Bay Ridge’s long-vacant Century 21 site is getting a major retail makeover.

MCB Real Estate and Osiris Ventures announced Wednesday that two retailers have signed leases totaling 60,112 square feet at the $130 million mixed-use Century Marketplace project at 458 86th St., bringing the 120,000-square-foot development to 65% pre-leased.

The grocery tenant, which developers have not yet named, will become the first national grocer to serve the immediate Southwest Brooklyn trade area, according to developers. Burlington, the national designer-discount retailer, will also open at the site.

The deals mark another major step forward for the property, which has been vacant since Century 21 closed its Bay Ridge location in 2018.

The Century Marketplace project encompasses the former department store’s 14-lot assemblage along 86th Street between Fourth and Fifth avenues. Plans call for additional retail space, including room for two junior anchors and 15,000 square feet of high-street shops.

MCB Principal Drew Gordon said that Century Marketplace “demonstrates our ability to execute complex structuring while delivering high quality, attractive retail to dense markets.”

The Burlington and grocer will be located at the site of former Century 21.File Photo by Paul Frangipane

“By bringing together a nationally recognized specialyu grocery anchor, and top national retailers like Burlington, we are reigniting a well-known commercial corridor and unlocking long term value for Southwest Brooklyn.”

No certificates of occupancy were found on the NYC Department of Buildings database.

The development sits in the heart of Bay Ridge’s 86th Street shopping district, just a half-block from the 86th Street R train station.  The surrounding area has also seen strong retail activity. Within 1,000 feet of the Century Marketplace site, foot traffic reached 3.2 million visitors over the past year, up nearly 6% from the previous year.

Before Century 21 closed in 2018, the property itself drew more than four million annual visitors, according to MCB Real Estate.

“Century Marketplace is a huge win for Bay Ridge, breathing new life into a long-vacant site and boosting the foot traffic that keeps local small businesses thriving,” area Council Member Kayla Santosuosso said in a statement. “I’m deeply committed to supporting a Bay Ridge that is accommodating, welcoming, and vibrant for everyone. By creating local jobs, supporting working families, and energizing our streets, this project builds on our promise to make our neighborhood a safer, more affordable and lively place to live.”

The new leases are part of Century Marketplace on 86th Street, adjacent to a separate Superfresh development featuring the former Century 21 space.Photo courtesy of Google Maps/Graphic by Kirstyn Brendlen

The latest retail announcements come alongside a major financing milestone for the redevelopment.

MCB Real Estate and Osiris Ventures secured $76.7 million in construction financing from Truist Bank to fund the site’s transformation. The developers said the financing required a complex structure to address the property’s legal and tax requirements.

“Truist is proud to partner with best-in-class developers MCB Real Estate and Osiris Ventures on a redevelopment that will bring significant new retail and economic activity to this Brooklyn neighborhood,” Rebecca M. Cox, senior vice president and market manager at Truist National Real Estate, said in a statement. “Led by Spencer Perry and the Truist National Real Estate team, the construction financing will help transform this site into a premier retail destination.”

With the grocery anchor and Burlington now signed, Century Marketplace still has space to fill before the project is fully leased.

The development team says the completed project is expected to position 86th Street alongside major New York City shopping corridors including Brooklyn’s Fulton Street, Fordham Road in the Bronx, Austin Street in Queens and 125th Street in Harlem.