Friday, July 29, 2011

Firm looks to fix Atlas Park

From the Daily News:

A high-profile firm that recently bought the Atlas Park mall wants to turn around the struggling Glendale complex "as quickly as possible" with new stores, a top executive told the Daily News.

Macerich company bigwig Timothy Steffan said the firm, which also runs the Queens Center Mall, is in talks to lure new shops to the embattled center.

Macerich wants to secure "a collection of merchants that fit the merchandising needs of the community, that create a sense of place," he added.

Steffan would not reveal which stores Macerich is targeting. The mall's patrons have long pressed for a Gap or Banana Republic.

In what may be an early step towards reconfiguring Atlas Park, Macerich met with City Planning officials last week. Steffan said the powwow was mostly about "getting to know each other."

Crowley said Macerich wants to apply for a special permit that would allow it to lease above-ground space of 10,000 square feet or more to a single retailer.

A City Planning spokeswoman said Macerich has not yet filed any application relating to Atlas Park.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Atlas Mall has great potential however they need creative people with some vision. God helps us if they are going to Ms. Crowley for community input. Who on earth is Kathy Masi of the Glendale Civic Association?
I live in Glendale, have been active in the neighborhood and never heard of or seen this group. I tried to Google them and can't find any meeting reports. But in Atlas Mall articles this Masi woman and her phantom group keeps coming up. Any help out there? Can anyone tell me when and where they meet?

Anonymous said...

They meet once a year in the community room at.... Atlas Park.

Unknown said...

The Glendale Civic doesn't meet on a regular schedule. (which is very annoying). They sometimes meet at the same time as the 104 Civilian Observation patrol. Contact community board 5 they should have a schedule. You're better off joining the Glendale Property Owners. They meet at St. Pancras the 1st thursday of the month. And also the Community Board 5 meetings which are the 2nd Wed of the month at Christ the King.
As far as putting a bigger retailer into Atlas - is this a joke?!? How the hell do they think cars will get there. The only roads feeding into the mall are already over taxed.
I've lived here all my life and so did my Dad. His parents moved here when they were newlyweds. Its sad to see whats happening. I've started to write up a proposal on what needs to be changed in this section of Glendale. Feel free to take a look at it and make changes. I'd love some feed back on what my neighbors think and how I can get some of these things done. Its a long link so just copy and paste it. https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1lwfORDI28m0yRuh7Mr1R6gV1IQ8FMUbnsTc-0BkfaSo

Anonymous said...

This area has great potential I agree we just need the right leadership. There is a functioning railroad directly behind and attached to atlas park. They should figure out a way to make that a commuter rail again like back in the late 80's and 90's. The Glendale civic association is a joke they rarely meet we need a real civic association for the neighborhoods surrounding forest park

Anonymous said...

I guess they are giving pretty much everyone a chance to make this train wreck turn a profit.

Anonymous said...

They meet once a year in the community room at.... Atlas Park.

Wow another wonderfully active Queens group. Sounds like BS to me. I'll stay home and watch TV.

Anonymous said...

The Glendale civic association is a joke they rarely meet we need a real civic association for the neighborhoods surrounding forest park.

THEY HAVE NO MEMBERSHIP AND THEY NEVER MEET, I GUESS THAT MAKES KATHY MASI QUALIFIED TO COMMENT ON BEHALF OF GLENDALE.

Anonymous said...

I don't care what stores they manage to get into Atlas Park, unless they work out some sort of system where, say, the first three hours of parking are free, it will never work. (I don't even think patrons should have to have their parking validated—the first three hours should just be free)

The area around Atlas Park is not now nor will it ever be (let’s hope) a highly congested, busy area like around the Queens Center Mall. Atlas Park is a little out of the way (which I actually kind of like).

The model everyone should be looking at is NOT Queens Center Mall or anything around there but something more like the Metro Mall on Metropolitan Avenue in Middle Village.

The similarities would be that there is free parking and mix of smaller and larger stores.

The differences would be that

First, Atlas Park cannot be visually hideous to the point of causing one to projectile vomit (like Metro Mall) and

Second, Atlas Park would have to have stores that are actually nice—not necessarily super high-end but nice (i.e., NOT garbage like Kmart).

This is the only way it can possibly work in that location.

Anonymous said...

Get real you "fixers"!

This is a working class nabe.

Give the shoppers what they really want...."Walmart"....not overpriced chain stores and twee boutiques!

Anonymous said...

Oh God No ..... Not a Walmart!!!!!

Apple Store, GAP, Abercrombie, Home Goods.......I would shop there.

Anonymous said...

You dont need a Walmart there. All that would do is attract the sub-human trash from Ridgewood/Bushwick, and Woodhaven/Richmond Hill.

Anonymous said...

My long distence trips are always to Walmart, Home Goods, Pier One...Dicks, Olive Garden. We don't need the same stores we have at Queens Center...and never thought about opening the train station over there, that would bring more business which would mean more jobs for the community. And if you think about it less traffic. If that train went to Penn station, that would be wonderful too!! No more drop offs in Forest Hills...the railroad would get alot of business. Woo Hooo so many good ideas everyone has...lets hope someone that can make this happen is listening!

Queens Crapper said...

The line ends in LIC, not Manhattan.