Photo: Google Earth
Dec. 2, 2013 By Christian Murray
The party finally came to an end for the Family Entertainment Center.
The entertainment center, best known as Paradise Café Billiards, closed recently and real estate brokers are seeking a new tenant for the 48th Street (and Barnett Ave.) property.
The property, which also includes a second floor that used to house a gymnasium, is 52,000 sqf.—and is comprised of two 26,000 sqf. floors, according to Swain Weiner, a commercial real estate broker for Greiner Maltz.
Brokers are looking to rent the entire property for $23 per sqf. (including base real estate tax), equating to just under $50,000 per month. The owner is prepared to lease each floor separately, with the sqf. rate being slightly higher for the ground floor, but lower for the second floor where the dilapidated gymnasium was located.
This property was once the location of Pulse Fitness, a gymnasium that suddenly closed in April 2012. Many members—some who had just taken out memberships—went to workout one Monday morning only to find it shuttered with a “closed” sign posted to the door. Several lost money.
Meanwhile in July 2013, the entire property—which included the billiards hall—was listed for sale, with the listing saying the billiards hall would be gone by year end. The owner of the billiards hall called this publication saying he had just signed a lease and was planning to stay in the building for several years.
However, the pool hall has closed and is today boarded up. In months prior to the closure, there were posters in the window offering memberships.
The owner could not be reached to see if members were refunded.
Featured Events
21 Comments
@Angray Yea I think people would pay $300 a month for a parking space… I rent one out for $200/mo — and with new “Hipster” designation $300 isn’t a lot more.
On behalf of the hipsters – WE DO NOT WEAR SANDALS.
@ Eddie Money….good one!
It has never been clearer that the CofC doesn’t think Sunnysiders are wealthy enough to cater to. Get rid of us, bring in types who spend much, much more money than we do. This neighborhood is no longer for people who live here, it is for the people who make money here. And old timers are red ink on their books, to be erased as soon as possible.
Morally and spiritually they have the relationship completely backwards, money before people, but that is how business people are, profits above all else.
Swain, where do you live? If it is in an upscale neighborhood on LI you should go home in virtual tar and feathers. Helping yourself to the easy pickings here is despicable. Despicable.
You have destroyed the integrity of my hometown. Fie on you!
The Chamber of Commerce is always made up of business owners. How is it a conflict of interest for someone who has a local business, and is therefore a member of the CoC, to be the president of it?
I used to work there the man was not as nice.. the place was a sh*t whole.. prices keep going up, cause there was less business. I also was a member of the gym and join 2 weeks before it closed and lost all my money. Never got an explanation why. Both places where least to scum!!!
Yea sure they can convert into a parking lot, but are you people going to pay $300/month for the spot?
Swain Weiner is not only a greasy real estate broker he is also the head of the President of the Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce.
He has a conflict of interest!
http://sunnysidepost.com/2012/06/12/sunnyside-chamber-of-commerce-names-new-president/
It should be split into a sport complex….
Gym
Indoor Soccer
Lounge
And a parking lot for the neighborhood or as some people say
“Town”
I’ve got no tickets to Paradise.
@Frank…
Zoning regs are only for the little guy. People who want to open up a dance studio for kids in an empty retail space, for example.
For the big time developers with deep pockets, the rules are far more, shall we say, flexible?
Was that a poem Wake Up?
Oh no, please not an ugly high rise full of yuppies and hipsters! Could that really happen? It’s clearly zoned for industrial…
I wouldn’t be surprised if they try to build a high rise condo. A few well placed campaign donations and the zoning regulations will somehow disappear.
Brace yourselves Hipsters, Sunnside is going to implode right under your sandal wearing dog loving faces.
thats what you all get for trying to change a neighborhood.
The building was designed as Sunnyside Gardens’ indoor parking facility, thus the “driveway” ramp up to the second floor. It should be a parking lot again. Swain Wiener should go home. He is a vampire squid sucking all the money out of Sunnyside.
What, is
Greiner Maltz
Real Estate
giving big bucks to our politicians or backers?
Weiner has no office in Sunnyside.Hedoes not live here! And he was elected President of the SunnysideSHines or Chamer of commerce? people taking money to develop local biz?
All
the
money,
like the 6 figure comission on Boston Chick property sale is leaving town,
What, is
Griener Maltz
Real Estate
giving big bucks to our politicians or backers?
Weiner has no office in Sunnyside.Hedoes not live here! And he was elected President of the SunnysideSHines or Chamer of commerce? people taking money to help local biz?
All
the
money,
like the 6 figure comission on Boston Chick property sale is leaving town!!!
Perhaps you could walk? To the gym?
The city just can’t supply enough parking spaces for every resident to own a car. If a parking spot is such a huge problem for you, then maybe it’s time for you to get rid of your car. Especially since Sunnyside is very accessible by public transit.
Any article with a quote from Swain Weiner is good by me. Best name ever.
Make a good internet password, wouldn’t it?
FIFTY GRAND A MONTH RENT?
Just where are the customers supposed to park? Oh, yeah, on our already congested streets. Pfffffft.