New York City’s First City-Owned Grocery Store Planned for Hunts Point

Mayor Zohran Mamdani will announce on Monday that a 20,000-sq-ft city-owned grocery store will open in the Peninsula affordable-housing development in Hunts Point, Bronx, in 2027. It is the first of five municipal supermarkets, one per borough.

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The South Bronx has a high poverty rate and rising grocery costs. Mamdani’s platform emphasizes lowering living costs and expanding affordable food access. The Peninsula site was chosen to serve a neighborhood with limited fresh-produce options.

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• Zohran Mamdani – Mayor, champion of the city-owned grocery plan.

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• City Treasury & Housing Agencies – Provide rent and tax waivers for the stores.

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• Local Business Leaders – Express concerns about competition with existing retailers.

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• The Peninsula Development – Housing complex slated to host the Hunts Point store.

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• La Marqueta Management – Partner for a second city-owned store planned for East Harlem, targeted for 2029.

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• Monday – Announcement of the Hunts Point project.

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• 2027 – Opening of the Hunts Point store.

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• 2029 – Opening of the La Marqueta store in East Harlem.

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• End of first term (2029) – Goal to have a city-owned grocery in each borough.

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• Store size: 20,000 sq ft.

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• Total planned stores: five, one per borough.

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• Financial incentives: the city will waive rent and property taxes for each municipal grocery to enable lower consumer prices.

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If successful, the stores could lower grocery bills for low-income residents, increase fresh-food availability, and serve as a test case for public-sector retail. The initiative aligns with the mayor’s affordability agenda.

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Mayor Mamdani said ensuring every New Yorker can purchase fresh, affordable groceries locally is central to his administration’s affordability strategy. He added the city will forgo rent and tax revenues on the five stores to keep prices down.

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Local business leaders have voiced apprehension that city-run supermarkets may undercut private retailers, affecting competition and jobs. No formal objections have been filed, but the concerns are noted publicly.

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> “Making sure every New Yorker can buy fresh, affordable groceries in their own neighborhood is a key part of our affordability agenda,” — Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York City

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> “We are proud to begin this work in the South Bronx and remain committed to opening a store in every borough before the end of our first term.” — Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York City

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The mayor’s office will submit detailed plans to the City Council for approval, followed by procurement and construction phases. Subsequent borough-specific sites will be identified, and the city will continue to negotiate rent-free and tax-exempt arrangements for the remaining stores.

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