Trader Joe’s Is Building Big in Islandia — And Long Island’s Getting a Major Upgrade

Trader Joe’s Makes a Massive Move on Long Island — Here’s What’s Coming to Islandia 

Trader Joe’s is doing more than just filling your reusable shopping bags with Cookie Butter and Everything But the Bagel seasoning — they’re building big, real big, on Long Island. The beloved grocery chain just dropped a cool $118.5 million on a 66-acre site in Islandia, and here’s why that matters.

A Distribution Hub Like No Other

Get ready, Long Island — Trader Joe’s is going full send on a 921,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution complex right in Islandia. That’s not just big, it’s one of the largest single-user industrial properties the region has ever seen. We’re talking a massive main warehouse, separate cold and freezer storage buildings, and even a maintenance facility to keep it all humming.

Let’s break it down:

• 756,032 sq. ft. warehouse (with cold storage)

• 125,433 sq. ft. freezer building (with room to grow to 159,000 sq. ft.)

• 6,261 sq. ft. maintenance building

They’ve already broken ground, and when it’s all said and done, this site could create up to 800 jobs — talk about a win for the local economy!

Why Islandia? Why Now?

Trader Joe’s was strategic here. The land — formerly the home of CA Technologies — had been in limbo since 2021, with original plans calling for multiple speculative warehouse buildings. But once Trader Joe’s (via their LA-based developer IDS Real Estate Group) spotted the potential, the game changed. They locked in the site for a build-to-suit project, customized for their growing distribution needs.

A Quick Flashback

Fun fact: Paul Amoruso, one of the key players in this deal, has now been part of three major transactions involving this very property. He sold it way back in 1989 when it was just 63 acres of potential. Now, more than three decades later, he’s helping usher in its new life as a Trader Joe’s powerhouse. Circle of real estate life, anyone?

From Bath, PA to Islandia, NY — A Smarter Supply Chain

Currently, the closest Trader Joe’s distribution center to the NYC metro area is in Bath, Pennsylvania — about 120 miles (and a couple of tolls) away. That makes restocking Long Island stores a logistical headache. But once the Islandia hub is live? Boom — fresh avocados and frozen cauliflower gnocchi get to your local store faster, fresher, and with fewer fuel emissions.

And yes, this could pave the way for even more Trader Joe’s stores in the region. With 13 locations already in place across Long Island, Brooklyn, and Queens — and growing demand — a local supply chain base is a smart (and tasty) move.

Part of a Bigger National Expansion

Islandia’s new mega-hub isn’t the only major play in Trader Joe’s distribution strategy. They recently wrapped up a 1M+ square foot facility in Palmdale, California and a similarly sized site in Franklin, Kentucky. With nearly 600 stores across 43 states, the chain is scaling fast, and their infrastructure is keeping pace.

Local Real Estate Gets a Boost

This deal isn’t just good news for grocery shoppers — it’s also a big win for Long Island’s commercial real estate scene. The $118.5M purchase, brokered by a powerhouse team from Cushman & Wakefield, signals confidence in the region’s industrial and logistics future.

As Tom DeLuca of C&W put it, this project is a “significant advancement” for Long Island in terms of jobs, economic growth, and infrastructure upgrades. We agree.

What This Means for You 

Whether you’re a Trader Joe’s diehard or just tired of your favorite store running out of Mandarin Orange Chicken, this is news worth celebrating. More jobs. Better supply chains. And maybe — just maybe — a few more TJ’s locations opening closer to you.

Islandia is about to become a whole lot crunchier... in the best way possible.

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