After more than two years of dormant storefront windows and unanswered questions, Wegmans has confirmed what Upper West Siders have long suspected: the grocery chain is coming to 1932 Broadway, the former Bed Bath & Beyond space between West 64th and 65th streets. The company says it is now designing the store and working through the permitting process, though it still won't say when shoppers can expect to walk through the doors.
A Wegmans spokesperson confirmed the news directly to West Side Rag, saying, “we are currently designing a store and obtaining the necessary permits for our 1932 Broadway location.” The same statement made clear that a firm opening timeline remains elusive, with the spokesperson noting, “The opening timeline is yet to be determined.”
The confirmation followed a tip to West Side Rag from a reader named Lucille Chester, who said multiple employees at another Wegmans location had mentioned that the Lincoln Square store would finally open. That tip prompted the outlet to reach out to the company directly for confirmation.
A Long, Quiet Wait Since the Lease Was Signed
The site has been in limbo for years. A long-term lease for the space was signed back in February 2024, according to iLoveTheUpperWestSide.com, and signage for the grocer first went up at the location in June of that year. Despite the signage, the storefront showed no obvious signs of life in the years that followed — as recently as February of this year, the site reported that the location remained dormant.
The space previously housed a Bed Bath & Beyond, according to PIX11. Sources have offered varying figures for its exact size: iLoveTheUpperWestSide.com has described it as approximately 58,900 square feet, the Democrat & Chronicle has put it at 58,874 square feet, and marketreportblog.com has cited a figure of 58,000 square feet.
Permits Point to Real Construction Activity
There's physical evidence the project is moving. A warehouse-renovation permit for 1932 Broadway was issued on July 28, with a stated construction value between $1 million and $5 million, per a filing reviewed by construction database builtie.com. That permit covers exterior mechanical upgrades, including new cooling tower equipment and distribution piping, and it proposes no change in use, egress, or occupancy at the site. The same database notes the building has seen six other permits since June, covering roofing, elevator, plumbing, and mechanical work — though builtie.com's own estimate that construction wrapped by July 2027 is explicitly labeled an estimate, not the builder's actual schedule.
Why the Site Sat Empty So Long
The years-long gap traces back to Wegmans' own shifting priorities. In February, the company had said it was focused on its then-new Astor Place store when asked about the Upper West Side location. According to that account, Wegmans had originally worked with landlord Glenwood to lease the 1932 Broadway space before ultimately pursuing Astor Place instead, signing that lease after the Broadway deal didn't pan out. The 1932 Broadway space became available again shortly after Wegmans committed to Astor Place, with the company instead spending that stretch designing, permitting, and opening its first Manhattan store to the public.
Astor Place opened in 2023 as Wegmans' first Manhattan location. The Upper West Side store, once it opens, will be the chain's second in Manhattan and its third in New York City overall — Wegmans currently operates two city stores, Astor Place and one at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, according to PIX11. The company's first New York City store opened in Brooklyn back in October 2019, per the Democrat & Chronicle.
Crowded Company on Upper Broadway
Once it opens, the new store won't be hurting for grocery competition nearby. If Wegmans moves into 1932 Broadway, it will compete with a Whole Foods at Columbus Circle and a Morton Williams supermarket just three blocks north at 2015 Broadway, according to Commercial Observer. The Upper West Side footprint would also be smaller than some of Wegmans' recent suburban projects — in 2022, the chain opened an 81,300-square-foot store anchoring the Carlyle Crossing complex near Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, and an 84,000-square-foot store at City Ridge in Washington, D.C., per the Democrat & Chronicle.
For now, Upper West Siders will have to keep watching those storefront windows. Wegmans has confirmed the store is coming and that design and permitting work is underway, but exactly when the shelves get stocked remains an open question the company isn't ready to answer.
