East Harlem developers selected.

New York City Economic Development Corporation President Andrew M. Alper announced that Urban Strategic Partners LLC and Potamkin Auto Group have been selected to develop several large sites in East Harlem within the Harlem/East Harlem Urban Renewal Area. Urban Strategic Partners will bring high-quality retail to the east end of 125th Street while Potamkin will bring several automobile dealerships to Harlem.

"The projects will continue the commercial revitalization of 125th Street that was jumpstarted in East Harlem by the city-supported development of Pathmark, Gateway Center, Gotham Plaza and Harlem USA on West 125th Street," said EDC President Alper. "These two projects will also create approximately 1,400 permanent jobs and bring significant new retail activity and quality career opportunities to East Harlem residents."

Potamkin Auto Group, one of the nation's leading automobile dealership groups, plans to invest up to $60 million in the construction of an approximately 500,000-SF, full service facility to accommodate four to six auto dealerships. The approximately 101,000-SF site is located on Second and Third Avenues, between East 127th and East 128th Streets. Construction of the facility will create nearly 200 jobs. When complete, the project will create more than 400 permanent jobs, most with training and advancement opportunities.

"This project represents an extraordinary opportunity to meet the needs of a culturally diverse and economically robust community," said George McCabe, executive vice president, Potamkin Auto Group. "With superb showrooms, full servicing capabilities, ample parking and courtesy shuttle service to Midtown Manhattan, we are confident we will achieve customer satisfaction levels normally unreachable in an urban environment."

Urban Strategic Partners' development, to be known as Uptown NY, will feature a pedestrian-oriented urban shopping village combining traditional, specialty and quality retailers with dining opportunities. The $140 million project will contain at least 325,000 SF of retail space and 700 indoor parking spaces. The project footprint, consisting of approximately 190,000 SF of vacant land, is located on three sites bounded by East 124th and East 127th Streets and Second and Third Avenues.

Uptown NY is expected to create approximately 1,000 permanent jobs and 600 construction jobs.

Drew Greenwald, a principal of Urban Strategic Partners, said, "This development will further reinforce the 125th Street corridor as a shopping destination. There is an urban vitality in Harlem that is unmatched anywhere in the world. Uptown NY, like Harlem USA, will build upon that vitality to serve neighborhood residents while drawing additional shoppers from a broad geographic area."

"These projects are excellent examples of putting underused city property back to work," Alper added. "The Urban Strategic Partners' project will provide a vital pedestrian oriented retail environment while the Potamkin project will provide well-paying jobs with excellent career advancement and training opportunities."