Austin Jeans is closing after more than 20 years in its prime Austin St. location, just several doors down from the intersection of 71st/Continental. Hard to find a better spot in Forest Hills for a new store or a small eatery like a coffee bar.
And then there's the old Garcia's restaurant, a huge space on the top floor of the Austin St. "mall," which would be great for a really good restaurant, since it has outdoor seating overlooking Austin St. A quality restaurant opening up there, in that enormous space, could do really well.
Oh, and while on the subject, I'm sure many of you have heard the news that some kind of medical clinic is opening in the building on the other side of Austin, down towards Ascan. I also am quite disappointed that this is the best they can do with a newly-renovated building. But I'm resigned to it - if that's what the neighborhood can support, so be it. If not, something better will open there eventually. I'm pretty optimistic that as the nabe continues to improve, prime spaces like this will in the future not be turned into medical drop-in clinics! Also, I think I heard something like 75 percent will be used for the clinic so there is also space for something more interesting.
On a related note, I have been contacted by some who say it is questionable how the developers of that new building were able to alter the historic facade of the structure: As one person wrote to me:
"Two-story Old English shops were demolished to accommodate a 3-story out-of-context glass building in the heart of Austin Street's historic retail and residential area."
And then there's the old Garcia's restaurant, a huge space on the top floor of the Austin St. "mall," which would be great for a really good restaurant, since it has outdoor seating overlooking Austin St. A quality restaurant opening up there, in that enormous space, could do really well.
Oh, and while on the subject, I'm sure many of you have heard the news that some kind of medical clinic is opening in the building on the other side of Austin, down towards Ascan. I also am quite disappointed that this is the best they can do with a newly-renovated building. But I'm resigned to it - if that's what the neighborhood can support, so be it. If not, something better will open there eventually. I'm pretty optimistic that as the nabe continues to improve, prime spaces like this will in the future not be turned into medical drop-in clinics! Also, I think I heard something like 75 percent will be used for the clinic so there is also space for something more interesting.
On a related note, I have been contacted by some who say it is questionable how the developers of that new building were able to alter the historic facade of the structure: As one person wrote to me:
"Two-story Old English shops were demolished to accommodate a 3-story out-of-context glass building in the heart of Austin Street's historic retail and residential area."
The "some who say it is questionable how the developers of that new building were able to alter the historic facade of the structure" might want to consider what "historic" is. Just because a building is old doesn't make it historic. The building was not old English, it was not tudor-style, nor did it have the type of decorative brickwork like the two buildings immediately to the left in your photo. The second floor of the building looked much more like the buildings that house the nail salon and Empire Deli, painted-over brick and a tacky old roof on the second floor. The storefront was a red granite. It had looked like that for at least 15 years, if not more. To the best of my knowledge, the building also wasn't landmarked. So on what basis are these people calling it "questionable" as to how the owner was able to tear down the frontage of the building?
ReplyDeleteThe fact that there was no full demolition permit posted. Only interior renovation. Have a look.
DeleteI've been told by a local commercial landlord who I know for years that so long as a portion of one wall is left up, it is not considered a total tear-down. If you have a look yourself, you will see that a small portion of the back wall and of the right wall, basically the right rear corner of the building, was not torn down. But let's assume the source is incorrect...what makes the building historic? Or was it just old?
DeleteThe architecture of Austin St. between Ascan and Continental is quite unique with its Tudor flourishes.
DeleteBottom line is, the NYC LPC doesn't give a rat's ass about Queens and its history beyond throwing us an occasional bone, like the Forest Park Carousel. Look at the World Fair sites in Flushing Meadows park, for instance.
I thought it was supposed to be an H&M.
ReplyDeleteI thought the space next to Bareburger was going to be an H&M! I can't really think of anything more inapprppriate for that space than a medical clinic, to be honest. Ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteLike it or not: If it's not protected by landmarking, it's not deemed historic and therfore not protected.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to H&M??
ReplyDeleteA medical clinic would serve the neighborhood much more so than another chain store. Don't forget this is a family neighborhood with children AND senior citizens. Do we really want Austin to be just a horizontal mall? It makes more sense to let the convenient location serve the neighborhood in a holistic way.
ReplyDeleteSorry, but a walk in clinic is probably a good full notch below a dollar store. Not at all good for a community. Take a walk down to the West end of Austin Street sometime when your feeling holistic and take a look at the blight that has occurred. The medical community has destroyed that end of Austin Street making it impossible for any business to successes. Hopefully, the next clinic that opens in Forest Hills will be next door to you, since you have made it very clear to everyone you don't care.
DeleteCouldn't have anything to do with the precinct - no the cops are angels.... Everyone wants to hang around them too - especially when their eating and drinking at a restaurant.
Deleteyes Kevin a person concerned with children and senior citizens clearly doesn't care. Is it better to not care or not think?
DeleteNothing wrong with a medical facility, it could someday save a life! As much as I enjoy recreating on Austin, I'd say helping people get well trumps helping people get drunk.
DeleteThe whole attraction of Austin is that it is a mall alternative.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kevin in regards to a walk-in-clinic going into that location. This really is prime shopping/dining real-estate.
ReplyDeleteThe other new opening will be an e-cig store on the other side of Austin Street, where that women's clothing boutique never opened. Yep, an e-cig store.
I agree that a community like FH NEEDS a walk in clinic, with so many elderly and car-less residents. Where else should they go when they need immediate care at an off hour, and doctor offices are closed? Have you ever tried the ER at FH Hospital? It's beyond terrible on so many levels.
ReplyDeleteI hear ambulances in my neighborhood almost every week. The WWII generation seem to dying off in droves and the ones that aren't need medical care. The Baby Boomers are next and there are a lot of them. It could be worse - would you rather have a funeral parlor?
ReplyDelete* Award for Most Morbid Comment of 2013 *
DeleteThe Rego Park/Forest Hills/Kew Gardens area has one of the largest concentrations of seniors in the city.
DeleteHahaha! Maybe this should go in the other thread about Austin St. vs Metro Av., but I've always been creeped out by the funeral homes (I can think of at least 2) on Metro. I usually try to look away when I'm walking past them, and I know they're needed businesses for the neighborhood, but I just don't like having to be around them when I'm going out to dinner. That's life though, and death is a part of it.
ReplyDeleteI'm more creeped out by that store with the sign "Sick Room Supplies." What the hell is a "sick room" anyway? Even if there is a valid reason to advertise this on your storefront, I as a business owner would not simply because it is so utterly depressing that some shoppers—ok, me—would rather kill themselves before shopping for the sick room supplies they might need. Does that make sense?
DeleteAt the risk of belaboring the point—probably too late for that, but anyway—when you declare your room to be a "sick" room you are giving up all hope I suppose. Whoever is in that room will be "sick" until the end I guess. At that point, does the room revert back to just a plain "room"? Just wondering. Also wondering: is this what I have to look forward to in life one day? Is my ignorance of "sick rooms" because I am too young? Do we all eventually grow to be all too familiar with sick rooms? Just pondering.
ReplyDeleteOk, one more -- even if the room was in fact a "sick" room - one where I was caring for a grandparent or parent on their last legs, I don't think I would acknowledge this by actually declaring or naming it a "sick room". I would definitely choose a more upbeat label, like "Recovery Room," in the hopes—even if they are slim—that the sick occupant would emerge to have a few more days around the rose garden (is that the correct expression?) I guess after all of these three comments what I am really trying to say is doesn't labeling the room "sick room" and declaring on your store you have supplies ready to be bought for it, create such a depressing, suffocating atmosphere, that you are only furthering the sickness and the eventual demise of the occupant?
DeleteSomebody stop me...
LOL Drake
DeleteI think it's just an old term...judging by the sign that store has been around for a long time. I guess sick rooms are more common and a more acceptable term back in the day
Sick room was a commonly used term in the 30s-50s.
DeleteUrgent Cares are opening all over the city. Park Slope, UWS, Williamsburg... All in similar settings such as Austin Street.
ReplyDeleteCItyMD is a very popular one in Manhattan and are opening on blocks with high end retail and restaurants.