Trotta goes on the record: Plaza is under contract

MILLERTON— When the Millerton Fresh Market vacated the space formerly occupied by Grand Union at the Millerton Square Plaza in June of 2019, local residents went into a panic. The harsh reality again hit that easy access to grocery shopping could not be taken for granted. It’s a truth that’s surfaced every time a supermarket in that location has turned over, which has happened more times than some residents would like to remember.

The Route 44 plaza has now seen all of its tenants leave. Riley’s Furniture store closed in November of 2018. Also gone are the stand-alone drive-thru McDonald’s, which closed in 2015, as well as the gas station island, which shut down years before that. In fact, by the start of 2022, only the Davis & Trotta Law Offices and Trotta’s Fine Wine & Liquors, both owned by Millerton attorney Robert Trotta, remained in Millerton Square Plaza, owned by his brother, Joseph “Skip” Trotta, of Sharon, Conn.

By the start of the New Year, both of those businesses had posted signs they are now operating out of other locations, leaving the plaza without any actual commerce taking place.

For more than a decade, Skip Trotta has been working determinedly to draw a grocer back to his plaza. Initially, it seemed as if Hannaford would lease the space; those plans were stymied back around 2011. That’s when a consortium of regional grocers fought Hannaford’s plans before the North East Planning Board under the leadership of Sharon Kroeger, owner of Calsi’s Market in Wassaic.

The battle made it all the way to the courts. Even the Justice Department weighed in, determining Hannaford was becoming too large and the company needed to sell off some of its stores. It did; the Maine supermarket company merged with Stop and Shop in North Canaan, Conn., bringing goods to area shoppers, thus ending its interest in opening a store in Millerton.

“They spent half a million dollars of development money,” said Trotta in an interview on Friday, Feb. 18, still bitter about his plaza missing out on Hannaford becoming a tenant. “So I have some sour grapes on it. The Planning Board should have welcomed them with open arms.”

He noted Millerton was lucky at the time such a large corporation was willing to do business with it. The village of Millerton has a population count of 919, according to the 2020 Census; it lies within the town of North East, which has a population of 3,290, according to the town’s 2021 demographics.

North East town Supervisor Chris Kennan noted local residents have not been without food options; there’s Peck’s Market in Pine Plains; Freshtown in Amenia; Marona’s Market in Millbrook; the Hillsdale Supermarket IGA; and others, but none are as convenient as a food store in Millerton would be.

“There are markets in nearby towns, but we would very much like to have one here in our town,” he said.

Trotta agreed, but said because local towns have such small populations, it’s difficult to draw large grocery chains.

“We don’t have national brands here, and there’s a reason we don’t have them… This is not a terribly strong retail market; it’s a terribly spread out market,” said Trotta. “We don’t have 50,000 people within a couple of miles of the front door, and those are the kinds things they ask when they come.”

Which is why, he said, it makes sense for a buyer to come to Millerton with the intention of opening a smaller grocery market versus a massive supermarket. And that, said Trotta, is exactly what has happened.

A contract is on the table

Last June, said the lifelong grocer and businessman, his plaza went under contract. It has not been sold. Yet. Trotta is hopeful once a few more details are ironed out, the sales contract will be signed.

“It is under contract, and we have still got a couple of little things to do,” he said. “All I can tell you is they work with shopping centers. I know their intention is to put a supermarket in there. That’s obviously the need for the community. I wish I could do it myself — because I would do it myself — but I’m 78… a time comes when you can’t do it anymore.”

Trotta, when asked, would not reveal who the buyer is, where the buyer is from, if the buyer is an individual or a corporation with supermarket experience.

“I can’t speak… due to confidentiality,” he said, adding the contract is for the entire plaza. “The buyer is motivated, and I think it’s going to be a very nice thing for the community.”

Kennan has been keeping track of the negotiations since last summer. He knows the buyer, and is keeping his fingers crossed that all of the details can be hashed out to allow for a smooth sale.

“I’m looking forward to that transaction getting completed,” he said. “I can just say that I’m very much looking forward to the potential of redeveloping not only that property but all of the Boulevard District of Route 44 to be a more vibrant and welcoming commercial district for Millerton.”

He stressed the importance for everyone to keep in mind that while the property is in contract — it cannot be considered sold until that contract gets signed.

He acknowledged that news of the contract will surely be both welcome and exciting for local residents who have been anxiously awaiting a grocery store in the community — especially one within walking distance for villagers without vehicles. Still, he urged patience and caution.

“Just because it’s under contract does not mean it will sell,” Kennan said. “For anyone who has had a house on the market, they know it’s one thing to have a house under contract but until you get it to closing it hasn’t happened.”

When Trotta was asked if he would share the selling price he and the buyer settled on, his was response was as expected.

“Tell you the price?” he said. “Of course not.”

He said he “believes we’re getting closer to bringing things to a head. It’s been a long ordeal because there are a lot of details.”

Among those details, Trotta said the buyer will have to appear before the town’s Planning Board for the requisite environmental impact review of the property.

He noted as of this time the buyer is not looking to raze the plaza, but is hoping “to remodel the face of the building and to expand the offerings there… so it takes a while.”

Trotta added as far as he’s concerned, he won’t have to deal with any local bureaucracies. Bottom line, Trotta said he’s just happy to be under contract and headed toward a sale.

“The town deserves it — you can’t leave a community without a supermarket,” he said. “You have a good buyer; he has what appears to be a very good, strong commitment for the community to improve the shopping center and give the community something nice… I think people will be pleasantly surprised.”