Retail tenants announced, finally, for 38 Sixth (Wonderforest Nature Preschool, opening in fall) and 535 Carlton (Cain Sloan shop, opening unclear).

Fulfilling the hints dropped in previous public meetings, developer Greenland Forest City Partners yesterday announced two tenants for long vacant retail spaces within buildings they've developed.

One space will open in the fall, while the other's opening date is unclear. In both cases, the tenants are occupying their first brick-and-mortar spaces.

At 38 Sixth (and Dean)

From Wonderforest Nature Preschool

At 38 Sixth Ave. (B3), in a space destined for an announcement just as the pandemic began, Wonderforest Nature Preschool, a forest/nature preschool provider for children in Prospect Park, signed a 3,629-square foot lease for a space apparently viewable from Sixth Avenue, as shown in the rendering at right. 

The school is expected to open in Fall 2021, as construction continues.  Note that an announcement of a new retail tenant at that building was imminent as of March 2020, but was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.

While the press release (below) says the retail space at 38 Sixth "is now 100 percent leased," one tenant, surely not permanent, is occupied by Tishman Construction, which is building the B4 (18 Sixth Ave.) and B15 (662 Pacific St.) towers. B3 also has a street-level entrance to a medical clinic run by New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital.

At 535 Carlton (and Dean)

At 535 Carlton, one of the three vacant spaces will be the first brick-and-mortar location for the Cain Sloan home décor, jewelry and gift shop, which features work by local artists. This is a 1,873-square foot space.

"After this pandemic we’re all feeling the need to fill our homes with things that matter and make a difference which is exactly what customers can do at Cain Sloan - support small businesses, working artists and one another within the community," said founder Katherine Wells in the press release. The opening date is unclear but is likely later this year.

Local tenants, pending questions

“Wonderforest Nature Preschool and Cain Sloan are indicative of the kind of locally-owned, New York based small businesses we are looking to support at Pacific Park,” Scott Solish, Executive Vice President of Development at Greenland Forest City Partners, said in the press release, which notes other tenants at the three buildings--535 Carlton, 550 Vanderbilt, and 38 Sixth--that the joint venture has opened.

Well, there's "looking to support" and "looking to make deals with," and it obviously hasn't been easy to find tenants--even before the pandemic. So it's hardly clear if the developer has gotten the rents it once sought. (Given the pattern with its other leases, I'd bet that Van Leeuwen ice cream at 550 Vanderbilt got a discount.)

That said, the developer has fulfilled its commitment to not signing chain stores.

Note that the fully empty retail space at 461 Dean, which is not owned by Greenland Forest City Partners, goes unmentioned.

Regarding Cain Sloan, the press release says "the store will be an immersive experience that will help visitors discover new artists and find one of a kind eclectic pieces that give a nod to Pacific Park’s industrial past and its booming creative present and future." 

Does that mean they'll be selling recycled terra cotta from the Ward Bakery?

Also note that the press release describes Pacific Park as "the new 22-acre mixed-use neighborhood in the heart of Brooklyn," a phrase taken up in the coverage by Bklyner, which first reported on the press release. 

Well, as I wrote five years ago, a 22-acre neighborhood? That crosses wide Flatbush Avenue? And takes only a part of the block between Dean and Pacific Streets?

Below, the press release

(highlighting from the original)

Greenland Forest City Partners Announces Two New, Women Owned and Operated Retail Tenants Coming to Pacific Park

 

Wonderforest Nature Preschool and Cain Sloan home décor shop join growing roster of New York-based small businesses at Pacific Park Brooklyn

 

MARCH 29, 2021 (NEW YORK, NY) – Greenland Forest City Partners today announced two new New York-based, women owned and operated businesses will be coming to 38 Sixth Avenue (parcel B3) and 535 Carlton Avenue (parcel B14) at Pacific Park, the new 22-acre mixed-use neighborhood in the heart of Brooklyn. Wonderforest Nature Preschool, a forest/nature preschool provider for children in Prospect Park, signed a 3,629-square foot lease at 38 Sixth Avenue, and Cain Sloan, a unique home décor, jewelry and gift shop featuring work by local artists, signed a 1,873-square foot lease at 535 Carlton Avenue. Wonderforest Nature Preschool has begun construction on its space, which was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The retail space at 38 Sixth Avenue is now 100 percent leased.

 

“Wonderforest Nature Preschool and Cain Sloan are indicative of the kind of locally-owned, New York based small businesses we are looking to support at Pacific Park,” said Scott Solish, Executive Vice President of Development at Greenland Forest City Partners. “As New York begins its recovery from the pandemic, we will continue to accelerate development at Pacific Park to ensure we are providing a range of shops, arts and culture, and small businesses for residents to enjoy.”

“Brooklyn Nature Days is delighted to be growing and to have found our first brick and mortar space at 38 Sixth Avenue and inside the growing Pacific Park community,” said Sarah Carlson, Founder and Director of Wonderforest Nature Preschool. “In light of the pandemic, it is crucial that our students continue to explore outside in the fresh air and open spaces that nature provides. In addition to our Brooklyn Nature Days’ forest school classes in Prospect Park, having a physical home through the creation of Wonderforest Nature Preschool will allow us to expand our operations, offer full day care to families, and give our students a place to reflect and expand upon on their adventures in nature.”

“Cain Sloan is excited to establish our brick and mortar presence in Brooklyn with our new space at 535 Carlton Ave,” said Katherine Wells, Owner of Cain Sloan. “I established this business to offer people in the community a way to support local working artists and to bring relatable, functional objects into their homes.  After this pandemic we’re all feeling the need to fill our homes with things that matter and make a difference which is exactly what customers can do at Cain Sloan - support small businesses, working artists and one another within the community.” 

Wonderforest Nature Preschool at 38 Sixth Avenue will be its first tangible preschool space providing indoor programming and will be licensed through the Department of Health. In conjunction with the tangible space, the preschool will continue to feature its signature nature-focused trips to Prospect Park.

 

Cain Sloan is a Brooklyn-based, curated retail store and gallery selling work from a rotating list of local artists. The store, located at 535 Carlton Avenue with an entrance on Dean Street, will be a bright and airy corner space with views of Pacific Park, complete with a wide selection of handmade ceramics, textiles and vintage glass pieces, and exquisitely refinished furniture. The store will be an immersive experience that will help visitors discover new artists and find one of a kind eclectic pieces that give a nod to Pacific Park’s industrial past and its booming creative present and future.

Greenland Forest City was represented by RIPCO Realty, led by Beth Rosen, Jason Pennington and Jessica Hedrington on both deals.

To date, Pacific Park has four completed residential buildings: 550 Vanderbilt, a luxury condominium designed by COOKFOX Architects; 535 Carlton and 38 Sixth, two 100 percent all affordable rental buildings offering nearly 600 rental units; and 461 Dean, the tallest modular building in the world. In addition, innovative retail brands and community facilities have opened outposts across Pacific Park, including BKLYN CLAY, Brooklyn’s largest ceramics studio, at 535 Carlton; Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream, Beer Street, and Ciao Gloria cafe at 550 Vanderbilt; and New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital’s medical center at 38 Sixth Avenue.

 

Pacific Park also features substantial infrastructure improvements including a new storage and maintenance facility for the Long Island Railroad, new rail access to and from the Atlantic Terminal station and significant improvements to the infrastructure network in the surrounding area. The site is anchored by the sports and entertainment arena Barclays Center and Atlantic Terminal Transit Hub along the Atlantic Avenue corridor.

 

For more information about Pacific Park Brooklyn, please visit www.pacificparkbrooklyn.com.

About Greenland Forest City Partners

Greenland Forest City Partners is a joint venture established in June 2014 between Greenland USA, a subsidiary of Shanghai-based Greenland Group Co., and Forest City New York, which was acquired by Brookfield in 2018. The partners will co-develop Pacific Park, the new 22-acre mixed-use neighborhood in the heart of Brooklyn. To date, the joint venture has built three residential buildings: 550 Vanderbilt, a luxury condominium offering 278 units; 535 Carlton, a 100 percent all affordable rental building offering nearly 300 rental units; and 38 Sixth, a 100 percent all affordable rental building offering nearly 300 rental units. When complete, the neighborhood will include 6,430 units of new housing, of which 2,250 units will be affordable, as well as office space, neighborhood retail, community facilities, 8 acres of publicly accessible open space, and major infrastructure improvements.