The vacated former Food Emporium site at 510 Middle Neck Road in the Village of Great Neck is undergoing renovations as a new business prepares to move in and plans continue to secure a new supermarket. Responding to questions regarding several trees recently cut down at the site, landlord Kris Torkan told the Great Neck Record that cutting down four "declining trees" that had damaged the sidewalk is just one part of an overall plan to renovate and revitalize the entire site.

Mr. Torkan told the Record that he is redeveloping the site for CVS Pharmacies and for a possible new supermarket. Back in February, when the Food Emporium closed, Mr. Torkan and CVS had announced plans for the current CVS, located further north on Middle Neck Road in the Old Village, to close and move to 510 Middle Neck Road. Originally, the Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, Food Emporium owners, had kept to a contract prohibiting a new supermarket to open on the site. Following negotiations, Mr. Torkan was able to have that clause removed and today he is involved with "drawing plans for a future supermarket on the north side of the shopping center."

The entire shopping center site is being upgraded "to the best of our ability," according to Mr. Torkan. New landscaping, trees and sidewalks are in the works. Mr. Torkan explained that four of the seven trees that fronted Middle Neck Road were "in decline" and long roots were continuing to damage the sidewalk. Additionally, Mr. Torkan said that a traffic engineer had reported that one of those trees, one at a bus stop, was a "traffic hazard." The four trees that were cut down will be replaced by six new trees, trees that Mr. Torkan said were recommended by an arborist and will "mature beautifully and not damage the future new brick sidewalk." Mr. Torkan said that these new trees will be "based on citiscape standards ... nice, starter trees ... not tiny young trees."

Village of Great Neck Building Superintendent Norman Nemec echoed Mr. Torkan's words, agreeing that in order for the developer to replace the concrete sidewalks with pavers, it was important to replace trees whose roots were causing so much damage.

The tree removal was approved by the Village of Great Neck's board of trustees, and, according to Mayor Ralph Kreitzman, "new trees will be subject to approval by the village's superintendent of public works." The superintendent will have approval over the size, placement and type of trees. As well, the village board conditioned the approval upon the installation of the promised new sidewalk with brick "pavers" according to village specs, the mayor said. These pavers will match the new ones already in place in other areas of the Old Village.

Mayor Kreitzman is extremely pleased with the renovations, stating the importance of the project: "All of this work is important because of the significant impact to a large area of Middle Neck Road."

The mayor has been working with Mr. Torkan, in hopes of not only improving the property, but in also attracting a new supermarket to the site. Although he could not go into details at this time, again Mr. Torkan did assure the Record that he is currently actually working on plans for a new supermarket, to replace the sorely missed Food Emporium.

Mr. Torkan said that he expects CVS construction to be completed by the end of the year. By then, too, he anticipates that the enhanced property will include holiday decorations and special holiday lighting, as well as further landscaping "to enhance all of the property." It is his intention to "upgrade the entire appearance (of the property) dramatically."

Enthusiastic about providing a big boost to the community, with a renovated shopping center and, hopefully, a new supermarket, Mr. Torkan looks to the future: "Whatever we are working on, our plans to improve the shopping center will enhance its safety and its appearance. Our plans are to enhance the community, as well as the shopping center."