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Wal-Mart passes on Staten Island site for store

by Elisabeth Butler
August 23, 2006

The world's largest retailer recently passed on a deal to build a Wal-Mart at the former Lucent Technologies site in the Tottenville neighborhood.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has crossed another New York City location off its list of potential store sites.

The world's largest retailer announced Wednesday that it recently passed on a deal to build a Wal-Mart at the former Lucent Technologies site in the Tottenville neighborhood of Staten Island.

Rumors about Wal-Mart's interest in the location had been circulating for about a year, but the company declined to comment until now. Preparing the site to suit a 100,000-square-foot discount retailer became too burdensome, and "it is no longer suitable for a Wal-Mart Store," a Wal-Mart spokesman noted in a press release.

The company rejected another location, the former Caldor's store in Flushing, Queens, earlier this year.

Wal-Mart is continuing to search the city for a store site and is widely expected to build several locations in the outer boroughs before broaching Manhattan.

Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart, which is pushing to establish more urban stores and tap very dense populations, has been searching out a home for its first New York City store for years.

Many political and social groups have opposed Wal-Mart's entry into the city. Several tentative deals have already fallen apart.

Retail brokers expect Wal-Mart to lease an "as of right" location that would not need to be rezoned for large commercial use.

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