Another unofficial Queens landmark has bit the dust, to be replaced with a development that local residents say they neither want nor need. The Frozen Cup, an ice cream parlor at 249-05 Jericho Turnpike in Bellerose, has been sold to a developer, who will use the corner property to build a hotel. Long-time residents say it was in business at least 50 years and remained popular throughout its existence.
The Frozen Cup closes; to be replaced by hotel
Michael [Augugliaro], a board member of the Joint Bellerose Business District Development Corp., said the ice cream parlor’s owner chose to close the facility in the winter. “There were always lines in the summer,” he said. “A new owner took over a couple of years ago and he wasn’t too friendly and didn’t want to get involved with the community.”
The Augugliaros and others believe the neighborhood is already oversaturated with hotels and would like to see a more community-friendly business go in. The Quality Inn has 41 rooms. The one to replace The Frozen Cup — which will be a Days Inn —would have 44 to 45 rooms and is on a smaller piece of property.
There is a third hotel, just over the Nassau County border, a mile away from the other ones.
Because the area is zoned C8-1, Patel can build as of right. Residents fear there will not be enough parking and the height of the building will change the character of the neighborhood.
26 comments:
Don't you just love that phrase "as of right"?
I pass the Frozen Cup and that new Quality Inn a few times a week. Losing the Cup is a tragedy, but filling that area with hotels is unreal. To what purpose? Because the few times a year there's an event wih a big draw at Belmont people will be looking for rooms? Ridiculous greed at its finest.
Yes, ridiculous greed at it's finest -- on EVERYONE'S part -- not just the developer.
Someone made a profit on the sale.
No one else BUT a developer could afford to buy the spot to put build and cultivate a "mom & pop" community type business.
It's a damn shame
I used to live near the Fozen Cup and was a loyal patron (until I moved). Good memories. On the day my first child was born, I stopped at Frozen Cup early in the day. The owner gave me a free banana split and poured us each a shot of scotch to celebrate. Will you get that at the new hotel? Yeah, sure. The signs used to say, "Dig we must for a greater New York." You can stuff that.
The Frozen Cup couldn't have been that popular if they are so easily selling the land. Sometimes it just doesn't pay to have a small business. I know I re-think my decisions every week I do my paperwork.
Read this again: “There were always lines in the summer,” he said. “A new owner took over a couple of years ago and he wasn’t too friendly and didn’t want to get involved with the community.”
Exactly crappy. He could have expanded his menu to include other things other than ice cream and such and made it a year round business and made it work if he was more into it.
The Frozen Cup was in an episode of Sex and the CIty. While they pretended it was somewhere in the Hamptons. It should be saved for that alone.
It saddens me to see Frozen Cup gone. I used to go there all the time and anytime I'm in town, we frequent the place. So much for the next generation of Frozen Cup lovers! Good bye, Frozen Cup! We'll never forget you!
It is true that the present owner was not that friendly. I know because I use to frequent the place before he purchased it. Since he purchased it I go other places for ice cream.
I know a business is usually purchased to make a profit and thats ok.. but how much of a profit is enough before greed sets in. As a local resident you would think he would be more friendly knowing fellow neighbors frequent the establishment!
I guess what they say about the almight dollar is true! The fact is it was purchased for approximately approximately 630,000.00. Present selling price over 2.3 mill. Profits are acceptable for all but this I believe is mere greed and is at the expense of his neighbors and their quality of life... not a very neighborly act.
Sincerely,
Sorry Neighbor
And of course the Developer/Owner is Indian (Patel). I'm not racist, however, it seems that all of the Indians that move in to Bellerose want to build build build..HUGE houses, now Hotels!!! Ridiculous!!
hi , in 1999-2000 when the krause family decided to sell the landmark "frozen cup" for 670,000.00. the new owner said he'll never sell.. he sold the land for 2,150.00. yes, he was not friendly nor was he a good neighbor to the community. he sold the neighborhood out for the almighty evil dollar. what does he care --- he'll move to north carolina and retire. he is a phony who prays @ olv church and st. hedwigs. the forces of evil took over.. thanks steve your a real nice guy.. oh so we thought.
hope you enjoy your money ... will you stay @ the days inn when you return?
also, you can thank the bozos over on the other side bellerose village stuck ups for allowing a "car wash" to serve ice cream. just what the neighborhood needed another ice cream place... why not? we just got another short stay motel for the thugs to do business. thanks mayor wrong and "trust me" dic sue za...
I would just like to say the Sex and The City episode was supposed to be based in "Suffern" New York, not the Hamptons. I bet even Sarah Jessica Parker will be sad to see The Frozen Cup go...
My children will definitely miss Frozen Cup. The fact that it was sold doesn't bother me as much as what they plan to do on that spot.
They've already built a hotel on Jericho less than 3 blocks away. Why on earth do we need another one in our residential neighborhood. People are only after the might dollar they don't care about anything else. The beauty of Bellerose is no more which is a shame. Why wasn't the community told about this so we could protest. To the former owner of frozen cup, thanks pal, remember what goes around comes around.
It's so sad. The place has been a center of the community for years & years -- I remember it from back in the mid-70's but it was probably around long before that! Day and night people happily wait on long lines to get their Frozen cup fix... I always thought it could easily become a year round business... So sad. It has such quirky charm too. Looks like something out of "Happy Days" but was actually featured in Sex & The City! You can't replace that. And not sure how well a third hotel within a mile will do in an area that has only one attraction per year (Belmont stakes)! Seems shortsighted all around!!! I guess the only winner here was the seller. Not sure Days Inn is going to win on this one and Bellerose residents certainly lose out.... Not to mention Sex & The City trivia buffs!
It's so sad. Frozen cup was a local institution.For years people have happily stood on long lines to get their frozen cup fix -- a chocolate dip cone or a chocolate shake float. The best. The place looks like something out of "Happy Days" but was actually featured in Sex & The City. You can't beat that! I remember it from the mid-70s but it's been around much longer than that. I always thought it could have easily been converted to a year round business and done very well. It was such a center of the community. Even sadder is that it's unlikely that a third hotel in under a mile will do well in an area that has only one major event per year -- Belmont Stakes. Days Inn may have made a mistake on this one. So Days Inn may lose, the residents of Bellerose certainly lose, and Sex & The City Trivia buffs lost out as well. Another bit of NY & Queens history bites the dust... The only winner here may be the owner who got a major windfall on the sale.
I believe that the frozen cup should be knocked down. What is it doing for this horrible economy that we are in right now. Selling ice cream is not going to help all that much. Instead of a 3 story hotel it should be an 8. A hotel is good for the economy. They want to make casinos at Belmont. This will birng tons of money in. I'm sorry for all you people that like fatning ice cream but you will just have to take it to Carvel!
clearly your an idiot if you think that.
To Anonymous who said "I believe that the frozen cup should be knocked down....." I say that you are probably the developer himself. How else can you possibly spew the nonsense in your post!! Frozen Cup had lines around the block during the summer. It was the place where parents and kids alike would hang around and chat during the summer. Why in the world do we need another Hotel? To house more Transients? More Welfare Families? Frozen Cup should be made a Landmark!! End of Story!
In defense of the previous owner. The neighborhood didn't support his business as much as the previous descriptions would make you think. As a small business owner in the same area I can attest to the fact that Bellerose people, for the most part, will search out the least expensive option and Frozen Cup wasn't it. The new owner had to dewal with competiton from the new Italian Ice stands which have opened nearby. Also, the nearby Catholic Church (St. Gregs) condemened them for the Sex and The City episode,yet continued to come around with their hands out for donations. I say congratulations to him for getting out at the right time. That store was his dream, Bellerose turned it into a nightmare, but for him it had a Happy Ending! Hooray
Ahhhhhhhh, Frozen Cup! I have a lot of great memories of that place. To those of you that think Frozen Cup was there a long time, you are correct. I'm 52 years old and my Mom and Dad used to take me to Frozen Cup when I was just a few years old. So it had to stand there for 50 or 60 years. I now live in Phoenix but when I visit New York, I always try to stop at Frozen Cup for a cone. I'm really going to miss that place. I even made a point of taking my kids there so they could have the Frozen Cup experience. Oh well, change is constant and nothing lasts forever.
To drive home his point, he made a public offer. If someone wanted to run the Frozen Cup for the next 10 years, he promised to sell the place at a $100,000 loss.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/nyregion/thecity/22froz.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2
Sounds to me he's given the community that loves this beloved business the opportunity to keep it.
Eh...
To be clear - the article states that hotel developer, Mr. Patel, who bought the land for 2.3 million, was offering to sell if for 2.2 million if anyone wanted to run Frozen Cup for two years.
They could have at least offered to relocate the building to Alley Pond Park.
What didn't the Sex N City crew step in and buy the place? Dummies all.
I worked at the Frozen Cup for 5 years, most of them as a manager. Lots of people that have left posts have also left derogatory comments about the owner, Steve, including the author of this blog. Shame on you for publishing one quote from a man who was angry that Steve was selling HIS property to the highest bidder. It's his right to do as he pleases with his land.
Steve was nothing if not a nice guy. I enjoyed my time there as an employee, and though I was sad to see the business sold, and the property turned into an unnecessary hotel, I, and no one else for that matter, should have any qualms with Steve. The owner also happens to live across the street from me, and he is a great neighbor. @ Queens Crap: Your "story" is exactly what your title is. Crap.
That's funny since it isn't my story. From the Queens Chronicle.
if that's the case then my apologies
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