A rendering of “The Shoppes at 36th” projected for a summer 2018 opening/CBRE
Aug. 11, 2017 By Nathaly Pesantez
The owners of the building that formerly housed Club Purlieu, the nightclub plagued with a violent history of shootings, robberies, and stabbings, are in the process of leasing out the space for multiple retail shops.
The 6,800 square-foot, one-story locale at 36-04 34th Street is turning into a retail space called “The Shoppes at 36th” that will hold five window-front shops, according to Jeremy Scholder and Dean Rosenzweig, brokers at CBRE who are managing the leasing.
Ideas for the former site of Club Purlieu included a single supermarket or variety store, or turning the property into a large community facility, Scholder said. Eventually, multiple shops were decided on.
“We wanted to bring something that the community will benefit from,” Rosenzweig said. “We wanted to provide the types of services that aren’t there today.”
Although the spaces have not been taken up by leasers yet, the brokers are in talks with interested parties who may bring coffee shops, restaurants, bars, and possibly a boutique fitness concept.
Rosenzweig and Scholder say the leasers will likely be small independent store owners, but large, national chains could be considered if it fits with the neighborhood’s needs.
“The ownership group are a couple of guys who understand what makes a community tick,” Scholder said. “They recognize that what was there before doesn’t resonate with the community.”
Based on the interest that the location is receiving, Scholder and Rosenzweig project that the five store fronts, averaging between 1,200 square-feet to 1,400 square-feet each, will be all leased out and ready to open in the summer of 2018.
According to building documents from February, BizDesigns is the Brooklyn-based architecture firm behind the design of the locale.
Club Purlieu closed down in 2016 after receiving hefty fines from the State Liquor Authority for multiple violations, along with backlash from the community after a long string of violent incidents, including the shooting of Robert Castillo, a cab driver, in the head after dropping passengers off at the club that year, and after three men were stabbed in the club in 2015.
36-04 36th Ave.
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7 Comments
If they had, as an example, a Payless and other 3 stores there instead of travelling to 34st for their clothes, that’d be great. Otherwise, it’ll be the rent that’ll make em head for the hills…
Another group of “Dollar Stores”?????
There hasn’t been a decent retail store in Astoria in more than 30 years. I used to buy nice children’s clothing, good quality shoes, fine men and women’s wear for day and evening, Bridal shops, etc. Now we have Euro trash boutiques that open and close every few months, discount stores that carry garbage from China and wherever , heart attack fast food joints ( filled with mothers and kids who eat there daily instead of at home ). How the Gap stays in business mystifies me . I go to NYC or shop online….like most of Astoria does. Steinway needs to wake up …. we don’t all dress like hookers.
Does this mean they will open more but smaller bars/lounges in this area?
A shame. We miss the strippers.
YAY! 😀
Great to put this space to productive use, business appears to be growing slowly but steadily on 36 Ave for the past few years.
With the influx of new condos and rentals, more retail will be a great compliment to the neighborhood.
Another one