Friday, May 8, 2009

Damon plans for residential at Atlas Park

This comes from the Queens Tribune. Damon and company aren't done yet!

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

Location, location, location.

Anonymous said...

I am not sure what type of residential housing would attract interest on the part of buyers whom would have to pay up dearly for a new build. Does one want to be next to railroad tracks, a big Mall full of traffic and people and in the middle of nowhere?

I suggest the City do an eminent domain of some of the property there to build the largest highschool in the city 5000 seats!

Anonymous said...

That's one way of bringing shoppers to the far flung location of Atl-ass Park.

I guess that daddy Dale's special bus route failed.

Imagine someone wanting to live in close proximity to a cemetery!

An omen of Damon's early senility!

Desperate developers resort to desperate measures in an attempt to rescue a poorly planned flop!

Compounding the idiocy of a bust of a shopping mall with some crappy residential development is throwing good money after bad.

I'm in full agreement with poster #1:

The location, location, location STINKS from its very inception!

Anonymous said...

Imagine someone wanting to live in close proximity to a cemetary?? There currently are houses all along 80th Street and Cooper Avenue directly across from the cemetary.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
I am not sure what type of residential housing would attract interest on the part of buyers whom would have to pay up dearly for a new build. Does one want to be next to railroad tracks, a big Mall full of traffic and people and in the middle of nowhere?

Welcome to Glendale stupid.

Anonymous said...

"Cemetary" is spelled with an "e" as in cemetery use a dictionary or spell check.

I still wouldn't be caught dead living on 80th Street & Cooper Ave.

Anonymous said...

Damon's in deep shit with his white elephant loser!

And in this economy?

He's just whistling past the graveyard with ersatz optimism!

Anonymous said...

Atl-ass Park ain't doing so well as it is...so why should putting in a residential section bail it out?

Nice to have loads of money to throw down the sewer....eh Damon?

georgetheatheist said...

"Atlas Shrugs" [www.aynrand.org]

"I believe in Atlas Park, and I believe that the residents of Queens want, deserve, and can support high quality aspirational retail, restaurants and entertainment - even in the midst of the worst recession in memory", he said.

And I believe in the Tooth Fairy (the aspirational one).

Anonymous said...

pretty much just rehashing old news here - no quotes from mattone, or from the attorney appointed by the courts, and just old quotes from Damon recycled from the letter he issued months ago. i guess they are starting to see the light regarding parking and realize nobody's gonna spend $4to run in and buy a bottle of wine or paperback.

Glendale Home Owner said...

I'm glad that we get the occasional reminder that the Hemmerdingers would still love to build a big residential building (or two or three) here in Glendale on their old manufacturing properties.

Those of us who would be affected by such a plan need to remain vigilant, and not get complacent!

It's important to remember that a big condo building was part of their original plan, which also included the mall. The mall was not the main plan, the mall was just to make the area more desirable. That's why they wanted high end stores, not main stream stores; they expected to build luxury condos and to entice the folks who have spaces in their Manhattan properties to retire to the semi-'burbs. You don't think they took down the building next to the mall to have it be an empty lot where they held carnivals twice a year, did you?!

Imagine how they could market it:
• new luxury building in a low crime area
• high end shopping right next door
• monthly parking available at the mall (you have noticed that there are two huge parking lot buildings, right? WAY more than a mall that size would need)
• buses and an LIRR station nearby to zip you to Manhattan or Forest Hills, and provide more access for your maintenance workers to arrive on time (yes, I'm sure that they're still planning on getting the LIRR station in Glendale reopened, and would like to reroute the Q23! **cough cough**H. Dale Hemmerdinger **cough cough**)

And it's across from a cemetery. Aside from the people who are superstitious about such things, it's actually a pretty great thing...what are the chances that the cemetery will be developed into something else? Not likely. So there will always be a source of trees and greenery in the area, which is good for the air and congestion. And your view wouldn't end up being of the building across the way.

Seriously, nay sayers, do you think that the Crescent building on Union Turnpike has any problems with vacancies? It has the same kinds of negatives as the Atlas area (swap the cemetery for the Robinson Parkway) but it's doing just fine.

But of course, the problem is that the Atlas area is really close to single family houses, so would really change the area in a BAD way for those close by. And that SUCKS!

So thanks, Crappy and Queens Tribune, for the reminder!!

Queens Crapper said...

You're welcome. And off the record, I was told that the Trib deliberately leaves certain articles off their website for political reasons. God forbid someone should be able to easily find this information and reference it down the road.

Anonymous said...

I like living near a cemetery. Good neighbors.

Gravely Concerned said...

There is no gurantee that cemeteries will not be developed. Look at the corner of Starr St. and Metropolitan. A piece of you-know-what placed within the corner of a cemetery, and billed as "luxury housing." I can see the $$$$ in their eyes as these guys contemplate selling off little squares of their property.

Queens Crapper said...

That was never part of the cemetery. It was used for automotive purposes and never owned by Laurel Hill Cemetery.

Gravely Corrected said...

I stand corrected,Sir. Thx for that info as I am concerned every time I go past that edifice.

Anonymous said...

It's been my opinion from the outset that the Hemmerdingers really never cared one whit whether the mall failed or not, they ALWAYS had condo's in mind. Even if the mall succeeded they still won. I remember Dennis Gallagher at the grand opening/ribbon cutting said publicly, that "The Hemmerdingers cared deeply for the neighborhood's of Glendale etc etc" What a load of B.S. The Hemmerdingers never cared for anything other than a bulging wallet.They're developers and will do what developers do, ruin existing areas with an eye toward lining their own pockets.

Anonymous said...

I think they really need a new LIRR station and high-density development. There's a housing shortage. If you want single-family detached crap with too much parking, move to Phoenix. There's plenty available. And dig up the dead curmudgeons and stick 'em back in somewhere upstate. And, yes, I really believe this. So do most people who run New York. Because it's what needs to be done. It's just getting done in a half-ass sneaky manner because of NIMBY pinheads who are trying to choke off NY's future and turn the place into Boston, i.e., white, parochial and stale. But I love the site anyway.

Anonymous said...

"There's a housing shortage."

Why do you insist this is the case? There are thousands of brand new units sitting around empty with more being constructed which will sit empty.

LibertyBoyNYC said...

Half of Queens is across the street from a graveyard. Where the f are you people logging in from, and how do you consider yourselves informed?

That said, maybe if they put stores in there that people would want to shop in, and reduced the cost to park, they would be bringing in cash. No J Crew? No Gap? No chance of competing with Queens Center. Borders is doing well last time I checked, so is the Chili's on the corner - which is ALWAYS packed.

Anonymous said...

Wait till ACORN hears about this. I think its great - 1000s of units of affordable (read ghetto) housing tucked away in the middle of Glendale.

Who-hah!

Now if that is not a body blow to those pain in the ass white Archie Bunkers in that part of Queens I don't know what isn't.

They can have their own nail salons, 99 cent stores, Salvation Army Store, restaurants that speak your language, store front churches, all in its little enclave.

Cetainly a no-go zone for the coppers.

But a must on the international (read 3rd World) tourism circuit as concieved by Terry Osborne!

Glendale Home Owner said...

>>I think they really need a new LIRR station and high-density development. There's a housing shortage. If you want single-family detached crap with too much parking, move to Phoenix. There's plenty available. And dig up the dead curmudgeons and stick 'em back in somewhere upstate. And, yes, I really believe this. So do most people who run New York. Because it's what needs to be done. It's just getting done in a half-ass sneaky manner because of NIMBY pinheads who are trying to choke off NY's future and turn the place into Boston, i.e., white, parochial and stale.<<

If you really believe this, I'd be really curious as to some basics about you: do you make your living by developing real estate?

It is total bullshit what you said. If YOU want to live in a tiny box of an apt with concrete everywhere, move to Tokyo. Don't tell me where I should or shouldn't live, and don't tell me that all development is good.

Missing Foundation said...

And, yes, I really believe this. So do most people who run New York. Because it's what needs to be done.
--------

What this person said is correct - most of the people that run NY feels like this.

Now as to a voter or taxpayer, your interests are a bit different.

You task, dear citizen, is to derail these assholes.

And fighting on your block, or even your community would not cut it. You got to fight in Jamaica, Elmhurst, Astoria, hell, find common cause with Brooklyn and Manhattan.

The whole damn city is facing BS like this. We all got to find each other and work together.

(no, forget about about the preservation community - all they care about is a handful of rich white areas - were the financiers, developers, and media moguls live that give ink to jerks like our friend and call you Archie Bunker)

Anonymous said...

The streets are jammed packed now. If you live between 80th & 88th Street you are so f$*@Kd. It is soooooooo unfair to us. Bring back the farms and the trolly!!! I will take my neighbors in St. John Cemetery any day!!!

Anonymous said...

imagine the gorgeous tower complex we could put on crematory hill (mt olivette cr.)...have the "powerhouse people" design it!

Anonymous said...

In middle Queens half the people might live near a cemetery not the rest of the borough.

Where do you live...Manhattan?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

"I still wouldn't be caught dead living on 80th Street & Cooper Ave."

Well then, where do you live that is so wondeful?

Anonymous said...

Glendale is not Long Island, Queens is not Long Island, Glendale is not Long Island, Queens is not Long Island.

If you want to live in a place that doesnt change, where things like traffic and urbanization are strictly controlled, where they keep the darkies in their neighboorhood and out of yours then - you sjould move to Long Island.

The longer you stay here the unhappier you will become because Queens is changing for better or worse (depending on your point of view and where you live) so you might as well move already and if you cannot afford to well then you better learn to adapt.

Glendale residents whining like this remind me of Carsie residents in the 80's. It is what it is. Leave or adapt because you can put up some speed bumps but you cant stop the tide.

Anonymous said...

Um, all the stuff about the Hemmerdingers is old news from February. Some of the quotes are even from Damon's statement in February!

Queens Crapper said...

Actually, you're wrong on both of the statements that you repeated for some reason. Go back to school and learn some geography.

Anonymous said...

"Um, all the stuff about the Hemmerdingers is old news from February."

The Hemmerdingers never admitted before this article to having plans for residential on this parcel zoned for manufacturing.

And when you start your responses with "um" you sound like a moron.

Anonymous said...

I live around the corner and would love to see a LIRR station opened. I'm very worried about what _could_ be built, but have an open mind as well. I'm not sure why folks hate Hemmindinger so much, besides they don't share his taste. FWIW, I think the mall is fugly and we don't go real often, but it's much more better to head up the block than to Austin street for a book or some groceries.

I do think the street parking on Cooper in front of Atlas should be eliminated--it greatly contributes to the congestion, there are only two houses on Cooper between 80th and 88th, and U turns and folks waiting to park are a big part of the traffic hassles.

Anonymous said...

Parking already has been eliminated on Cooper in front of the mall. It's the cops using their placards to illegally park there that are taking up the spaces.

Anonymous said...

Not so--I'll take a pix when I walk the dog tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

Do you really think the LIRR has $3 billion to build a station and renovate 4 miles of track into LIC? I ain't gonna happen...

Anonymous said...

Queens Crapper said...
Actually, you're wrong on both of the statements that you repeated for some reason. Go back to school and learn some geography.

I meant culturally numbnuts!!
It is a shame that I had to clarify that for you. Maybe you are the one who should go back to school.

Anonymous said...

Do you really think the LIRR has $3 billion to build a station and renovate 4 miles of track into LIC? I ain't gonna happen...

Around 75 million (maximum) and due to some recently acquried capital funds they do have the money but Hemmerdinger will be gone in 30 days and I dont think it is on the top of his list or anyone's list anymore.

Queens Crapper said...

"I meant culturally numbnuts!!"

Actually, Brooklyn and Queens exported their culture to Long Island. So we are more Long Island than you think. Besides you said "If you want to live in a place that doesn't change..." and "Long Island" as you define it has changed considerably in the past few years as more of Queens and Brooklyn move east. In fact there are problems with the urbanization of certain towns, like Glen Cove, Middle Island, Mineola, and Farmingdale that elected officials and residents are trying to solve out there. Services can't be provided as fast as the people are moving in. So really, telling people to "move to Long Island" is a pretty dumb thing to say.