‘Family’ biz seeks $4M in tax breaks
THEY’RE MAKING the city an offer it can’t refuse.
A Brooklyn supermarket that a Gambino family mobster owned and his son now runs wants $4 million in tax breaks to build condos and a new grocery store.
Tapps Supermarkets, which operates a Key Food on Grand St. in Williamsburg, has applied to the city’s Industrial Development Agency for building- and sales-tax exemptions. In its application, Tapps describes itself as a “familyowned supermarket” hoping to build a six-story, mixeduse tower at the Grand St. site.
Records show Tapps has been owned by Pasquale (Patsy) Conte, who prosecutors said was a captain in mob king John Gotti’s crime family. Conte was sentenced in 1994 to 7½ years in prison for conspiring to murder a construction contractor who had disrespected Gotti.
In 2001, he got another 3½ years in the clink for a racketeering charge. He was released in 2003.
It’s unclear if the 92-year-old gangster grocer (photo) still owns a piece of Tapps, which operates seven supermarkets in the city.
But federal court records show Conte had a 23.9% stake in Tapps in 1995. His son — who has never been accused of being involved with the mob — and other relatives also owned shares in the company at the time.
A 2008 property record also shows Conte and his family had real estate holdings tied to the Grand St. property. A person who answered the phone at Tapps’ office Tuesday declined to comment.
Conte’s son, Pasquale Conte Jr., submitted an application for the tax breaks under the Food Retail Expansion to Support Health program, which aims to get supermarkets to expand stores in underserved communities.
Tapps’ application says that the subsidies would ultimately benefit the city by generating an estimated $6.28 million in direct and indirect taxes.
The Economic Development Corp., which runs the Industrial Development Agency, said anyone can apply for the tax benefits but must be vetted.
EDC said Tapps has met the initial requirements for a public hearing on the benefits — which will be held Thursday. However, the agency said it is still completing its due diligence on the firm.