Wegmans on its way to Brooklyn Navy Yard

Welcome to Brooklyn, Wegmans!

The family-owned chain of supermarkets will be taking its unique, suburban charm to the big city, bringing with it healthy, affordable produce and nearly 600 available jobs.

The Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (BNYDC) announced earlier in the month that plans for redeveloping Admirals Row – a section of the Brooklyn Navy Yard that has remained unused since the 70s – are underway and expected to create more than 1,200 jobs in total.

“This is a tremendous win for this community and for the people of New York City,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “For thousands of residents who have waited for a supermarket with healthy food they can afford, for the people hoping the next good job at the Navy Yard could be theirs, the Admirals Row project delivers. We’re going to see hundreds of good jobs, modern manufacturing, a new community center, and a supermarket that’s responsive to the needs of our families. It’s not often that one project can do all these things.”

The supermarket, which has been ranked one of Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” for over 15 years, boasts good wages, paid leave, and company-funded retirement plans. According to the company, they will spend over $2 million recruiting and training the new workforce, even utilizing BNYDC’s Employment Center at BLDG 92 to recruit area residents.

“The Brooklyn Navy Yard is proud to deliver on its promise to bring a supermarket to this neighborhood,” said BNYDC President & CEO David Ehrenberg. “Wegmans is widely recognized as the country’s best supermarket for its affordable, quality food and is also recognized as the best retail employer in the country. With Wegmans and the entire redevelopment of Admirals Row, local residents will gain needed amenities and the Brooklyn Navy Yard will further its mission to create good-paying, high-quality jobs for area residents.”

“The addition of Wegmans supermarket to the Brooklyn Navy Yard is a major step forward to ensuring quality, fresh and affordable produce and foods in one of New York City’s food deserts,” added Carlo Scissura, president of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. “This new development will generate much needed jobs for residents in the area. Wegmans will certainly boost economic activity and provide residents with direct access to wholesome, local food.”

According to Steiner NYC, the real estate developer behind the project, work on the site is slated to begin later this year.