Oct. 2, 2014 By Christian Murray
The face of Greenpoint Avenue—between 47th and 48th Streets—is going to change as three long-time stores are closing.
King Boulevard, SSS Video and Azteca Restaurant have all been notified that they have to leave—as the owner of the property is selling it.
Mike Perez, who has owned King Boulevard for the past 31 years, said that he will be closing down his store at the end of the month. He said that the 47-18 Greenpoint Avenue property, which is owned by Greisman Properties, is currently in contract to be sold. He said that his landlord told him that the building will be torn down and redeveloped.
A lawyer, who represents a co-owner of Greisman Properties, confirmed that the building is in contract. However, he said that the building is likely to undergo a major renovation as opposed to redevelopment.
The name of the prospective buyer is not known and there are no filings with the Department of Buildings indicating that work is about to begin.
Meanwhile, Susa Prema, who has owned SSS Video/DVD since 1999, received a letter Aug 28 giving him 30 days to vacate his store. Prema, who has been renting on a month-to-month basis for years, said he is staying on through to December since he has a lot of inventory to get rid of. He said that he will wage battle in court to extend the lease period if necessary.
Prema too said that his landlord told him that the building is being demolished to make way for a new building.
The manager of Arteca, the Mexican restaurant, confirmed that the owner had been told to leave. However, he had no idea when it would close.
Featured Events
84 Comments
When you are allowed out by yourself, or if an attendant can be convinced to let you out, meet me under the el. We’ll have a nice talk.
The use of “eff” is superfluous, the same idea could have been conveyed by “go f yourself”. You would have saved 2 letters and reduced your carbon footprint. Some people just don’t care.
Thank you all for posting. Sunnyside is such a great place to live/work, that is the reason we purchased the building. We plan to knock the building down and build a new building with up-to-date amenities. The current stores and apartments should have been renovated years ago but were not. We plan a new building with retail/office, and residential rentals. Some will even be designated affordable housing. We look forward to your feedback, and look for a rendering to go up on the property in the coming months. Hope everyone likes it.
Did you read any of the above comments before posting? Not a single soul believes you are here because Sunnyside is great, etc. You are here to profit no matter what. Not many people but your peers will “like it.” Certainly not the people you are displacing.
If the Owner of the new building did in fact respond, that I for one give him/her/them a lot of credit for even reading this…which means they actually do care.
For all the stupid idiots who wrote nothing but unkind words – do not mind them… since they have nothing to show for themselves.
Besides looking at all the bad, why not look at the good? You talk about better quality of life, housing etc… well think about all the people who will be employed to feed their families so they can have a better life. Or the fact that things that are not maintained do need to be replaced. Whether you like it or not, life is constantly changing and you may not be ready for it but it will change with or without you.
GET OVER IT.
Go eff yourself.
@ anonymous visitor – Yes its not cogs and widgets. It is shelter and there are many places available for rent. Its called supply and demand. If you don’t like where you live, move someplace else! What about doctors and life saving medications?? Should doctors work for free?? should pharmacies give you Life Saving Medicines for free?? No of course not, they do it for a PROFIT. The sense of entitlement on this board is at times shocking!! If someone wants to sell something they have OWNED for many years and probably scrimped and saved to buy and hold then they can do that. Likewise, The new owners can use the property that they just spent there hard earned cash to purchase for whatever they want. Who are you to say they can’t!!! I think you are the cold fish. Not everyone who owns property is scrooge and evil!!
Look beyond your own pocketbook. There are 58,000 homeless people in NYC right now because of you capitalists. Fine, sell it. You are breaking no laws except the laws of Peace and Justice. When large groups of people are disempowered and discarded by society, they often find ways to change the status quo that the people who have profited from their ruin do not like.
The “Laws of Peace and Justice”. What an imbecile. Abbie Hoffman is that you? I thought you were dead.
Are you kidding me? Look in the mirror for a definition of “imbecile.” You must be one of those “Missing Link” types on the human genome. You seem to have inherited the animal genes but none of the human being ones. Do you shave all over so you appear human? Is your hat size “0-3 months?”
So the “Laws of Peace and Justice” cover commercial real estate what else do they entail? I need to hear from you because I try to live by actual laws, but they are flawed and need your guidance.
A comment appeared yesterday that was extremely bigoted. All attempts will be made to ensure that this does not happen again.
Christian Murray
Freedom of speech!!!
No one’s second amendment rights have been violated here. Freedom of speech is freedom from the *government* limiting speech.
Because you are a failure in life and can’t afford to own property don’t take it out on a whole ethnic group that has succeeded. That’s all it is. You are a jealous bitter failure in life.
You racist idiot.
It’s a video rental and shoe store FFS. Save the outrage for something else, like the lack of any good restaurants or bars in this neighborhood.
Lack of good restaurants and bars? Are we talking about the same neighborhood? Those are things a tiny neighborhood like this one has in spades!
The Landlord has every right to sell his building and the new Owners have every right to do with it as they see fit within the zoning.
Those who have an issue with it should put there money where there mouth is and buy the building. Then they are free to lease it out at a loss if they want to.
Rent Stabilization has created a world where everyone thinks they are entitled to everything!!
If you want security you should own! Especially a business there for 30 plus years. I am sure they could have bought a building to house their store for a song back then. Then they would have been paying down a mortgage all these years instead of rent and they would own the building and could not be told to move.
But I would bet the farm that if they did own it and saw how much it was worth they would be all to happy to sell it and cash out and move to Florida
You are one cold fish, you know that? Yep, owners have the legal right to do what they want to within the code. But a moral, ethical or human right? That is what we all call into question. If you read more than your balance sheet you might see that there is such a thing as a human right to shelter. If you own residential real estate you are making profits based directly on a human being’s need to stay alive. You are not making money off widgets and cogs. If you want to be cold about things, become a banker, not a residential property owner.
Too dumb to even argue with…
to AV 12:33 on 10/8 Yes, that is exactly what you are.
Of course the tenants in the apartments are being forced out. They are knocking down the whole corner.
It seems like the Comm. board goes to the highest bidder. Commercial stores forced out to build “luxury condos.” Does anybody know if the tenants above the stores are being forced out also?
yes, they are. this includes the residential building on 48th street that continues from King blvd, as well as the small attached business. they are only being given $2,000 to relocated
We really need an Irish Pub, a hardware store, a nail salon, and falafel place. God forbid we get a decent coffee place, a nice restaurant, or bar without a jukebox or TVs.
i agree–with all of the above: decent coffee place, a nice restaurant, or bar without a jukebox or TVs
Can they get rid of those projects over there too?
The Com. Bd. passed ReZoning equals Gold Rush.Sunnyside Shines is called a B.I.D. BusinessImprovement Development. Wrong. B.I.D. equals Landlords. Not one of us stores who rentsis safe.Sunnyside did not have to die. Our”Community” Bd. was for non-resident Developers, Bankers, Architects, Landlords, & Brokers.
Lol. You really don’t have a clue, do you?
Poor Mr. Raisin. He can’t see the forest for the trees.
What people seem to not understand is that this is NOT unique to Sunnyside. Mom and pop DVD stores are closing around the entire globe! Small Mexican restaurants close everyday from California to Kansas to Guadalajara! Luxury condos get built where once thriving business districts used to be ALL THE TIME.
I’m not saying it’s good, or that we should all be pleased, or even accept it, but it is the world we live in, not the fault of JVB or hipsters. It’s reality. Sunnyside is a great neighborhood within minutes from Manhattan. What do you all think is going to happen? It would magically stay stuck in the 1950’s???
We are not stupid, Jake M. But we resent being overrun in our own homes. Yes, change happens, but the people on the losing end have a right to fight for their own existence, don’t they? Because someone else has more money, I should have to leave everything I know, move another state, try to find work and establish a meaningful life at the age of 55? Hell, no! It may happen whether I like it or not, but I don’t have to silently let them shove me aside.
Should’ve bought property if you’re so concerned about being priced out. There is no right to live in any one place.
I wasn’t concerned about being priced out. I would have bought something if I could have. Not everyone makes lots of money. But everyone has a right to live.
Yes, they have a right to live, but not a right to live in any one place. Sorry folks, there isn’t a right to live in Sunnyside because you’ve been here forever – that’s not how it works.
So you should have the right to prevent another person from profiting of their own hardwork/foresight because you are inconvenienced?
Being lucky in the game of real estate timing is not the same as “profiting . . .your own handiwork.” And “inconvenienced” is a laughably absurd word to use in the context of losing one’s home. But you sound like a greedy capitalist anyway. You think human vulnerabilities were put their by God so you could profit off them. I don’t think we will ever see eye to eye.
Wait? You’re concerned that you’re being pushed aside because a video store is closing?
Hey Sunnyface calm down. You make it seem like the North Vietnamese are overrunning your village. Your life won’t be changing much. Get a grip.
Here is a person with brains. Unique to the Sunnyside Post!
Is this good or bad. Not sure
Interesting
I agree with condos. Or luxury rentals. But maybe the retail space will be used for something cool and useful? Neighborhood is changing, there’s no stopping it. Live in the now.
That’s like saying, “Yeah, go ahead put the noose around my neck.”
Too bad about about King Blvd. That’s the only store that carries sneakers which actually fit me!
Try the INTERNET
Sunnyside was screwed when the rezoning went through. You can thank van Bramer and cb2 president Conley.
Thank you for up zoning the town joe Conley and jimmy van Bramer.
You are being facetious, I hope.
I am far far far from being a hipster but stop blaming them. It’s the greedy landlords who are to blame.
Used to do my back to school shopping at Kings Blvd in late 70’s, early 80’s. Can’t believe it’s still there.
I am sorry it is forced to leave. This is bad.
propertys future uncertain? are you kidding?? developers are all over Sunnyside, behind the scenes, making things happen. its all about cash!! and makin more of it, the AMERICAN way!
Awww Mang, I am gonna miss buying my fancy polyester plaid shirts and then going to the video store to rent some classic asian porn on good ol’ VHS. mmmm MMM, good times! nothing like putting your hands around a tape you KNOW was used by …God knows who else.
I can’t wait to see them put up even more apartments to fill up Sunnyside. It has to be apartments ,That or another Thai place, yup…Thai Place and Nail Salon.
I bet you dislikers couldn’t WAIT for this feature huh? hahahahha
I hope this gets published. The old guy in King Blvd. told me that he will be part of a new building. Who cares about the other 2 stores. A video store!
I’ve been in that video store a few times to get my computer fixed. Very friendly guy that runs the shop, and there was usually a steady stream of customers. I don’t rent videos and rarely get to that part of Greenpoint but my visits to this shop were very positive. Hope they can get re-established elsewhere.
I guess the clowns are running the circus now. How much business do they think they can get for a new business by closing down a old business that everyone loves and the neighborhood is PISSED?
They don’t care if we are pissed. They give us ten years at the most before we are all gone, dead or too old to speak with any authority.
Ten years?! We have to put up with the current progression-phobe, let’s stay a blue collar bubble, hipster/money/success hating dinosaurs, for ten more years?!
You are such a narrow-minded idiot, it is hard to think of something to say you would actually understand.
Explain to me how I am narrow minded, you pleb? I’m all for the area moving forward and welcoming new people in, it’s these short sighted old timers that are constantly giving me a hard time on here for me being pro-change. Yes I’m sure it sucks if you have been a resident here for 20+ years and now facing rent increases, but you know what, that’s life, it happens. The rent goes up, but the area improves with it, better stores, nicer streets etc etc.
I don’t understand: who are “the clowns?” The landlords? Has the decisions making, when it comes commercial real estate, changed? I guess the old business you’re speaking of is the clothing store; it that what everyone pissed about? Because it seem like a store that is rarely busy; it’s on a corner too far away to get a lot of traffic, and there’s not decent parking available.
Too far away from what? It is literally 1 12 blocks from the subway entrance.
blah
King Blvd has always been good for the neighborhood. Good Luck Mike
Im a regular customer. Very sad. Support neighborhood stores
Condos, I guarantee condos. Will not be commercial buildings and the price I’m sure will be ridiculously high. Why is the landlord so reluctant to disclose the plans for the redevelopment? Wont by a Trader Joes that’s for sure.
Don’t want a Trader Joe’s. The Rite Aid on 51st Street should never have been allowed to displace a grocery store. I think the owners of Fresh ‘n’ Save, whose name makes no grammatical sense whatsoever, cut a deal with someone. PRobably our Community Board leader.
It’s such a shame that Sunnyside/Woodside is losing the blue collar vibe that made it such a great place to live and raise a family. Too many yuppies coming in and taking a reasonably priced neighborhood and turning it into someplace couples just starting out or those on a fixed income can’t afford to live.
I have no problem with the yuppies. I have a problem the illegal aliens from all over central america and mexico who took over this haven 10 minutes from Manhattan.
Well ur a racist douchbag
King’s Blvd. people were very nice. Sad to see them go. Surely they weren’t indispensable, but it’s sad. Commenter #1 would sing a different tune if it were his or her business. But I realize “potential” must always be realized in NYC, meaning money must be made by developers at all times regardless of what it does to longtime businesses in the area.
All three are on a month to month contract? Not a good idea.
To be honest though, I always wondered how these stores stayed in business.
The video store had a popular adult section
adult section?
Has no one ever heard of the internet?
i dont think the guys whose teeth sit in a glass know how to use the internets.
that part of greenpoint ave could definitely benefit from redevelopment, lets hope something decent pops up, sunnyside has so much potential, its just very slow to get anywhere
The rents are skyrocketing, so that part isn’t slow at all.
Typical probably open up a piece of shit store that there’s 1000 of already like Starbucks or target
Follow the $$$!
most definitely a foo foo condo with retail space probably. unfortunately, that corner area isnt the most pleasant to look at, so good luck to the suckers…i mean buyers, lol.
By “potential” you mean what exactly? The ability to become a homogenized, bland and expensive recreation of a Manhattan or N. Brooklyn neighborhood that only benefits those who own??