Sunday, December 11, 2011

Shuttered Fresh Pond store bringing down the nabe


From the Times Newsweekly:

Rachel’s Garden, which was located at the corner of Fresh Pond Road and Woodbine Street in Ridgewood, closed its doors only 18 months after opening. Before the fruitstand, a medical office was briefly located there. For many years, the location was a large and successful funeral parlor—Wasmund’s, then Wasmund’s and Sorice.

Problems were touched off between the establishment and block residents when the store took the garage, located at the rear on Woodbine Street, and turned it into an additional storage room for the fruits and vegetables, when the rooms below the store became filled with too much produce.

Others in the area noted that Rachel’s Garden management also used the converted garage to store garbage, which included rotting fruits and vegetables, kept right alongside the fresh produce which they sold.

This was evidenced by the stench emanating from it which one nearby property owner described as “unbearable.”

Since being shuttered, the store has taken on a dilapidated appearance, according to area residents. The entryways to the shop have been boarded up with plywood. Some of the wooden shelves once lined with produce have been dismantled, with the pieces left lying on the sidewalk adjacent to the storefront.

Neighbors also claimed that they have seen an assortment of pests—including roaches, mice and rats— scurrying into and out of the garage and shuttered store. Complaints have been filed with various city agencies via the 311 hotline demanding action to compel the landlord and/or the defunct shop’s owner to clean up the mess.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes, those beefy, husky, big boned, plus-sized, chunk monster kids of today are all about fruits & vegetables.

Joe said...

Its a dam shame ---now this is happening in "upper" Ridgewood" ?
Bad news rats and mice can give birth to litters of 7 or more at 6 weeks old.

Big part of the problem is Ridgewood like Maspeth has ZERO enforcement and representation from both the city and 104 pct.
It as if these new dirt-bag immigrant landlords get a free pass to do anything. All they have to do is cry "hardship" to get 3 years of repeated 3rd chances and warnings

Mice and rats have been all over lower Ridgewood.
The "new people" illegally living 6 to a room on the top floors of the 8 family Mathews flats (near PS 77) throw garbage and chicken bones right out the window down into the yards.
This has been going on for years and its getting worse as more move in.

None of these people work. During summer all they do is sit on the stoops drink big cans of malt liquor and yap on cellphones.
These slobs also use the street to re-sell and repair junk 1980s cars they buy for $200 at the Delaware auto auctions.

I been trying to unload a 7 room restored Stier house with a huge yard for 2 years, I cant get anything for it

Anonymous said...

Honorable mention:

El Mundo Deescount on Steinway Street.

Anonymous said...

I had a similar problem in Maspeth ...when the restuarant behind my house was open I had mice...now that it is closed...the mice hav gone.....Yaaahooo.

Anonymous said...

Playing a bit of devil's advocate... while I'm sure the problems at that store (which, interestingly, was an "upscale/gourmet" market and actually quite nice to shop at) were real... the Times' front page coverage of it may have something to do with it being directly next to the paper's offices. Note none of the neighbors are identified, and Valentino's Market down the street is a long-time major advertiser... just sayin.

Anonymous said...

I live near St. Matthias Church. The area is not bad but I noticed some street works which never end and the "remaings" are never taken way. Further, if one takes a look at Forest Avenue subway station will remain perplex of the constant misery which surrounds that spot..
Maybe I should send some picture...
Thanks for the article and for the blog.