Work Finally Underway For Former Met Food Supermarket On Smith Street

Rendering for 205 Smith Street courtesy of A and J Acquisitions

The former Met Food shortly after it closed

205 Smith Street with just erected construction fence

Back in the summer of 2014, the Met Food Supermarket on Smith Street between Baltic and Warren Streets in Boerum Hill closed its doors for good. Though it was once rated one of the five filthiest in Brooklyn, it had served many in the neighborhood and its closing was felt throughout the community.

The 10,000-square-foot one story building that housed the supermarket had been put up for sale by its owner and was bought by retail investors Jackson Group, Aurora Capital Associates and ACHS Management for $18.5 million in May 2014.

The companies plan to take down the existing structure to rebuild a 30 000 sq.f. two-story retail building. Recently, a construction permit to that effect have been approved by New York Department of Buildings.

The permit reads:

Removal of exterior and interior walls as shown on plans, erecting new façade and interior partitions. Also the addition of second floor plumbing and mechanical as per plans. Change of use, egress and occupancy.

Think! Architecture is listed as the design firm.

In the past few days, a fence has gone up around the property and work on 205 Smith Street has begun. Construction workers are currently busy with interior demolition.

Brownstoner reported yesterday that a worker indicated that a new supermarket will be moving in after work is completed.

Though we can all hope that a (reasonably priced) food market will one day occupy this space, the architectural rendering on one of the owners' web page would clearly indicate other plans. It also lists the property as available in 2016.

What type of retailer would you like to see there?

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Met Food Building On Smith Street in Boerum Hill Is For Sale

Reader 'Trumbull Bully' made us aware of the fact that the building housing the Met Food Supermarket at 197 Smith Street between Baltic and Warren Streets is currently on the market. Accoding to Commercial Observer, potential developers have already bid in excess of $20 million for the property.

The 10,000-square-foot one story building, one of the largest on Smith Street, is located in Boerum Hill. Currenlty the property at 197 Smith Street is zoned R6B, with "permits residential and community facility uses to a maximum floor area ratio (FAR) of 2.0. Building heights are limited to 40 feet at the street, with a 50 foot maximum building height after a setback (10 feet on a wide streets, 15 feet on a narrow street."  According to New York City's Department of City Planning, "new development in the proposed R6B district would be required to line up with adjacent structures to maintain the existing street wall characteristics. New multi- family residences must provide one off-street parking space for 50% of dwelling units, which may be waived if 5 or fewer spaces would be required."

The loss of the 1970s simple brick building would not be a big deal, but, as Trumbull points out, the potential loss of yet another 'reasonably priced' supermarket in the neighborhood is a matter of concern, even if that particular store was recently rated one of the five filthiest in Brooklyn .


Let's hope that any new building going up at this location will house a new, improved supermarket on the ground floor.  This neighborhood could certainly use one.

***The post has been revised to indicate that the property was rezoned as  part of the Carroll Gardens Contextual Rezoning by City Planning in 2009. Previously, I had indicated that is was part of the Boerum Hill rezoning, which was approved in 2011.




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