Philadelphia

Bakers Centre Opens With Great Fanfare & Delight in Northwest Philadelphia with a Brown’s ShopRite, Ross and Gov Tom Corbett

December 18, 2013 by HughE Dillon

Earlier this month residents from Northwest Philadelphia and dignitaries were
at Bakers Centre to celebrate the grand opening of the new shopping center.  Bakers Centre is a 220,000-square-foot, expansive shopping complex
encompassing 30 acres located on Hunting Park Avenue, Fox Street and
Roberts Avenue. It is the former site of the Tasty Baking Co.

The neighbors are excited for the 71,000 square foot Brown’s Shop Rite
to open. It’s operated by the same family which
operates the Roxborough ShopRite, which many of the neighbors shop at
currently. It will be the anchor store of the
30-acre, 220,000 square foot plaza, which will also include retail
shopping including a Ross, eateries (Subway, Wendy’s), and a 73,000
square foot Restaurant Depot outlet. Bakers Centre is anticipated to
bring 1,000 jobs to an area
that straddles East Falls, Allegheny West, Nicetown, and Hunting Park. 
Check the job listings here: 

The $60 million Bakers Centre project is being made possible by an
innovative mixture of state, local, and private funding. The lead
developer is US Realty Associates, Inc.

 

  The ShopRite has a section of produce from a nearby urban farm run by
Nicetown’s SHARE Food Program, halal foods, products from Africa and
the Caribbean, as well as hard-to-come-by conveniences like an American
Heritage Credit Union branch and a health clinic staffed with nurse
practitioners.

Deliverance Evangelistic Church Choir opened the ceremony with 3 uplifting songs.
To the delight of us all

 

Michael Grasso, chief executive of Metro Development. Grasso’s company
helped develop the former Tasty Baking headquarters into a $60 million
shopping center project in Hunting Park West featuring a 77,000 foot
Shop Rite, a Ross Dress for Less department store, a Subway, Planet
Fitness, Dunkin Donuts and other retail.
 
According to Metro Founder and CEO Michael Grasso , ” Bakers Centre ’s
completion will likely start the revitalization of one of Philadelphia’s
most underutilized industrial zones The Hunting Park West District,
into a vibrant retail hub within this trade area, which will ultimately
create future rateable s for the City of Philadelphia and will
immediately provide a new and much needed shopping experience for the
local community.”
Gov Tom Corbett came to town to speak at the opening of Bakers
Centre. An important project that would make a positive contribution to
the neighborhood, as well as Philadelphia. Corbett doesn’t attend a lot of these events, so just him being there was a resounding yes to progress in Philadelphia.

 Mayor Michael Nutter stressing how important it was to have Gov Corbett on their side on this project, which was originally started by Gov Rendell. Corbett could have easily put the money to other use. The Mayor then went on to talk about how delicious the Brown’s sweet potato pie was, and the Nutter’s enjoyed it at Thanksgiving. 
 
 Sen Vincent Hughes gave an empathetic speech where he touched on and I paraphrase: this neighborhood was not going to allow a casino at this location, one that would take away a family’s income, instead of feeding it. – To the cheers of the neighborhood.
The Senator was instrumental in securing more than $12 million in state
funds for the project through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital
Program. The development is expected to create more than 1,000 new jobs.
 starting 3rd person over: Council Rep 4th District, City of Philadelphia
Curtis Jones, Jr, Us Rep Pa 7th Senatorial District Vincent Hughes, Gov
Corbett, Michael Grasso, Mayor Nutter, Jeff Brown, Mrs Brown, Nick
Micozzif, State Rep (blue tie) and Greg Bianchi
Council Rep 4th District, City of Philadelphia Curtis Jones, Jr, Us Rep
Pa 7th Senatorial District Vincent Hughes, Gov Corbett, Mayor Michael
Nutter participate in the ribbon cutting of Bakers Centre.
 Marty White and Germaine Edwards are so excited about the new shopping
center. No longer to they have to drive to Olney or Roxborough to get
food.
Dawn Gunn, Marketing Assistant at US Realty Associates Inc, Gabrielle
Bianchi, Greg Bianchi, VP at US Realty/Metro Development Company,
Christie Honigman (The Honigman Group PR – she produced this event.), Michelle Grasso and Oksana
Strockyj, US Realty Associates Inc 
 Sen Vincent Hughes, Michael Grasso, Mrs Grasso and Michelle Grasso 
Speaking of Sen Vincent Hughes, his annual Holiday Party is Friday night at the Warwick Hotel in Center City. It’s open to the public, just bring can goods to donate to the SHARE program. It begins at 6PM

Nick Micozzif, State Rep, Sen Vince Hughes, Jeff Brown, owner of Shop
Rite, and Tom Micozzif, Mayor of Upper Darby check out the new Shop
Rite in Bakers Centre