The property that was once home to the former Redwood Diner in Baychester may soon be flipped into a bank and retail space.
Located at 4001 Baychester Ave., aka 1959 Strang Avenue, the 10,000 sq. foot site has been vacant for more than a decade. On Mach 8, Eric Palatnik, a lawyer for the developer, presented plans to the Community Board 12 Land Use Committee to renovate the area.
The site was grandfathered in for commercial use, but because it has been empty for so long that is no longer applicable. Therefore, the owner is pursuing a ULURP for commercial use.
The proposal calls for the construction of 3,610 sq. feet split between two tenants and 12 parking spots. So far, Bank of America has committed to being one of them. Palatnik said the developer is seeking a business for the other half of the building.
“It’s just an abandoned site,” Palatnik said. “It’s a relatively simple request.”
While this was just an initial conversation about the site, everyone seemed on board with the project.
“That’s been an eyesore for a lot of years,” said Land Use Chair Chair Karl Stricker. “We’ll be happy to see it vanish.”
