Mayor Roach Tells WPCNR He Expects Walmart to be quickly replaced. No shortage of Possibilities for site. | WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER 3,374,995 VISITS IN ONE YEAR---65,000 VISITS A WEEK BY 985,281 VISITORS

WPCNR CITY HALL MONITOR. SPECIAL TO WPCNR July 25, 2018:

Mayor Thomas Roach of White Plains issued this statement to WPCNR today on the closing of Walmart from White Plains, which will be effective August 10:

“Nationwide the retail landscape is shifting rapidly and dramatically. Fortunately, we have worked hard to reposition the city by bringing more residential and corporate presence into the downtown. The building is a 50 year old former Sears store in the heart of downtown. Anyone familiar with the real estate market in White Plains will realize that there will be no shortage of proposals for the site, which will better fit the demand in the downtown.

I received the call from Walmart at 9:15 this morning advising of their decision. My immediate concern is for the workers who are losing their jobs. We have a very low unemployment rate in White Plains but this may also be an opportunity for those who wish to change their career path. I contacted our Education Training Center, which is an innovative program that trains people for jobs where there is a shortage of qualified people, for example health care, culinary, and hospitality to name a few. The ETC is willing to work with Walmart; I conveyed this information to Walmart and we look forward to working with them to make this a reality.