By Bill Parry
Several elected officials are convening a town hall meeting in Jackson Heights to discuss the future of the Bruson Building.
The four-story, 72,000-square-foot mixed-use office and retail building at 74th Street and 37th Avenue, has been undergoing extensive renovation since it was gutted by a five-alarm fire in April.
Now Jackson Heights residents are worried that the Bruson’s owner, the Joseph Bruno Trust, is planning to fill the first-floor retail spaces with fast food restaurants, large chains and banks when the renovations are complete some time next year.
“For the past several months, many members of the community have approached me about the kinds of tenants they’d like to see occupying the vacant spaces after renovations are done,” state Sen. Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst) said. “After speaking to some potential tenants and the building’s owner, I thought a town hall meeting would be the best way to exchange ideas.”
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, at the Jewish Center of Jackson Heights, at 37-06 77th St. U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Jackson Heights), state Assemblyman Michael DenDekker (D-East Elmhurst) and City Councilman Danny Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) are all expected to co-host the community discussion after they played prominent roles in helping businesses that were displaced.
Craig Bruno of the Joseph Bruno Trust was also expected to attend.
Queens Community House was forced to find space in numerous locations around the borough, while Plaza College reopened in Forest Hills with a ribbon-cutting in September. Frank’s Pharmacy reopened three blocks away in October.
Armondo’s, the beloved neighborhood Italian restaurant, is in the process of taking over Trieste, at 73-16 Northern Blvd.
“We’re repainting and remodeling with a new bar and dining room,” owner Jerry Crisci said. “We had to get a lot of new equipment for the kitchen and we’re racing to be open by the end of February, but it is a short month so we’ll have to be lucky.”
Meanwhile, the attention has turned to what types of businesses might take their place when the Bruson Building reopens.
“It is to everyone’s benefit that we achieve a good match between the community’s interests and needs and the goods and services available from the building’s occupants, especially given the Bruson’s location in the heart of Jackson Heights,” Peralta said.
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.
