BJ’s Looks to Get Jump on Costco with New Gas Pumps
A potential battle for private club customers in Yorktown has begun with BJ’s Wholesale Club proposing to provide 12 gas pumps for members at its Route 202 location while Costco continues through the planning process for a new store and gas station up the road.
David Steinmetz, attorney for the owners of the BJ’s Shopping Center, told the Yorktown Town Board last week the gas station and a new bank planned in the parking lot area near Dunkin Donuts would create “a vibrancy” for the center.
He said all wholesale clubs want to be able to sell gas to their members. “This allows folks who are members to buy gas cheaper,” Steinmetz said. “It’s happening nationwide.”
Before proceeding with plans to build the pumps parallel to the exit lanes at the center, BJ’s representatives need to apply for a special permit from the Town Board and a map change in the C-3 Zoning District.
“This is a good idea,” said Councilman Nick Bianco. “That is an appropriate thing in an appropriate place.”
Meanwhile, Al Capellini, attorney for the property owners waiting to lease the land on 202 near the Taconic State Parkway ramps to Costco, said Costco officials have spent the last 18 months completing the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the project for the Planning Board.
He said he expected Costco to appear before the Planning Board by September “if not sooner.”
“It’s a very lengthy process,” Capellini said. “We have to respond to all the issues and questions that were raised. Nothing has changed.”
Capellini also insisted there were plenty of customers in the region for Costco and BJ’s to coexist.
“They have done it elsewhere,” he said. “The big fellas who are in this for the long haul know the whole thing about competition is it’s a good thing, not bad.”
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
