The specified companies will create and establish the inaugural cannabis retail outlets within the state
The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) has chosen 10 firms to design and construct the state's first retail stores for legal adult-use cannabis. The selected contractors will handle permitting, licensing, and other approvals, in addition to designing and building the dispensaries. These firms will develop approximately 150 turn-key sites across New York State for entrepreneurs who have received a Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) license.
The firms include AOW Construction, ES Development & Management Corporation, Forte Construction Corp, Grow America Builders, LeChase Construction Services, Murnane Building Contractors Inc., SEI Design Group Architects, SWAP Team, Temeka Group, and The Pike Company.
The contractors must install security systems that meet the state's standards for cannabis retail outlets and furnish and equip the spaces to provide turnkey storefronts. The 3,000- to 5,000-square-foot dispensaries are part of the project.
While the exact locations of the first retail stores have not been disclosed, it is known that the majority of the retail locations will be concentrated in the NYC metro area, with approximately 20 to 25 in Western NY, up to 20 in the Hudson Valley/Capital District region, as many as 10 in the North Country and up to 10 in the Southern Tier region.
However, the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) has faced legal and policy challenges related to dispensary locations. At least 152 retail dispensaries are impacted by a policy reinterpretation requiring relocation or closure due to being too close to schools, but these apply primarily to licensed retailers overall rather than just the first legal adult-use stores.
A federal judge has blocked the state from issuing CAURD licenses in the Finger Lakes, Central New York, Western New York, Mid-Hudson, and Brooklyn regions, which may affect the distribution of the first retail stores.
The Social Equity Cannabis Investment Fund, overseen by Chris Webber, Lavetta Willis, Suzanne Shank, and William Thompson, will fund the dispensary build outs. An NY Cannabis Insider investigation revealed ties of some of these business partners to cannabis company Cookies.
As of mid-2025, there are 436 licensed adult-use dispensaries in New York State, including 177 in New York City. The Cannabis Control Board is expected to issue its first round of CAURD licenses on Monday. However, the ongoing correction process to ensure all licensed dispensaries comply with distance restrictions and the ongoing legal challenges mean that the official, named first retail store locations have yet to be revealed.
If you need a list of confirmed first retail dispensary locations, it may require direct inquiry from DASNY or the Office of Cannabis Management, as public sources focus on statewide licensing, legal disputes, and regulatory compliance rather than on naming precise store addresses for initial retail openings.
