Filene”™s Basement is vacating City Center in White Plains even though it has 10 years left on its lease, according to a representative of property owner Louis Cappelli.
The store occupies 70,000 square feet, which is 12 percent of the retail space at City Center.
The decision came after it was announced that Nordstrom Rack, a discount division of Nordstrom Inc., would be opening at City Center in the fall, leasing 35,000 square feet.
Pat Boudrot, public relations representative for Filene”™s, said the store is leaving the space because of “material violation of the lease.”
“It”™s going to end up in court,” said Geoff Thompson, whose public relations firm, Thompson & Bender, represents Louis Cappelli. “The court”™s findings will determine who is responsible for the future of the space.”
If the lease has been violated as Filenes”™s is contending, the space would return to Cappelli.
Otherwise, Filene”™s Basement could be responsible for it and would have to sublease the space.
“You hate to see a known name leave the city,” said John McCarthy, principal with McCarthy Associates, a real estate brokerage in White Plains. “It just gives more credibility to the city of White Plains to attract well-known retailers. There”™s obviously economic uncertainty, but it”™s a large amount a space and it will fill up; it”™s just a matter of whether it”™s sooner or later.”
“Everybody”™s concerned about the retail outlook nationally, but the local market in White Plains remains very strong,” said Rick Ammirato, executive director of the White Plains Business Improvement District.
Ammirato mentioned that Border”™s, which was located in the nearby Westchester Pavilion, closed the store this year as a result of issues related to its industry and company, not related to the local retail market.
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