Could There Be a New Whole Foods Market Opening Downtown?

The tipline is buzzing about a potential new Whole Foods Market that might land in the East Village as part of a mixed-use project that has been proposed for the downtown block at Seventh and Market Street bordered by Eighth and Island Avenues.

Jason Wood, a principal at Cisterra Development, told Eater that Whole Foods Market is indeed attached to their proposal for the site, which would also include a Ritz Carlton and two restaurants linked to the hotel, plus new apartments and office space. It's not yet clear if the grocer would be opening a traditional Whole Foods in the space or one of its new, lower-priced 365 by Whole Foods outlets. Whole Foods Market could not confirm the expansion, but said it will be announcing new store sites during a quarterly earnings call scheduled for July.