Friday, April 23, 2010

So that's what's going on at the former Caldor site!

From the Queens Tribune:

The store formerly known as Caldor will end its 11-year dormancy when a new development opens in September.

High-end hotel magnate Sam Chang has begun work on a new use for the community eyesore, investing $15 million to create a "major super store." It will feature retail on its first floor, a supermarket on the second and a major Chinese restaurant on the third.

"We definitely want to do it as upscale as possible, with all the money we're spending there," Chang said.

The developer promised no small vendors would be on the retail floor of the building. He was quick to assert, "It's not the Flushing Mall."

The Long Island-based developer leased the space for 15 years from Vornado Realty Trust, with an option to renew for another 15.

A series of building permits have been granted since mid-December that allow renovation of the property.

Chang said he has no plans to expand or deviate from the original use of the site, which is zoned C4-3 which limits use to retail commercial development.

The developer also hopes to include about 350 spots-worth of valet parking at the site.


Just to refresh your memories, the NY Times had this to say about Chang a few months ago:

Investors, real estate brokers and hotel chains love Mr. Chang. Community groups, some elected officials and the hotel and construction unions, not so much. Critics contend he has built his empire barely within city codes and are vowing to stop his freewheeling, nonunion operations in manufacturing districts like the garment center of Manhattan.

Well that's Manhattan. This is Flushing. Bring him on!

40 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's great news.... more Chinese crap!

Anonymous said...

"We definitely want to do it as upscale as possible, with all the money we're spending there,"

Isn't that similar to what Damon Hemmerdinger planned for Atlas?

Kiss of death

Anonymous said...

superstructures of companies... any shopping mall has the same effect on me, capitalism at its best

Anonymous said...

I'm sure it will end up just a rat-maze of small stalls selling roots and seaweed and electronics from SORNY and MAGNETBOX.

Anonymous said...

Another supermarket? and on the 2nd floor? There are enough supermarkets.. on main street and also most people will convenient walk by supermarkets to buy fruits. Who the head will go to 2nd floor purposely to buy unless the price is cheap. When do you see a supermarket on the 2nd floor in Flushing.. Good luck with whoever is going to open a supermarket there.

Why not build a bookstore like Barnes and nobles or borders.

Anonymous said...

Why not just build a bus terminal there instead?

Anonymous said...

Flushing and "upscale" is a perfect combination.

Anonymous said...

You don't need to find a chink in Flushing's armor to waltz right in and build more crap.

Floo-shing has a long history of sleazy development beginning with that notorious criminal Tommy Huang.

Welcome Mr. Chang.

And what CB#7 do to stop him?

As little as possible, no doubt!
They even let Tommy Huang sit on their board.

Yawn...glad I don't live or shop there anymore.

Anonymous said...

More space where "round eyes" will feel unwelcome. It's a real eye opener.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure it will end up just a rat-maze of small stalls selling roots and seaweed and electronics from SORNY and MAGNETBOX.

---

hey, as long as they supply funds to the Democratic Machine, vote the right way, who cares. right "Honest" Joe Crowley and Gary "WhoreAds" Ackerman?

Anonymous said...

Why not just build a bus terminal there instead?

??? not possible by the way the structure is. Plus the city has no money.

Anonymous said...

I'm excited about it. I used to get pissed about all this stuff in Flushing but now I've come to realize you CAN'T FIGHT IT. You just can't. Unless you have x millions of $. Embrace it people.

Kwee Zeen said...

Embrace it people.


Damn straight! Can't wait for the live octopus shop to open.

Anonymous said...

On a side note:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/04/23/obama.immigration/index.html?hpt=T1

Just imagine if they sign that into a bill in NY. I predict a real estate market collapse in Queens and Brooklyn's 8th avenue..and huge local business losts.

Anonymous said...

Oh an also brooklyn's 5th avenue full of hispanics

Anonymous said...

Thought the bus depot would have been a better idea. After all, how will all the people from the Willets Point development get to work and school? I thought a major transportation hub would be a given. I guess that would be called city planning. The city wants none of that. My Bad!

Anonymous said...

Forget the supermarket...they want upscale valet parking? That's just going to drive people away and make Flushing more expensive.

Anonymous said...

Oh....but don't you see...the new Flushing Commons blow job is supposed to convert Flushing into a more upscale Asiatic colony (LOL)!

Sorry Wellington Z. Chen (the "little duke"behind it all).

Frushing is destined to remain "A crappy little Chinatown", as you were once quoted saying in the press.

Anonymous said...

One more reason not to bring my trade to that stinking, overcrowded cesspool.

After I did my taxes...I figured out that I'd spent about $5,000 outside of Flushing (where I used to shop).

No more though...you've lost me (and many other shoppers) well over a decade ago.

Flush-town is only a "destination of choice" for the desperate seeking cheaply made goods.

When Macy's eventually closes you can bury that town.

Anonymous said...

(LOL) and Myra Baird Heasre will drive it to the cemetery.

Anonymous said...

You mean the president of the Flushing Chamber Pot (LOL too)?

If that old broad smiles one time too many, her face lift will give way.

Anonymous said...

More space where "round eyes" will feel unwelcome.

If you have "round eyes" and live in Flushing then you are the outsider now. It doesn't matter how many years you've lived there. Learn to speak Chinese and Korean or leave!

Anonymous said...

LOL. you guys are funny..and racist. I don't see you guys say anything about little Italy... or Harlem. Sigh. We are all getting more uneducated. This is America - a melting pot. Haven't you learned from US History. If you don't like it, go back to YOUR own country where you ancestors came from during their generation when they immigrated to here.

Anonymous said...

btw.. and I'm not even Chinese.

Anonymous said...

LOL. you guys are funny..and racist.

Who gives a shit what you think? It matters not if you are Asian or not. The discrimination by Asians against other races is evidenced by the store signs and attitudes when you try to shop in their stores. Amused? Get bent!

Anonymous said...

I'm waiting for the Home Depot marble floor tiles to be plastered all over the outside walls for that "upscale" effect"...

Anonymous said...

Close the borders NOW! To hell with the global economy!

Anonymous said...

Its funny you call it a "melting pot."

That hasn't existed in decades.

Melting Pot implies people come together and form a community, drawing on all cultures.

The new America is a Salad Bowl. Mixed together, but not blended.

And that you cant blame on natives. Its the newcomers who want no part of mixing in.

Anonymous said...

I'm waiting for the Home Depot marble floor tiles to be plastered all over the outside walls for that "upscale" effect"...

Let's get them some of that toxic Chinese wallboard as well.

Anonymous said...

LOL. you guys are funny..and racist.

Fuckin' troll!

Anonymous said...

Notice how the elected officials for the Flushing area ignore the need for better communications and tolerance among the constituents. This can't be good for the future of the town. I suspect that ignoring problems is part of an agenda involving real estate deals and commercial ventures.

Rosie Palms said...

btw.. and I'm not even Chinese.

But probably hung like one!!!

PizzaBagel said...

Flushing and "upscale" is a perfect combination.

More like an oxymoron.

I had more chance wandering around inside the dormant Caldor site than I will visiting this new "destination."

Give me the days of Woolworth's and Hurdy Gurdy, the pizza parlor next door to it on Roosevelt Avenue. Anyone remember that?

Anonymous said...

"Up scale hotel developer" Sam Chang? That's like calling the Huang family tasteful entrepreneurs. Sure Sam is annoying with his diamond Rolex, but he's still a few notches above the bottom-feeding Huangs.

Anonymous said...

Screw all of you. I want my live octopus.

Live Octopus said...

Eat Me!!!!!!

Unknown said...

is the Caldor still on the building

Queens Crapper said...

No it left more than a decade ago.

Anonymous said...

Sign on outside of scaffolding, may be on future use since it said (in English) "Restaurant, Supermarket, Residential"

http://eddiedesign.spaces.live.com/

~hint

Anonymous said...

Turn it into a target, or Kohls dont need more chinese next to Macys.