Agreed. It's Forest Hills. All of these abbreviations are trying to make a neighborhood "hip" and marketable. Forest Hills doesn't need an abbreviated name. It has it's identity and doesn't need some dumb abbreviated name to make it seem cool.
Remember what your doctor said: "Stop at one cup a day." You're reading way too much into this. It's simply easier to type FoHi instead of Forest Hills over and over again. Start your own blogs and you'll see what I mean. Where have you seen FoHi used as some marketing term for the neighborhood? I haven't.
FoHi is acceptable -- times done changed; stop protecting your turf -- NY doesn't care about you or your family or your history in the hood. Only $$$ -- and soon Queens will be unaffordable as well. Archie Bunker died a long time ago around here!!
I don't know how much of a loss this really is. The only time I ever remember seeing the place full was during the World Cup last summer and maybe before one of the concerts. And when they were half empty, their service was slow and awful. Even takeout took forever. Hopefully something better comes in and soon... Santa Fe has been empty for too long.
The landlord(s) on this block want to maximize their income and will most likely start pushing the restaurants out, perhaps temporarily, so that they can develop their properties for retail and commercial endeavors.
All of you raise interesting points, except for the "FoHi"-obsessed, which is just asinine.
I'm intrigued by the question of when does condo development begin to become its own worst enemy? If you gut a major attraction in Forest Hills like its 'Restaurant Row,' then don't you hurt property values in the neighborhood and as a result reduce how much you can rent or sell an apartment for as a landlord? So aren't you then shooting yourself in the foot? Every neighborhood needs to have its share of "quality of life" elements to make it an attractive place to live.
Now, with Barnes & Noble, as much as I like having it here, that's different. It's an enormous brick and mortar business in a time when mammoth brick and mortar bookstores are struggling to survive in this age of digital books or Amazon home delivery. But see my latest post about what B&N has been lacking here, and is now starting to do. This story is not over yet!
Can't they gut some of the utterly unnecessary women's clothing stores to build another glass tower?? And I agree, if you keep doing away with the things that make a neighborhood special, then the buildings you build won't have as much value. Although I'm sure there are some commercial real estate/development issues involved (tax breaks etc, which I know very little about) that makes developers not care about this.
The influx of a condo tower on restaurant row will strangle FH like vines growing up a tree. Whether we like or frequent the shops and/or restaurants and bars on and off Austin St, at least they are there and add opportunity to enjoy....they add some local color, diversity and dare i say some panache. Breaking up restaurant row with a condo ( not to mention 1-2 years construction mess ) is IMHO a negative. Differently I suppose is the Aston Condo on the north side of QB where this condo tower resulted in a consolidation of retail space into a CVS which at least is an improvement both visually and physically to what was there before CVS. Times are a changing........ !
OMG damn it. i loved uno's! i know it's a chain and not original but i really love the chicago style pizza. oh well, theres still the one on bell blvd. sad though, i've had lots of great times here! :-(
I know Unos wasn't really anything special, but the pizza was good and I had a lot of really fun times there over the years, especially back when I was in high school and it was one of the few places my friends and I could afford to go to. :) Nice, friendly atmosphere, unassuming...I'm going to miss having it as an option.
Sadly, I don't drive, so I don't see myself making it to the one on Bell Blvd very often. And I'm almost horrified to think what might end up occupying that space now. I hope it's another restaurant. A *GOOD* one. (I hate that I have to specify that.)
Forest Hills' restaurant row is nice in theory but there's one problem: This community clearly can't support all the restaurants on it! A new condo there would be fine since it's off Austin Street and close to the express trains. Push the restaurants back to Austin Street to revitalize it. Bareburger and others are doing fine there, let others also come. Just my 2 cents.
Can we still call it Restaurant Row if there's nothing there but hollowed out empty storefronts?
We have enough condos. What we don't have is a decent French bistro, and as of last year we're down at least one upscale Italian eatery. I'm getting sick of all the disappointing new real estate ventures happening around here. From the party store in the old Laytner's space, to the three dozen new medical clinics...just...UGH. When will enough be enough?
Many of the smaller charming stores along Austin Street have already gone out of business. Greedy landlords have jacked up rentals on commercial spaces that only “chain stores” can afford. This along with the uncontrolled building of oversized massive Condo/Coop and rental buildings is slowly destroying the once beautiful and peaceful serenity of our once semi-bucolic neighborhood. Are we all really to believe that there has been any “urban planning” as regards to this rapid and apparently “out of control” urban development? How is it possible that these buildings are only required to provide a third of the parking spaces needed for the tenants that move into these buildings? And just what are the plans to expand and improve mass transit in this area to accommodate our increased population? And despite all the hype about our improved economy there are now at least 10 stores for rent along Austin Street which are a few more than the height of the recession in 2008 – 2009. Slowly but surely our neighborhood is turning into yet another Long Island shopping center, how sad.
Many of the smaller charming stores along Austin Street have already gone out of business. Greedy landlords have jacked up rentals on commercial spaces that only “chain stores” can afford. This along with the uncontrolled building of oversized massive Condo/Coop and rental buildings is slowly destroying the once beautiful and peaceful serenity of our once semi-bucolic neighborhood. Are we all really to believe that there has been any “urban planning” as regards to this rapid and apparently “out of control” urban development? How is it possible that these buildings are only required to provide a third of the parking spaces needed for the tenants that move into these buildings? And just what are the plans to expand and improve mass transit in this area to accommodate our increased population? And despite all the hype about our improved economy there are now at least 10 stores for rent along Austin Street which are a few more than the height of the recession in 2008 – 2009. Slowly but surely our neighborhood is turning into yet another Long Island shopping center, how sad.
Don't ever use fohi again. SMH.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. It's Forest Hills. All of these abbreviations are trying to make a neighborhood "hip" and marketable. Forest Hills doesn't need an abbreviated name. It has it's identity and doesn't need some dumb abbreviated name to make it seem cool.
DeleteRemember what your doctor said: "Stop at one cup a day." You're reading way too much into this. It's simply easier to type FoHi instead of Forest Hills over and over again. Start your own blogs and you'll see what I mean. Where have you seen FoHi used as some marketing term for the neighborhood? I haven't.
DeleteFH would be acceptable, without the SoBro, NoHo, SoHo, NoHa naming system that seems to be virulent in NYC real estate brochures. #KeepQueensUncool
DeleteFoHi is acceptable -- times done changed; stop protecting your turf -- NY doesn't care about you or your family or your history in the hood. Only $$$ -- and soon Queens will be unaffordable as well. Archie Bunker died a long time ago around here!!
DeleteFH has always been the abbreviation. No need for FoHi. Let's not make this Fauxrest Bill (as in fake billburg.)
DeleteI don't know how much of a loss this really is. The only time I ever remember seeing the place full was during the World Cup last summer and maybe before one of the concerts. And when they were half empty, their service was slow and awful. Even takeout took forever. Hopefully something better comes in and soon... Santa Fe has been empty for too long.
ReplyDeleteI just took out from there on Tuesday and took 45 mins for a lunch size pizza
DeleteThe landlord(s) on this block want to maximize their income and will most likely start pushing the restaurants out, perhaps temporarily, so that they can develop their properties for retail and commercial endeavors.
ReplyDeleteYUP
DeleteI bet they want to either build on or wipe that section clear for a hi rise of some kind because that is a lot of juicy air space.
Would not be surprised if another glass condo pops up in that area. Because there's not enough of those in this city as is.
Great location/space to have a Whole Foods or Trader Joes.
DeleteI was thinking the same exact thought - we need a Whole Foods or Trader Joes.
DeleteI don't see a Trader Joe's happening because of the one on Metropolitan. Whole Foods would be good though.
DeleteThe rumor is that the landlord of both Santa Fe and Uno's is looking to get a variance to build a 19-story apartment tower.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind a new building as long as there would still be commercial place for restaurants on the lobby floor
DeleteNo great loss.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Wish it had happened to Aged! I don't know how that place stays in business. Spent $$$ for an chewy and cheap steak. Never again.
DeleteAll of you raise interesting points, except for the "FoHi"-obsessed, which is just asinine.
ReplyDeleteI'm intrigued by the question of when does condo development begin to become its own worst enemy? If you gut a major attraction in Forest Hills like its 'Restaurant Row,' then don't you hurt property values in the neighborhood and as a result reduce how much you can rent or sell an apartment for as a landlord? So aren't you then shooting yourself in the foot? Every neighborhood needs to have its share of "quality of life" elements to make it an attractive place to live.
Now, with Barnes & Noble, as much as I like having it here, that's different. It's an enormous brick and mortar business in a time when mammoth brick and mortar bookstores are struggling to survive in this age of digital books or Amazon home delivery. But see my latest post about what B&N has been lacking here, and is now starting to do. This story is not over yet!
Can't they gut some of the utterly unnecessary women's clothing stores to build another glass tower?? And I agree, if you keep doing away with the things that make a neighborhood special, then the buildings you build won't have as much value. Although I'm sure there are some commercial real estate/development issues involved (tax breaks etc, which I know very little about) that makes developers not care about this.
ReplyDeleteThe influx of a condo tower on restaurant row will strangle FH like vines growing up a tree. Whether we like or frequent the shops and/or restaurants and bars on and off Austin St, at least they are there and add opportunity to enjoy....they add some local color, diversity and dare i say some panache. Breaking up restaurant row with a condo ( not to mention 1-2 years construction mess ) is IMHO a negative. Differently I suppose is the Aston Condo on the north side of QB where this condo tower resulted in a consolidation of retail space into a CVS which at least is an improvement both visually and physically to what was there before CVS. Times are a changing........ !
ReplyDeleteOMG damn it. i loved uno's! i know it's a chain and not original but i really love the chicago style pizza. oh well, theres still the one on bell blvd. sad though, i've had lots of great times here! :-(
ReplyDeleteI know Unos wasn't really anything special, but the pizza was good and I had a lot of really fun times there over the years, especially back when I was in high school and it was one of the few places my friends and I could afford to go to. :) Nice, friendly atmosphere, unassuming...I'm going to miss having it as an option.
ReplyDeleteSadly, I don't drive, so I don't see myself making it to the one on Bell Blvd very often. And I'm almost horrified to think what might end up occupying that space now. I hope it's another restaurant. A *GOOD* one. (I hate that I have to specify that.)
Forest Hills' restaurant row is nice in theory but there's one problem: This community clearly can't support all the restaurants on it! A new condo there would be fine since it's off Austin Street and close to the express trains. Push the restaurants back to Austin Street to revitalize it. Bareburger and others are doing fine there, let others also come. Just my 2 cents.
ReplyDeleteCan we still call it Restaurant Row if there's nothing there but hollowed out empty storefronts?
ReplyDeleteWe have enough condos. What we don't have is a decent French bistro, and as of last year we're down at least one upscale Italian eatery. I'm getting sick of all the disappointing new real estate ventures happening around here. From the party store in the old Laytner's space, to the three dozen new medical clinics...just...UGH. When will enough be enough?
Landlord wanted Uno's to pay double the rent now that their lease is up, hence, closed now.
ReplyDeleteGood-Bye sub-par chain restaurant and hello condo/urgent care/pharmacy or mobile phone store.
ReplyDeleteMany of the smaller charming stores along Austin Street have already gone out of business. Greedy landlords have jacked up rentals on commercial spaces that only “chain stores” can afford. This along with the uncontrolled building of oversized massive Condo/Coop and rental buildings is slowly destroying the once beautiful and peaceful serenity of our once semi-bucolic neighborhood. Are we all really to believe that there has been any “urban planning” as regards to this rapid and apparently “out of control” urban development? How is it possible that these buildings are only required to provide a third of the parking spaces needed for the tenants that move into these buildings? And just what are the plans to expand and improve mass transit in this area to accommodate our increased population? And despite all the hype about our improved economy there are now at least 10 stores for rent along Austin Street which are a few more than the height of the recession in 2008 – 2009. Slowly but surely our neighborhood is turning into yet another Long Island shopping center, how sad.
ReplyDeleteMany of the smaller charming stores along Austin Street have already gone out of business. Greedy landlords have jacked up rentals on commercial spaces that only “chain stores” can afford. This along with the uncontrolled building of oversized massive Condo/Coop and rental buildings is slowly destroying the once beautiful and peaceful serenity of our once semi-bucolic neighborhood. Are we all really to believe that there has been any “urban planning” as regards to this rapid and apparently “out of control” urban development? How is it possible that these buildings are only required to provide a third of the parking spaces needed for the tenants that move into these buildings? And just what are the plans to expand and improve mass transit in this area to accommodate our increased population? And despite all the hype about our improved economy there are now at least 10 stores for rent along Austin Street which are a few more than the height of the recession in 2008 – 2009. Slowly but surely our neighborhood is turning into yet another Long Island shopping center, how sad.
ReplyDelete