Saturday, March 8, 2014

Big pile of crap on Flushing River is stalled

From the Queens Chronicle:

One of the former owner-developers of the RKO Keith’s Theatre in downtown Flushing has been sitting on a 3.75-acre waterfront site for two years with no immediate plans to build.

Shaya Boymelgreen’s Olympia Heights Management Team of Brooklyn bought the property at 39-08 Janet Place, off Roosevelt Avenue, in 2012 for $33 million and plans to turn it into retail and residential space.

The proposal is as of right, meaning the owner does not need zoning variances to proceed. The area is zoned C4-2, which allows for both residential and commercial space. And thus far, the developers have been tight-lipped about when they might build.

Nick Roberts, project manager of the Flushing, Willets Point, Corona Local Development Corp., said he calls Olympia Heights every month for updated information, but most recently spoke to someone there last fall.

Claire Shulman, who heads the LDC, said the whole area needs to be rezoned “to make the area harmonious and to open up the waterfront.” Shulman and Roberts believe financing may be holding up the project.

The waterfront property has had several owners. They include the Lev Development Group, the Vintage Organization and Abs Flushing Development.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

How about an amusement park, sort of like Adventurer's Inn?

Anonymous said...

How about something other than shopping. I'm so sick of this crap and with the age of internet shopping stores are going to be begging for high traffic customers in years to come. This shoreline and Flushing River should of been cleaned up long ago. Instead the only solution of course is to put shopping there!!! Really???? An amusement park is a good idea or outdoor market of some sort.

Anonymous said...

We're in a time of "peak retail". I can't think of a retail chain that could increase sales by opening another outlet in Queens. I suspect some are going to close.

See "Showrooming".

Anonymous said...

Perfect site for a Walmart

J said...

i miss adventure land,and the drive in theater near the whitestone bridge

but its not the 60s,70s,or 80s anymore and impulsive shopping,and social networking has replaced fun and enjoyment.

a bowling alley would be nice too

but we can't have nice things anymore in queens.

it is only inevitable that flushing meadows park is going to be bulldozed,sanitized,and modernized.

Anonymous said...

Somehow in this city the very strict federal and state wetlands laws are never applied. Just from the photo this obviously looks like a tidal marsh that ought to be cleaned up and preserved, but we all know it won't be, not here in Queens.

Anonymous said...

While we are at it, how does Bronx get away with calling that tiny thing Bronx River and all the urbworms who want to disrespect Queens always call it the Flushing Creek?

Anonymous said...

Terrible access - As if the traffic from Sky View and Downtown Flushing doesn't clog up CP Blvd. & Roosevelt Ave. enough.

Anonymous said...

Funny I read this story. Was on the way to work on the 7 train today and saw a car that had pulled inside the middle of the lot. I assume they are with the property owners trying to assess what to do considering the Parc Hotel just opened, maybe finally something is going to happen there.

Anonymous said...

"Anonymous said...
Perfect site for a Walmart"

Ewww Walmart reminds me of Long Island and Florida hicks and poor people.