Marshalls May Be Added To TJ Maxx In Bridgehampton

TJ Maxx hopes to expand its store at the Bridgehampton Commons to add a Marshalls, a popular department store chain that advertises lower prices than similar stores.

The proposal, which was submitted to Southampton Town on September 17 and is making its way through Planning Board review, is to expand the current building by 17,000 square feet. If the plan is approved, the current TJ Maxx would be reconfigured to occupy 23,987 square feet, while the Marshalls floor space would be 21,879 square feet. Together, the two brands—which are owned by the same parent company, TJX Companies, and often share the same storefront—would share 5,424 square feet of common space used for storage, delivery and shipping purposes.

Last week, the Planning Board closed a public hearing on the proposal with a 30-day written comment period to follow. At the meeting, members of board asked the applicant to consider adding an entrance at the rear of the building to provide better access to an underutilized back parking lot. According to attorney Timothy McCulley of the Southampton-based firm Burke and Sullivan, representatives of TJ Maxx are reluctant to add the second entrance.

Mr. McCulley said that although his clients had not been open to the idea in the past, he will approach them again with the proposal. He added that the construction would add a 5-foot-wide walkway from the back parking lot to the front of the building where the present entrance is located, plus lighting, to make it safer and easier for patrons. Lighting would also be installed in the back parking lot, and employees would be encouraged to use that lot more to allow more customers to park in front.

“TJ Maxx doesn’t want a rear entrance because it is a security thing,” Mr. McCulley said. “We will go back to them and see if we can work it out. That is always an issue, so it will be a part of the discussion as we move forward.”

Town Planning Board member Jacqui Lofaro emphasized at the meeting the importance of creating a back entrance, saying that patrons carrying large shopping bags are not going to make the trip along the exterior of the building to the back, particularly in the rain, cold or snow. “I think it would benefit the consumer to think about the entrance in the back,” she reiterated.

No one from the public addressed the board on Thursday night regarding the proposal.

If the plan is approved, the building would be expanded on the side bordering Snake Hollow Road. Although the addition would eliminate approximately 15 parking spaces, a traffic report conducted by Dunn Engineering in Westhampton estimates there would still be ample parking on peak holiday and summer days to accommodate the new store.

Mr. McCulley also explained that although it is a large expansion that is being proposed, the current town master plan anticipated that the Bridgehampton Commons would eventually be expanded due to the increase in population on the East End.

“This is something that has become utilized by all of the people on the East End,” he said. “They expected an increase to the shopping center.”

The move to expand also comes on the heels of a planned development district proposal in Bridgehampton called the Gateway. If approved, the PDD, which is essentially a onetime change in zoning when community benefits are anticipated, would add a mix of residential and commercial properties to the hamlet.

Mr. McCulley said that TJ Maxx first proposed an expansion in 2013 to include a Home Goods store, although the project never materialized. The current proposal also suggests wrapping an angled portion of roof to the front and side of the building to hide the flat rooflines and make the building more appealing, Mr. McCulley said.

This week at least one shopper, Lisa Silva, said she was excited about the proposed expansion, noting that it would increase the number of options on the East End. Although she has never been to Marshalls, Ms. Silva said she likes TJ Maxx because it is affordable.

“Absolutely happy about it,” said Ms. Silva, who was not originally aware of the plan. “It is more stuff and clothing, things you can get cheaper. Cheaper is always better.”