Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Come to Jamaica to leave it


From the NY Post:

The only tenant so far in a long-planned retail center that’s supposed to attract shoppers to downtown Jamaica will be a bus station that instead takes them away — to the Resorts World racino at Aqueduct Raceway.

A sign in one of the three storefronts, which have remained empty since they were finished last June, advertises: “Coming soon: Bus Depot Here!”

The Greater Jamaica Development Corp., the politically connected nonprofit that used $9.2 million in taxpayer money to clean up the area and develop the retail arcade, says it has signed a lease with Resorts World for the largest of the storefronts on Sutphin Boulevard.

It will basically be a waiting room for free shuttle buses that run to the racino every 20 minutes. The 2,300-square-foot space is now an empty shell.

The storefronts were the centerpiece of the revitalization of the Sutphin Boulevard underpass under the Jamaica Long Island Rail Road station. Rep. Gregory Meeks secured Federal Transit Administration funds for the site.

The money and other grants that the Queens Democrat sent to Greater Jamaica are under investigation by the US Attorney’s Office, which last year issued a subpoena to the nonprofit seeking information on the funds.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was wondering why all of that new space remains empty. Who old want to open up a business in that trashy part of Jamaica?

Anonymous said...

Centerpiece? More like a joke - who wants to open anything in this crime ridden place? A pawn shop or porn shop!Even those will be scrawny chicken scratch businesses at best.......

Anonymous said...

No sane private developer would have done this. This is typical of the waste and corruption when non-profits and government think they can stimulate business in an area and in a way that no rational person in business would.

Anonymous said...

We thought the area was getting an upgrade when the E train was routed to Jamaica Avenue and the Social Security office was built across the street. thank you Mayor Dinkins.....and how that there's a beautiful new Family Court building all is hunky dory in Jamaica! Nor. Don't love the crappy illegal vans driven by hostile, drunk black men from other countries. Don't love the crack head lifestyle. Hmmm, lousy stores and a mix of very expensive shoe and clothing stores. You ever notice how in every crappy ghetto there's one store that sells over the top expensive clothes & shoes. Jamaica is place to keep out of.
Across the street from Family Court is a park that is being commandeered by illegal immigrants for soccer and income producing activities.

Anonymous said...

Jamaica is a dump and our electeds especially Helen Marshall should be taken to task.
Shameful!

Anonymous said...

Notice how the rest of NYC is moving forward while Queens continues to go backward?

Jamaica, Flushing and Roosevelt Ave are three festering ghettos that have remained impervious to change.

Anonymous said...

The cops do it themselves...
in front of the Flushing armory on Northern B'lvd.

They park along the verge strip...often partially blocking the sidewalk.

georgetheatheist said...

What's the biggest building in Downtown Jamaica?

Answer: the Social Security building - a symbol of "going broke". What an inspiring edifice to cast one's gaze on - in the heart of Jamaica - at the corner of Jamaica Avenue and Parsons Boulevard. A symbol of "prosperity" created by collectivist effort.