found article online at-
www.northeasttimes.com


Rhawnhurst learns the fate
of the Orleans movie theater

By Tom Waring
Times Staff Writer

Two attorneys and a developer promised Rhawnhurst residents that some positive changes are coming to an aging commercial location.
The highlight for the area near Bustleton and Bleigh avenues will be a new Target department store, with new homes for Pep Boys and PetSmart.
"These will be state-of-the-art buildings with state-of-the-art landscaping," said Peter Kelsen, an attorney at Blank Rome.
Kelsen, fellow attorney Thomas Chapman and Geoffrey Glazer, vice president for acquisitions and development at Kimco Realty Corporation, outlined the plans at last week’s Rhawnhurst Civic Association meeting.
The changes are taking place following the Labor Day closing of the venerable AMC Orleans Theater.
New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Kimco controls about four blocks of space in that area. The company plans to demolish the theater, Pep Boys and PetSmart, along with Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts and all vacant properties: a former ice cream parlor, Hollywood Bistro, Abe’s & Son Deli, Brooklyn Hot Bagels and Lee’s Hoagie House.
Pep Boys will stay in business until its new building is ready.
"They will relocate overnight," Glazer said.
PetSmart, now in a 30,000-square-foot building, will close for several months and reopen in a new 20,000-square-foot space.
Target will occupy 134,000 square feet.
The future of Jo-Ann Fabric is unclear. The store remains open but is looking for a new spot in the neighborhood.
Work will begin on the site by the end of the month. By next summer, Pep Boys and PetSmart should be open. The opening date for Target will be fall 2008.
The main entrance and exit for vehicles is expected to be at Bustleton Avenue and Vista Street. There will be plenty of new paving, landscaping, lighting, fencing and walls for buffers.
In all, the project will cost $20 million and will be union built.
"In a year, I think you’re going to have a brand new center you can be proud of," Kelsen said.
Sears, located across the street, will now have some serious competition for customers. The store, under Kimco’s management, will be getting an exterior facelift.
As for Target, the company has indicated that it will hire local residents for jobs during construction and after the store opens.
The crowd, which included state Reps. Mark Cohen (D-202nd dist.) and John Sabatina Jr. (D-174th dist.), expressed a variety of concerns.
Some folks wondered why the former JCPenney property at Castor and Cottman avenues remains vacant after almost five years. Glazer explained that the department store chain is continuing to pay the lease on the property.
Others asked about the lack of a bookstore in the Northeast. Glazer told residents that large bookstore chains aren’t looking to open too many new stores because of competition from Web sites such as www.amazon.com
The Kimco official added that Target would have a nice book section, along with a Starbucks coffee shop.
There were also questions about crime. Glazer said there would be outdoor security cameras to discourage criminals.
"The more vibrancy in an area, that usually brings safety," he said.
Right now — and even during the last few years when the Orleans struggled to attract customers — the huge parking lot is used mostly by people learning to drive and truckers resting for the night. Kimco will secure the lot before and during construction.
Residents complained that too many shopping carts are left throughout the neighborhood. Once the stores open, Glazer said, new technology will cause the wheels to lock on shopping carts if a customer attempts to push his or her goods off the lot.
It’s too early, he said, to know when Target trucks will be making deliveries and which route they’ll take. The company will appear at a future meeting.
Glazer said Kimco has had good dealings with the department store in other locations.
"Target’s been a straight shooter with the community," he said.
As for the possible addition of a traffic light at the northeast corner of Bustleton and Bleigh, the office of City Councilman Dan Savage (D-7th dist.) will work with the city to determine if one is needed.
Joe Mulvey, president of the civic association, described some of the abandoned properties as an "eyesore" and a "disaster." At this point, he sees no problem with the Kimco proposal, even if there is more traffic in the area.
"It’s a small price to pay," he said. "Rhawnhurst needs a shot in the arm."

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Very nice, I can't wait til next year.

wOW tHANKS FOR THE INFO. I hope Joanns does relocate I love that store. I am really into embroidery and was going to start learning to knit. I t would have been a real loss if they just vanished there is not many crafts stores around anymoere.

Thanks for that! I also hope Jo-Ann's stays around...great store!

Apparently, Jo-Anns is gone!! I drove down Bustleton yesterday, and it's empty...the only thing there now is the PepBoys!

I'm totally bummed!

the construction fences are up. It looks like they are getting started on the demolition of orleans.

hmm.. the first starbucks in the northeast!


i sincerely hope that joann's finds a new place. i'm sad to see them go :/

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Guess that means no Barnes and Nobel.

Neshimany Mall has a JoAnnes they have a nice store, Not sure if the one down here is going to relocate but I'll sure miss it. They had the nicest things for the holidays in there.

If the JoAnne's was a successful location, then there is no reason to believe that they wouldn't open a new one somewhere in the area. They only won't reopen nearby if that was a loser location for them.

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