STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Starting at about 11 p.m. on Friday, 2,800 cubic yards of concrete will be transported via 250 trucks to the Empire Outlets construction site in St. George to create the future “economic heartbeat” of the complex.
The massive concrete pour, which will continue throughout Saturday, is to create the loading dock being built on the waterfront.
“This is actually the entire loading dock structure, so it’s the economic heartbeat to Empire Outlets. It’s all below grade; it’s in the parking structure. This is where all the tractor trailers will pull in and deliver merchandise to the retailers,” said Joseph Ferrara, principal of BFC Partners, Empire Outlets developer.
The concrete trucks will travel over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and arrive at the site via the Wall Street ramp, said Ferrara.
“We pour approximately 30,000 square feet of concrete per week at Empire Outlets. But this is substantial. This is the largest concrete single pour that the project will take on,” said Ferrara.
In addition to the concrete, there will be:
- More than 300 tons of rebar for the beam reinforcements
- More than 135 tons of rebar for the slab on top of the beam reinforcements.
BUILDINGS SOON TO TAKE SHAPE
With much of the ground work complete, the outlet structures will soon take shape, said Ferrara.
“We are going to start going vertical and you will start to see structures above grade. When people drive by now or walk by the site you don’t see much, but from the waterfront side you are starting to see the parking structure,” he added, noting the buildings for the anchor tenants — Nordstrom Rack, Nike Factory and H & M will be built first.
MORE THAN 60 PERCENT LEASED
While construction has progressed, so has the leasing of the stores and restaurants that will be housed at the outlets. The most recent lease signed was Two Boots Pizza.
NYC Two Boots Pizza coming to Empire Outlets
Two Boots Pizza is a New York City icon since 1987.
Recent leasing transactions for Empire Outlets include Dennis Basso, Jewelers on Fifth, and an artisanal food hall at the Marketplace at Empire Outlets and other national brands, including White House Black Market, Ghirardelli Chocolate among others at the new outlet center.
With half of Empire Outlets already leased, the project is expected to open in mid-2017.
Located directly adjacent to the St. George Ferry Terminal, the multi-million dollar Empire Outlets project will include 350,000 square feet of prime retail space with approximately 100 designer outlet retailers; a 190-room hotel featuring a rooftop venue with expansive waterfront views; a 1,250-space structured parking garage, and a 40,000-square-foot food and beverage deck that will provide panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline. The project will be adjacent to the New York Wheel, which will be one of the tallest observation wheels in the Western hemisphere.
