By Lincoln Anderson, published December 21, 2023

“Now this is what you call a holiday shopping special!

On Thursday, the School Construction Authority and New York University announced that they have agreed to extend the option up to 13 years for the city to build a public school at the site of the current Morton Williams supermarket in Greenwich Village.

The city had been under a Dec. 31 deadline to decide on whether to move forward with the contentious school project — as, meanwhile, the fate of the beloved, full-service, 24-hour supermarket hung in the balance.

The news broke shortly after 1 p.m. during a group phone call with stakeholders. Reportedly leading the discussion were Andrea Bender, the S.C.A. executive director, along with the chief of staff of Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer. Others on the line included local politicians Councilmembers Christopher Marte and Carlina Rivera and Assemblymember Deborah Glick, plus staff representatives of other local pols; Kyle Kimball, N.Y.U. vice president of government relations and community engagement; an N.Y.U. lobbyist; Richard Lipsky, a lobbyist for Morton Williams; Jeannine Kiely, a former Community Board 2 chairperson; plus Mark Diller, C.B. 2 district manager.

During Marte’s first two years in office, the supermarket, at Bleecker Street and LaGuardia Place, has been located within his City Council district. But, as of Jan. 1, due to redistricting, the Morton Williams will be in Rivera’s district.

It was reportedly when Rivera asked, during the phone call, if a new school at the site was needed right now that the decisive words were finally uttered.

“Carlina asked if there was need for a school and S.C.A. said clearly they did not have the need,” Lipsky reported.”

Read more: https://thevillagesun.com/breaking-morton-williams-supermarket-is-safe-for-at-least-next-13-years