Bloomingdale's Plans 64,000-SF Outlet Store in Hawthorne

Bloomingdale's will open a new furniture and rug outlet in the near future at the former TOPS Appliance Warehouse at 2 Saw Mill River Rd. Bloomingdale's, Inc. signed a 10-year lease for the entire building. TOPS closed down its local store several years ago and later filed for bankruptcy. The building has since sat vacant.

William V. Cuddy, Jr. and Budd Wiesenberg of CBRE's Stamford office, in conjunction with Eric Goldschmidt of Goldschmidt and Associates, represented the property owner, New York Medical College, in lease negotiations. Robert Dalton, managing director of RMD Realty Associates, negotiated the long-term lease on behalf of Bloomingdale's, Inc.

"The fact that such a prominent retailer has decided to open a Westchester County furniture location is evidence that retail, which just a few years ago was suffering because of the economic downturn, is clearly improving," says Cuddy, senior vice president of CBRE. "Furthermore, Bloomingdale's commitment directly across the street from a recently-approved Home Depot demonstrates the strength and allure of the Westchester market."

Centrally located on Route 9A, the showroom is currently undergoing upgrades and renovations, according to CBRE officials.

Cuddy noted that the property was marketed for other commercial uses and was considered by a number of prospective tenants as a disaster recovery center. In fact, talks were held with an interested party just a few months ago who at the time was considering using the property for disaster recovery purposes, he notes.

"After experiencing huge success in its White Plains store, Bloomingdale's considered 2 Saw Mill River Rd. an ideal location for a furniture and rug outlet due to its central location for loyal Westchester County customers," says Robert Dalton of RMD Realty Associates. The property also offered an easy expansion of its customer base to residents of Connecticut, Rockland County, New Jersey and New York City, he adds.