Developers eye changes to Mid. Village retail space
BY MARK HALLUM
Rentar Development, the
owners of 66-26 Metropolitan
Ave. in Middle Village, may
be looking to revamp their
building, vacated by two big
retailers recently, to attract
new tenants and prevent
the space from becoming a
ghost town.
July saw Kmart closing
its doors for good; that
was preceded by Toys R’
Us after the company filed
bankruptcy in January. Now,
the developers are seeking
permission to modify the
building for additional truck
loading bays.
Community Board 5
will take a vote on Rentar’s
proposal at the Jan. 9 meeting,
which could control the fate of
whether or not the commercial
space will find a fresh suitor.
Gary Giordano, CB 5’s
district manager, said that
although he is not opposed
to the application to the city
Dept. of Transportation, he
does not believe there has been
adequate time for the advisory
board to really examine the
plans and analyze its impacts
to the community.
“I doubt that noise would be
a major issue over on the front
of Metropolitan, because of the
cemetery across the street and
really no houses right there.
I think navigation into the
loading bay could be an issue,”
Giordano said.
“This is one of those
things where they want the
recommendation quickly.
This recommendation is due
the 10th, the day after the
board meeting; so this is not
going to be as organized as
we usually are,” Giordano
added, expressing concern for
pedestrians on the sidewalk as
well. “How easy is it going to be
for tractor-trailers to back into
the proposed loading bays?”
Dennis Ratner, the president
of Rentar Development, could
not be reached for comment,
but the company kicked up its
search for new tenants once
Kmart announced Rentar
Plaza’s location would be
among its locations shuttering
in October.
Ratner said in September
the company was not even close
The Rentar Plaza on Metropolitan Avenue in Middle Village.
to finding a company willing
to set up shop. Two retaining
wall-enclosed gardens will
have to be removed if the
loading bays are constructed.
Image via Google Maps
Rentar Plaza is not the
only commercial real estate
struggling with the brick and
mortar store bust.
With Macy’s closing
hundreds of stores in 2017,
including the Douglaston
Plaza location, Ashkenazy
Acquisition Corporation,
which owns the shopping
center, was forced to take a
strong look at how they could
stay profitable.
The company turned to
Lowe’s Home Improvement
to reinvent the space for their
use and fill a hardware store
demand only being met by a
retail outlet 10 miles away in
Long Island.
Ashkenazy was forced to
buy MovieWorld out of their
space in the shopping center,
displacing the business to cater
to the larger corporation’s
retail space needs.
Extensive modifications
to the building were required
which led to a contentious
Community Board 11
meeting and the eventual
vote to advise the Board of
Standards and appeals to
approve the Lowe’s variance.
Reach reporter Mark
Hallum by e-mail at mhallum@
schnepsmedia.com or by phone
at (718) 260–4564.
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