Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced plans to open New York City's first city-owned grocery store in East Harlem, with an estimated cost of $30 million to taxpayers. The store will be located in La Marqueta, a marketplace beneath the train tracks on Park Avenue, and is slated to be operational by next year.
Mamdani unveiled this initiative at a celebration in Queens marking his first 100 days in office, emphasizing that all five city-owned grocery stores he has proposed will be operational by the end of his first term in 2029. La Marqueta is already city-owned, and the new store is expected to operate rent-free, utilizing a currently vacant space within the market.
The mayor aims to create affordable shopping options for New Yorkers, stating, "We promised New Yorkers a network of five city-owned grocery stores, one in each park, and today we deliver on that promise." He envisions these stores offering fair prices, dignified treatment of workers, and increased affordability for shoppers.
The East Harlem store will be the inaugural project in Mamdani's plan to establish five city-owned supermarkets across the boroughs. The estimated $30 million cost of the first store represents a significant portion of the $70 million budget proposed for the entire program earlier this year. Mamdani's objective is to address rising food costs, particularly for lower-income residents, and make grocery shopping more accessible for all New Yorkers.
At the event celebrating his 100 days in office, Mamdani highlighted the impact of increasing grocery prices in the city, noting a 66% rise between 2013 and 2023, well above the national average. He emphasized the need to alleviate the financial burden on residents, with the goal of facilitating affordable access to essential food items.
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