Checkers - formerly gaseteria on empire blvd

People were seen by yours truly, walking out with take out bags today.

Here is a picture of the scene at Checkers when I walked by on Saturday, April 5.

Maybe they were doing a special trial run just for that day.

It may be time to write an obituary; it was boarded up this evening.

Checkers -
Sunrise: April 2014
Sunset: May 2016

Two years old.

RIP

Trader Joes, are you reading???

Brooklyneya said:

Trader Joes, are you reading???

If this spot was barely big enough for a Checkers, how would it be big enough for a TJ's? 

I'm wondering whether even a Target Express would fit.

This site would nice if you could combine it with the auto repair shop and church that sit directly behind it.

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6637221,-73.9607007,107m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

Then it would be large enough to do something fun.

Each lot on that block is odd-shaped.

For anything big to open you'd still need to provide parking and there isn't enough room  for that. There was barely enough for the drive thru. I think it'll be awhile before anything opens on that site.

Given how long it took them to built the Checkers, it would not surprise me if they took a really long time to list it for sale and remove the logos.

"This site would nice if you could combine it with the auto repair shop and church that sit directly behind it"

A combination of the three would be nice; you could get your car fixed, clog your arteries, and listen to superstitious nonsense all at the same time.

You seem to be thinking of connecting them via hallways.

I was thinking of using an excavator.

It must have taken a long time for the Checkers to be built because of remediation from the gas tanks. That area has been a gas station for at least 50 years and I'm sure there was plenty of leakage before they started using double wall tanks.

Building the small structure took several years.

The problem didn't seem to be the remediation...

The other trader joes don't have parking, so one here doesn't need to just because the other businesses around it do (customers with cars will probably use the other businesses parking anyways.

I'm not a Starbucks fan, but a Starbucks with an outdoor seating area would do well there, too.

This location has enough ped traffic that a use could be found that doesn't involve people with cars.

Brooklyneya said:

The other trader joes don't have parking, so one here doesn't need to just because the other businesses around it do (customers with cars will probably use the other businesses parking anyways.  

*cough* Western Beef *cough*

Plus, there are trains nearby. However, a TJ's there may be as claustrophobic as the one at Union Square once it gets crowded with people. 

My gut says that if you were to combine the Checker's lot with the church's and the auto shop's, you would do so because you believed something like a 8 story residential building would be allowed, and commercial would be permitted on the first floor.

Occupancy date Fall 2020.

Someone needs to buy out that church though. 

It is now open again, and reportedly under new management.

I'm only sorry that I caught on to Checkers late in the game . . . the wings there are pretty darn good! 

The garage sharing this lot is now (apparently) closed since last Thursday and a big sign on the frontage says the building is up for lease.

The remaining corner seems to be occupied by a church.    A developer who could score all three properties could do pretty well.

aerial shot:

Church angle

The church used to be a club called Brandy's back in the late 70's/early 80's. Owned by the Dow Twins who also owned Othello's and Leviticus in the city. Height of the disco era.

I noticed that. Maybe that was why that property was a bit lax with snow removal during the last storm. shrug

If you look at the tax maps, you'd notice that all three lots on the block are oddly shaped.

whynot_31 said:

The remaining corner seems to be occupied by a church.    A developer who could score all three properties could do pretty well.

Or all 3 lots may sit and languish like Toomeys or the laundromat on Rogers/Empire

By "languish", I think you mean appreciate until new zoning is passed. 

Call me crazy, but it sure seems like a great spot for another shelter or two, ay?

You'll notice that under this mayor the city does not have the time (foresight?  skills?) to actually build any shelters.

Instead, they rent existing buildings and turn them into shelters.

When they have time to build, they build affordable housing or supportive housing. Perversely, the funding streams for supportive housing are not as robust as those for shelter.  ...the city can't afford to build supportive housing at this site.