Old Drake Theater destroyed

After several flips, the former Drake Theater, which later became part of Abbracciamento's Restaurant, has been demolished, along with the rest of the blockfront. A residential tower is expected to take its place.

Photos by Carmen Diaz

Abbracciamento's flipped for $10.8M

From the Queens Courier:

Plans to transform the former site of Rego Park’s beloved Joe Abbracciamento Restaurant haven’t gone anywhere. The restaurant and adjoining buildings were sold to 62-98 Realty LLC, a firm based in Flushing, for $10.8 million, according to city records filed on Friday.

After the family-owned eatery closed and was sold along with the adjoining buildings on the block for $9 million to Criterion Group, according to property records, permits were filed by the new owners to demolish the buildings and build a seven-story residential building on the lots with nearly 120 apartments and 60 parking spaces. The stores attached to the restaurant were closed last year for the impending demolition, which has not occurred as yet.

1/2 of old Drake Theater to be demolished

From the Queens Chronicle:

Weeks after the last bottle of wine was uncorked and the final steak was seasoned, the only thing on the menu for the building that housed the recently closed Joe Abbracciamento Restaurant is the wrecking ball.

According to documents filed with and approved by the Department of Buildings last Wednesday, at least part of the building at 62-96 Woodhaven Blvd. containing the famous former Rego Park eatery is set to be demolished.

The destruction of at least a portion of the existing building would start to make way for a proposed seven-story, 114-unit apartment building to be developed by the Astoria-based Criterion Group, the applicant of record on the demolition filing.

The street frontage listed in the demolition application is 83 feet, accounting for about half the length of the building, which also contains a dog grooming business and an optometrist, among other stores.

The condos, they are a-comin'

From Brownstoner Queens:

This Sunday, longtime Italian restaurant Joe Abbracciamento shuttered in Middle Village. A very interesting comment popped up on this Q’Stoner post about the closure suggesting a development to come:

As a long term Middle Village resident, I have overheard many rumors as to who has purchased the entire block where Abbracciamentos’ has been for so long. Criterion group has recently submitted drawings to the building department for a 7 story residential building. Most likely condominiums. Luckily, Criterion has developed quality looking buildings in the past and they are an experienced developer.

Lo and behold, here are those Department of Buildings documents filed by the Criterion Group for a new seven-story, 120-unit development. There will be a total of 81,719 square feet of residential space, 3,910 square feet of parking and no commercial space. As far as we can tell, the development will encompass three different parcels (outlined above) with frontage on Woodhaven Boulevard, 62nd Drive and 63rd Avenue.

Abbracciamento's will close March 2nd

From Brownstoner Queens:

This news just in from Project Woodhaven’s Twitter: the restaurant Joe Abbracciamento at 62-96 Woodhaven Boulevard will close on March 2nd. The Rego Park restaurant serves Italian food and has mostly good reviews on Yelp. According to Project Woodhaven, Joe Abbracciamento is closing because the owners are retiring.