Former Blockbuster on Court Street to Become a Grocery Store?

People in South Brooklyn have been wondering what's to become of the huge retail space at 288 Court Street ever since the Blockbuster Video closed down more than a year ago. For a while, the fear was that McDonald's would take over the storefront. But that never happened. (We got Dunkin' Donuts and Starbuck's, in different locations, instead.)

On June 5, Brownstoner reported that the property was sold off for $3.7 million to a firm called Broadmill Development, "which recently developed a Chelsea condo called The Carriage House. Eric Gray, one of Broadmill's principals, says the company has "no definitive plans" for the site yet, and it could either be redeveloped or leased to a retailer."

Today, I noticed there was scaffolding on half of the structure. The windows were papered over. And there were DOB notices on the doors. Something was definitely up.

Trumpet blast! Off to the DOB website! Sure enough, a filing dated July 7 states, quite plaintly, "RENOVATE EXISTING RETAIL STORE FOR USE AS GROCERY STORE." Another on July 14 says, "ERECT A TOTAL OF 30 LINEAR FEET BY 12 FEET APPROXIMATE HIGH HEAVY DUTY SIDEWALK SHED."

That could be good. Court Street needs a grocery store—has ever since Key Food became a CVS. Trader Joe's is nice and all, but a more general use food store would be of use.

But what grocery store will it be? Brownstoner says Union Market.