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Development About to Begin on 6-story Apartment Building

Abandoned House (2012) Photo: QueensPost

Dec. 9, 2012 By Christian Murray

A 6 story residential building is about to be constructed on 43rd Street, between 43rd and Skillman Avenues, in Sunnyside.

The building will be comprised of 30 apartments and will have a glass and brick exterior, according to the owner of the building. The apartments will be all rentals.

The development will take place on a site where there is an abandoned home and an empty lot next door. The empty house has had a squatter living in it for at least a year. The squatter parks a supermarket trolley with all his belongs outside the house each night.

The abandoned house is scheduled to be demolished any day now, the building owner said. The development is expected to be completed within 2 years.

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29 Comments

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Denis

I really hope they put a garage in this building.. Parking is already ridiculous.. They shouldnt be allowed to build with out having 30 parking spots. The city council really messed up..

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J P I

I went to Queen of Angels in the 70’s, and the lot was vacant then.
No way this can take two years. Where does that time frame come from?

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Sycamore

@43rd Street Resident You drank the Koolaid. Putting profits before people is they way of machines. Greed turns hearts to stone.

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43rd & 43rd

Ugh, I live nearby, and dealing with construction noise for two years?! Hopefully they will at least abide by quiet hours . . . if not, I’ll be calling 311.

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43rd Street Resident

High price renters bring much needed $$$$$$$$ to our community.

The current low rent people or house poor residents do not support the local businesses that all seem to be hurting financially.

We need more high-rent high rise projects in Sunnyside/Woodside!

Bring them on!

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Sycamore

Well, if I am wrong, I apologize. But I take issue with your assessment of renters. I have lived on the same block for 90% of my life. This neighborhood is my home. My grandparents came here when the entire neighborhood was brand new. I’ve worked for years with my church, my community association, my tenants association and other local powers to maintain a decent quality of life through 50 years of economic twists and turns. My building was the jewel of the area–with management and tenants taking great pride and care in it–until new management took over. Now the place is run by people who might as well work with widgets, all they care about is the bottom line, not about the beauty of the place, the history, the gardens or the community. They state as much, openly. If other things in my life had gone as planned perhaps I would have had the money to move somewhere else, but, they didn’t. So here I remain, but to say renters don’t care is hurtful and untrue. I know many people who are llifelong renters through circumstance, not choice. But we contribute to the community–and have done so for decades. A little respect would be welcome.

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TheBitchyWaiter

Hi, Sycamore. What’s sad is that two buildings with such character have fallen into disrepair and now they will be demolished and replaced with a cold new building. It’s sad that the man who has lived on that porch for over two years has to find another place to keep his few belongings. It’s sad that the one single family home will now be sandwiched between two big buildings. Yes, I am sad that I lose my view, but I am in no way against growth for Sunnyside. I doubt that anyone here would disagree with my assessment that renters tend to not have as much neighborhood pride as someone who buys. A renter might not care about possible graffiti on their building while an owner would. That is a fact.

I would like you to quote some of my evil responses. My name implies an attitude and my blog is full of that attitude, but on Sunnyside Post I don’t think it comes out as you suggest. Please prove me wrong.

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Sycamore

@BitchyWaiter So, a change happens that directly affects your day-to-day life and now you see growth as “so sad.” If I quoted here some of the evil responses you’ve had to other people’s sadness at seeing their neighborhood change in ways that disrupt their day-to-day life you would be ashamed. As you should be, because for the most part your attitude is something to be ashamed of.

Nonetheless, I feel for you. I wouldn’t be happy to lose my sunshine. I’m sorry you are losing yours.

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Jan

@ Annie
Your comments were spot on
The nabe is long overdue for some green space to be enjoyed for quiet contemplation and surrounded by nature.
Would sure be good to organize a community movement for the “Greening of Sunnyside Project” to restore and enhance the nabe’s greenery

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"Sunnysider"

We are in such a dire need of parting around here that we could use a parking lot or a municpal parking lot now we are going to have more people with more cars and less space for our cars

we need to organize a development co. and buy up these propeties and give this town what it needs not what it does not need more spaces for cars than for people…

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Local Hamburgler

Anyone know what’s up with the crack den looking houses across from Sunnyside Commons on 45th Street towards Skillman?

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Lewis Polley

The duplex in the right side was my first home! Mother bought it back before as she said,”before women made house purchases!”. This was in the late forties. She rented the downstairs and garage that made the house payments. She lived there and taught voice and piano until she moved back to Texas when she retired in the early eighties!Great memories for me as a youngster there in Sunnyside!

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nobody

What is Sunnyside coming to? First, they ruined Chaaaaaaaange Guy’s under-the-scaffold haunt by putting in a bright new bank…now they’re upending Hobo Cart Guy’s squatter palace? What’s next? Sidewalks free of dog crap?

I can’t take all this change. This is not the Sunnyside I grew up in.

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Annie D

I love Sunnyside, but all we are missing is a nice park to sit and read (aka not one that’s made up of playgrounds or blacktops, closed only to paying members, or overrun with the smell of dog poo). Any community movement to get some of the other vacant lots turned into public space?

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Rick Duro

probably similar to the poorly designed apts on 44th st. between 43rd ave/skillman. I remember looking @ those apts when they had their open house and shaking my head @ the dorm room-like sized bedrooms.

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Oppressed Masses

I guess putting up a 6 story apartment building is better than what’s on the property now – a vacant lot and two dilapidated houses that serve as a homeless encampment. Given the size of the lots, it seems like the apartments will be small considering there will be five units to a floor plus elevator and interior stairwell. This building will probably be targeted to single young people.

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TheBitchyWaiter

I did some research on that lot before moving here and there was a single family house there that burned down. I seem to recall that it was over twenty years ago. It was also zoned for a single family home which is probably why it has taken so long for someone to be able to build on it. Sad to hear that it’s all rentals. Renters tend to not take much pride in their neighborhood and I doubt it will help property values.

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Rick Duro

Does anyone know the story of the vacant lot? A few old timers mentioned something about a house being there @ one time that was consumed by a fire? They weren’t sure what year though.
RD

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nick

Hey- only 10+ years to fill the lot! Can’t figure how somebody took the loss for over a decade. My condolences to the immediate neighbors during construction.

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