City seeking food-related uses for East Harlem's Marqueta.

New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) issued a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) for the lease and operation of all or a portion of La Marqueta in East Harlem for food or agricultural-related uses.

A City-owned retail market property, La Marqueta is made up of five parcels divided by intersecting streets and includes vacant land, two buildings and an open plaza on about 50,000 s/f of land. It is located under the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Metro-North rail line on Park Avenue from East 111th Street to East 116th Street.

NYCEDC is seeking plans for redevelopment of the market site into a wholesale or retail food market or food production and distribution center. The Market was renovated in 1996 and is managed and maintained by NYCEDC.

"East Harlem is one of the most underserved communities in the City when it comes to access to healthy food," said NYCEDC President Seth W. Pinsky.

"La Marqueta offers a tremendous opportunity for an operator to address this issue while transforming a unique and underutilized property, supporting small businesses and generating local economic development."

The market has a built-in customer base with about 3,600 people living in developments directly across the street, and 20,000 living within a quarter mile radius.

Despite the buying power in the area, recent studies have concluded that East Harlem residents have limited food choices. It is also a community with the highest diabetes and obesity rates, and lowest consumption of fruits and vegetables in the City. Bodegas, which usually offer few healthy foods, are the neighborhood's most common food stores.

Each of the five parcels that make up the market site is about 200 feet long and 50 feet wide. Building 4 contains about 10,000 square feet and is divided into 20 market stalls that vary from about 80 to 480 square feet.

All stalls include security gates. Some stalls include sinks, freezers and/or coolers. Six vendors currently occupy the building, which is about 80 percent vacant.

Building 3, now vacant, was originally used for meat and cold storage and wholesale distribution. The 10,000-square-foot-building has four loading bays and two adjacent lots that could be use for loading and/ or parking. Power, water and gas are connected to the building. Buildings 3 and 4 were part of the original market.

Located within the East Harlem Empire Zone and the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, La Marqueta is eligible for certain as-of-right and discretionary benefits. It is also located in a New Markets Tax Credit eligible census tract.