the Atlantic Center target. Thats an example of a target gone bad. I agree with what is said above. That place is a disaster. Going in there is a misery. The one at Gateway mall center is Ok.. but its hard to get to w/o a car and very crowded.
I'd like to point out, however, that there is another target in Brooklyn. A new one just opened up at the Junction in Flatbush (the last stop on the 2/5 trains by Brooklyn college). This is such a nice well done store. I've never had a problem with it. It doesn't seem to be overly crowded and the staff there are helpful. Just a heads up.
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wow, you all you need to go back to the burbs.
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The problem with Big business moving in Harlem is that the residents only get the worst jobs. You will not see residents in the Management position.
That's because residents would have to choose to work there for more than six months and actually, like, give a shit about their job.
What's your plan? Take people from the block and put them in charge?
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Watch the first 20 seconds
Too much farmer spawn from Iowa gets sold condos in areas where they will be shot or mugged around 3PM weekdays or after sunset anyday. First off all, know where you will become crip food.
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ThematicMapFramesetServlet?_bm=y&-tree_id=4001&-context=tm&-errMsg=&-all_geo_types=N&-redoLog=false&-tm_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_M00226&-tm_config=|b=50|l=en|t=4001|zf=0.0|ms=thm_def|dw=1.1993902149323354|dh=0.6716400811681967|dt=gov.census.aff.domain.map.EnglishMapExtent|if=gif|cx=-73.90509128842874|cy=40.729228002705604|zl=6|pz=6|bo=|bl=|ft=331:332:335|fl=369:204|g=16000US3651000|ds=DEC_2000_SF1_U|sb=50|tud=false|db=140|mn=0|mx=100|cc=1|cm=1|cn=7|cb=|um=Percent|pr=1|th=DEC_2000_SF1_U_M00226|sf=N|sg=&-PANEL_ID=tm_result&-_lang=en&-geo_id=16000US3651000&-CONTEXT=tm&-format=&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U
Second, know where you belong.
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ThematicMapFramesetServlet?_bm=y&-context=tm&-PANEL_ID=tm_result&-ds_label=Census%202000%20Summary%20File%201%20%20SF%201%20%20100-Percent%20Data&-tm_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_M00253&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-tm_config=|b=50|l=en|t=4001|zf=0.0|ms=thm_def|dw=1.1993902149323354|dh=0.6716400811681967|dt=gov.census.aff.domain.map.EnglishMapExtent|if=gif|cx=-73.90509128842874|cy=40.729228002705604|zl=6|pz=6|bo=|bl=|ft=335:332:331|fl=204:369|g=16000US3651000|ds=DEC_2000_SF1_U|sb=50|tud=false|db=140|mn=0|mx=100|cc=1|cm=1|cn=7|cb=|um=Percent|pr=1|th=DEC_2000_SF1_U_M00226|sf=N|sg=&-CONTEXT=tm&-tree_id=4001&-errMsg=&-redoLog=false&-all_geo_types=N&-geo_id=16000US3651000&-format=&-_lang=en
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Video didn't post above.
Watch first 20 seconds.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=tbQNgOKzZh8
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babyhitler: I totally agree with you about the inconvenient location of the East Harlem one... I imagine that it was easier for them to snap up real estate over there due to its out-of-the-way location.
I'm moving to 144/Amsterdam in a few months, and it looks like the one just over the bridge in the Bronx will be an easier one for me to get to from there (although the E. Harlem one may be geographically closer).
As far as the Atlantic Center one goes: yeah, that Target is by far the worst one I've ever been in. I've gone in there to ask about particular items of clothing I've seen on the site, and no one has any idea what I'm talking about. Rows of bare shelves, unsorted merchandise in other areas... yeah, definitely a shitshow.
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Why does Target get a free ride in this city, while Wal-Mart has basically been banned?
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It should be mentioned that Forest City Ratner is one of the developer's of the East River Plaza.
Take a look at a map and you'll see that this East Harlem location is very convenient --for people commuting by car on the FDR. There's easy access via 116th St. You'll also notice from the rendering that the stores face inwards, not outwards. Instead of enlivening the street life, the residents of East Harlem will have three blank walls facing them.
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Ha! I was wondering where you've been babyhitler. Aren't all those places kind of awful though, if you're there? It sounds like it could be pretty sweet, if you weren't, you little kleagle.
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wait a minute everyone.
F--- Target!!!!
Cheap s--- for cheap people
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longacre: because Wal-Mart oppresses the people, and Target lifts them up.
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Gwinny: What exactly does Target do that is uplifting? They offer the same low-wage non-union jobs as Wal-Mart...and Duane Reade for that matter.
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#23 - yes, megs, It sucks that I'm in comfort and non-crowded air conditioned buildings enjoying lattes and sparse non-hoodlum crowds. Don't ever go to where I'm at.
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Ghetto people cling to guns, religion, and cheap merchandise.
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longacre: that was a joke.
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They offer the same low-wage non-union jobs as Wal-Mart...and Duane Reade for that matter.
I continually fail to understand this reasoning that a register-jockey deserves $14-$20/hour.
Entry-level jobs that a trained dog can perform pay like crap. That's why it's called "entry level." I would like to know how many dedicated people who give a shit work at a Target (or even a Wal-Mart) who have honestly tried to work their ass off and get promoted to full-time don't. I'd bet it's like -300%.
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TKaisen: It's actually near-impossible to get by in this country by holding a minimum-wage job (unless one holds multiple jobs and works an insane number of hours).
If this sort of thing interests you, I highly recommend that you read "Nickel and Dimed" by Barbara Ehrenreich. It came out in 2001, but still resonates with me.
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I can't imagine ever wanting to go to Target for anything. Do they carry special paper towels, or what?
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Actually, Target is great. I have lived in both MN (where Target is based) and the stores are clean, bright, and things are far, far cheaper than you see in NYC shopping at a local store or Duane Reade for toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning supplies and such. I would take Target over any of those stores in a heartbeat. Also to the poster who complains Target only builds suburban stores and doesn't "get" that New Yorkers often don't drive- NOT true. In downtown Minneapolis, Target built their flagship store and it is multi-level with cart escalators, no on street parking and an underground ramp accessed by elevator. It works very well and I shop there often when home.