Developed by Blumenfeld Development Group in the early 2000’s, The East River Plaza is considerably the most significant commercial development in East Harlem. The former Washburn wire factory was transformed into a five-level, 485,000 Square Foot shopping plaza which opened its doors to the public in 2009. The East River Plaza spans six acres adjacent to the FDR Drive between 116th and 119th Streets in Upper Manhattan. The site is directly accessible via the 116th Street exit off of the FDR which provides easy access and a unique shopping experience for the community and all New Yorkers. This project has created over 2,000 jobs for the local community and generates millions of dollars in tax revenue. The current tenants include Petsmart, Costco, Target, Aldi, GameStop, Old Navy, Planet Fitness, Applebee’s, Burlington Coat Factory, Bob’s Furniture, Mount Sinai, Marshalls, & SP Parking. This structure also has 1,300 onsite parking spaces to accommodate the influx of consumers that visit the plaza regularly. The East River Plaza was constructed with infrastructure to accommodate the future construction of residential towers on top of the shopping center. Construction for this portion has not yet begun, but we should see serious change in the next few years.
