Mixed use development in Rego Park

[Gulcrapek]

EEK Architects

http://www.eekarchitects.com/indprjdoc_eek.cfm?Action=ProjectDoc&webprojcatid=2 24&projectid=48327&categoryname=Residential

http://63.240.68.115/FirmFiles/8/images/RENDERING-full.jpg

Rego Park


Location: Rego Park, New York

This new mixed use retail/residential development is being planned for Rego Park, Queens. The goals of the complex are to provide more public space for the neighborhood as well as augment the retail opportunities on Junction Boulevard. The mixed use nature of the development helps to revitalize this portion of Junction Boulevard, transforming it from an empty lot into a Mixed Use Main Street.

The complex consists of a residential towers totaling 300,000 sf that surround a central public plaza. A pedestrian promenade links the retail with surrounding residential streets. The three floors of retail, 485,000 sf total, will supplement the existing malls in the area, forming a true shopping destination in this area of Queens.

Visual interest of the area will be improved by removing cars from street level. The residents will have an underground parking garage and the shoppers will have 5 above- grade parking levels with a pedestrian/vehicular bridge linking to the adjacent shopping mall.

http://63.240.68.115/FirmFiles/8/images/TOWER-02-full.jpg

http://63.240.68.115/FirmFiles/8/images/TOWER-01-full.jpg

[Derek2k3]

I remember seeing this also. It doesn't look like a typical New York development.

[Bernie]

Memories of Rego Park: Howard Johnson's, Jahns, Hamburger Train, Alexanders, Woolworth & McCrorys, Scott's Seafood, The Boulevard Club, Instant Pants, Sunny's Chinese, Parsonts Toy Store, the GG local.

[Derek2k3]

Queens Courier
With Wal-Mart Out, Large Development Proposed
By Tonia N. Cimino

http://www.queenscourier.com/archives/2005/lead031605a.htm

http://www.queenscourier.com/images/031605/development.jpg
Image courtesy Vornado Realty
An artist's rendering of the proposed residential/commercial development that may be coming to Rego Park.


Shoppers need not fret. Although Wal-Mart will not be coming to Queens, the site in Rego Park may still serve a retail purpose, as well as a residential one.

According to Vornado Realty Trust, the location may still be home to a three-story mall, two residential towers and 1,416 parking spaces.

The plans for the 1.8-million-square-foot complex were unveiled at last week's Community Board (CB) 6 meeting to mixed reactions.

"You have Queens Center Mall not too far from there," said Robert Hassele, who resides in the area. "This may affect it as per business."

Michael Berfield also announced at the meeting that Vornado is currently in discussions with a potential tenant, a branch of the Century 21 retail chain.

But those claiming victory over Wal-Mart are still concerned that any development will only increase vehicular congestion, pollution and school overcrowding in the area.

"Congestion is terrible, especially on 63rd Drive," said Hassele. "If it happens, we will definitely need a police presence."

Vornado countered the environmental concerns, saying that its Environmental Impact Statement addressed these and that its plans for development were in keeping with area trends.

The plans may not be a reality as of yet, as Vornado needs to get several variances in order to build. The site, which is flanked by the Long Island Expressway and Junction Boulevard, is zoned for residential and community development and will require a variance to adjust the amount of parking spaces needed to accommodate shoppers.

"Personally, I would have preferred a Wal-Mart because it's more price-efficient for local shoppers," said Hassele. "A store like that would really serve the community needs better."

When The Queens Courier attempted to contact CB 6 officials, District Manager Kathleen Histon declined to comment on her opinion of the proposals. She did say that a vote on the plan will take place at the April 13 meeting, after which it will be forwarded to other agencies.

Dan Andrews, spokesperson for Borough President Helen Marshall, said, "We need [Vornado] to come in and give us a detailed presentation to see how the plans will fit on that parcel. The likelihood is that they won't be bringing in tenants with a history of labor issues [like those that Wal-Mart had]."

[elfgam]

I think this is great -- it's time to build up the outer boroughs with more developments like this -- mixed-use, high density, primarily urban (not suburban). I only wish they would increase the density a bit more and downplay the parking. Does anyone know how close this development is to the Junction Boulevard subway station or LIRR? It'd be nice if they made it more of a transit-oriented city (high-density development centered around a transit node within 10 minute walk). They should be doing that all over queens.

[tmg]

It's a very long way from the Junction Blvd. station, but right on top of the 63rd Dr/Rego Park station on the Queens Blvd local line. The Forest Hills LIRR station is two stops and a very short walk away.

In my view, the main reason more of this isn't happening is that the subway lines are at capacity. Travel time into the city isn't bad, but more people can't physically squeeze onto the express trains at rush hour. Also, traffic in the vicinity of Queens Blvd. (especially on the side streets immediately surrounding QB) is truly nightmarish, especially on weekends. QB was designed for through traffic, not the tremendous volumes of local traffic generated by the malls and other retail along it.

[krulltime]

Vornado Project Gets Approval


By Ian Ritter
September 21, 2005

QUEENS, NY-Alexander’s Inc., a REIT managed and one-third-owned by Vornado Realty Trust, has gotten government approval to build Rego Park II, a mixed-use project here with 600,000 sf of retail and 450 apartment units. A 122,000-sf Century 21 discount department store will anchor the project, for which Paramus, NJ-based Alexander’s executives do not yet have a construction or completion date.

The development, located at the intersection of the Long Island Expressway and Junction Boulevard in the Rego Park neighborhood, will have four levels of retail. Vornado has not yet announced any other tenants that will go into the center.

Wal-Mart was originally slated to go into Rego Park II with its first New York City store, but Alexander’s proceeded without the retailer after community opposition to the project. “We do a lot of business with Wal-Mart and were talking to them, among others, about Rego Park,” says Steven Roth, the chairman/CEO of Vornado, which is also based in Paramus, in the company's annual report. “We believe in Wal-Mart, but Wal-Mart has its critics, and when it became certain that the entire project could be rejected if Wal-Mart were a tenant, we had no choice but to continue without them.”

With or without Wal-Mart, Vornado won’t have trouble filling up the center with stores, says David Rosenberg, executive vice president at New York City-based Robert K. Futterman & Associates, which is working with Vornado to bring tenants to the development. “That’s one of the most densely-populated areas in New York City,” he tells GSR. “It’s got tremendous demographics.”

Nearby the Rego Park II site, Vornado owns Queens Boulevard at 63rd, a 343,248-sf center anchored by Bed Bath & Beyond, Circuit City, Marshall’s, Old Navy and Sears. Within a three-mile radius of that center, according to Vornado’s website, the average household income is nearly $84,000.

The tenant mix in Rego Park II could range from discounters to higher-end tenants, Rosenberg surmises. “I think what you’re going to see is some sort of hybrid of smaller store and big boxes,” he says. “There are a number of tenants that are not in the market that would like to be in the market, in all shapes and sizes.”


Copyright © 2005 Real Estate Media.

[krulltime]

Here are more renderings...


http://63.240.68.122/FirmFiles/8/images/45016-Rend.aerial-lg1.jpg

http://63.240.68.122/FirmFiles/8/images/45016-Photo1-large.jpg

http://63.240.68.122/FirmFiles/8/images/45016-Photo2-large.jpg

http://63.240.68.122/FirmFiles/8/images/45016-Photo3-large.jpg http://63.240.68.122/FirmFiles/8/images/45016-Rend.atrium-02-lg1.jpg

More in here... http://www.eekarchitects.com

[krulltime]

Can a moderator move this thread to the Queens section?

[elfgam]

This is amazing! keep it under architecture.

[Ninjahedge]

Ugh.

Mini-Mall-Itis.

[Jaffster]

Any news on when this is actually happening? The site used to be a pay parking lot but now its just fenced in.

[Strattonport]

The website where the renderings are located mentioned it is still being planned, so who knows.

But Queens does need all the retail.

[ablarc]

Parking lot. Ugh.

[pianoman11686]

Reminds me of a shopping center I once saw in suburban Poland. Wrap your head around that idea...


I'd like to know who came up with the brilliant idea to clad it in that tacky color, which seems to resemble red sheet metal. This is going to look horrible from all angles.

[krulltime]

Hmmm... isn't that parking lot there already?

[ramvid01]

yea the parking lot is there, but this looks completely different from prior renders, and that red looks just so utterly terrible, not that it will matter, literally speaking the area next to LIE is extremely desolate. The only people that will be crying from this urban scar are the drivers on the LIE.

[czsz]

Wow, pianoman, Poland was the first thing I thought as well.

The last thing this part of Queens needs are more tower blocks that imitate the repetitive angle-pattern of the rest of those housing projects.

[pianoman11686]

Don't mean to get off topic but...you got some family over there? Or just like visiting?

[shocka]

As for the point about the overcrowding in the school.. PS206 was over crowded when I went there I can not even imagine what it is like nowadays! Having all those 17 floor high rises in Rego Park and Lefrak City filled the school to the limit!

Also what i find interesting is that The Summit which is across the street from this will loose its view, while it seems part of Park Plaza will maintain views.

[gangstakilla]

rego park is a suicidal area and is hell!!!!

there is no where to hang out for the children and young

all your precoius lives will be wasted here.

I am leaving I dont give a fk about all of you stay in hell.

The suicide rate for this area is the highest it is like jail there is no where to hang out. this area also has a lot of rent it is crazy it is hell!!!!!!!! there is no freedom there.

Im glad all you people will stay and live in here because im leaving and never coming back.forget about you all.

[Jaffster]

Have you ever been to Rego Park?

[Jaffster]

There is activity on this site now....

[ramvid01]

I think they cleared the trees on the site and there is an excavator on the site.

[Strattonport]

There was an article in today's Daily News that confirms that construction has started. It also mentioned the main retail tenants will be Century 21, Home Depot and Lowe's.

I can't seem to find the article online though...

[antinimby]

It also mentioned the main retail tenants will be . . . Home Depot and Lowe's.Oh god.

Do we need any more of these guys, much less two of them in one location?

[Strattonport]

Oops, sorry! I meant Kohl's, not Lowe's.

[ramvid01]

I pass by this site a few times a week. Its a HUUUUUGE block. Too bad this project is really ugly. Btw, they're well into digging the hole for this thing. About half the lot has been dug up.

[antinimby]

That's good to hear.

While I don't care for those big box stores, this was after all just a huge useless parking lot so I guess it's all for the best since we're going to get housing and retail out of it.

[ramvid01]

Still a big hole. But it doesnt seem the digging has progessed much. The only new news is that there are 2 cranes on site.

[antinimby]

Finally, an official groundbreaking for the Rego Park mall...

Building Begins on Giant Queens Mall

By Staff Reporter of the Sun
May 25, 2007 (http://www.nysun.com/article/55224)

Construction began yesterday on a gigantic Queens' shopping mall that could have included the city's first Wal-Mart.

Discussions between the big box store chain and Vornado Realty Trust, the developer, were scrapped in 2005 after opponents rallied against the retailer's labor practices.

The current plan includes Century 21, Kohl's, and the Home Depot at the 600,000-square-foot site, set to open in 2009.

Mayor Bloomberg defended Wal-Mart, saying the city, should not block any business from opening here. The CEO of Vornado, Steven Roth, said the new site will be an "architectural landmark." He also told Mr. Bloomberg that he had to "put a plug in" for the Moynihan Station and Madison Square Garden — projects the company is negotiating with the state.

© 2007 The New York Sun, One SL, LLC

[antinimby]

The hole is huge, almost the size of GZ.

Mean construction site person wouldn't let me get a close-up pic so I went across the street on the roof of a parking garage and got them anyway. Haha.

Looking to the north.
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/3858/img0018kr1.th.jpg (http://img233.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0018kr1.jpg) http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/6300/img0019cv4.th.jpg (http://img240.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0019cv4.jpg) http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/9906/img0020oa5.th.jpg (http://img235.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0020oa5.jpg)

[errho]

Here are 3 pictures of the construction site. I will be uploading more pictures once in awhile so you can see the progress in the construction
http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/5822/dsc00477gl3.th.jpg (http://img217.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00477gl3.jpg)http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/3347/dsc00476ck2.th.jpghttp://img48.imageshack.us/img48/5476/dsc00478uu0.th.jpg (http://img215.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00476ck2.jpg)

[antinimby]

Thanks for the pics and welcome errho. Seems like there is some progress, particularly in the SE quadrant, since I was last there.

[ramvid01]

While passing this on the LIE I noticed steel on the far enof the site that was higher than the parking garage across the street. Also there were 3 cranes at the site.

Looks like this one is already rising.

[antinimby]

Bad news. The residential portion of this project is not going to get built, at least not at the present time.

From the NY Sun (http://www2.nysun.com/article/75676?page_no=2) today...

...In Queens, construction is progressing at a new mixed-use retail and residential project being built by Vornado Realty Trust. The development is situated behind the Rego Park Mall, bounded by the Horace Harding Expressway, Junction Boulevard, and 62nd and 97th streets.

The three-story retail complex, which is scheduled to open later in the year is said to include a Home Depot, a Kohl's, and Century 21. The original development included a residential component with about 400 units built in two residential towers. In March, the developer had to put that on the hold due to the weakened real estate market.

[ramvid01]

The article fails to mention however, that the community board is unhappy about them putting the residential towers on hold, and may try to apply pressure on the developer.

[antinimby]

Now that's the kind of progressive Community Board we like!

Can we clone that Community Board and replace all the other ones across the city with them? :)

[Stern]

VNO is so development shy. Its for this reason that I feel the Hotel Penn. is in no real danger. It took them almost a decade to do anything with the Alexander's site, a one storey building in one of the best locations in Manhattan. They own all this property by Penn Station and have done nothing with it aside from a site at 34th and 7th where they built a one storey retail building and did not build the tower that was designed to go on top of it. Now this site which is approved for residential in a market that hasn't softened much at all.