Think the indie spirit still burns in the heart of Williamsburg? Big-box retail may soon swallow the Bedford Avenue stop.
Benjamin Bernstein of RedSky Capital has spent the last several years piecing together a string of adjacent buildings from 184 to 192 on Bedford between North Sixth and North Seventh streets.
While no plans are currently in the works for the site — which until recently included old-school tenants like bars Spike Hill and Rosemary’s Greenpoint Tavern — Bernstein tells The Post RedSky may demolish what’s there and rebuild the plot to accommodate a deep-pocketed retailer.
“Assembling all these buildings gives us options,” he says. “We could lease to lots of small tenants or we could do one big development.”
After all, Bernstein and his business partner Benjamin Stokes brought national brands like Apple, Sephora, Sweetgreen, Urban Outfitters, North Face, Vans and Flywheel to Williamsburg. That’s after it spent approximately $137 million, according to the Real Deal, building up a portfolio of prime Williamsburg addresses.
There is no timeline, Bernstein clarifies, for a major overhaul at 184-192 Bedford. In the meantime, he intends to help smaller tenants test the waters. RedSky recently signed short leases for espadrille maker Soludos and Australian clothier Flannel at 184 and 190 Bedford, respectively.
Boutique shops on Bedford can pay as much as $36,000 a month in rent, but that’s nothing compared to what, say, Apple could splash out.
However, sources familiar with the deals say that ground-floor retail tenants have been told to vacate by December to make way for a “major” retailer.
“In all candor, I have got enough on my plate right now with other [Bedford Avenue] projects,” demurs Bernstein. “Our position is that we have a lot of real estate in Williamsburg and we have options.”