By Alex Robinson
A storefront under construction that used to house Lucky Bell Store, at 42-09 Bell Blvd., has been sitting at a standstill since mid-November.
The city Department of Buildings issued a stop-work order Nov. 13 for workers not having the proper permits, according to the DOB website.
The DOB complaint said the appropriate permits for general construction were obtained and posted on the building, but workers were also pulling out floors and beams, which they did not have permits for. The violation was issued as “work does not conform to approved construction documents.”
Although rumors circulated the property was being developed as a CVS Pharmacy, the property’s managing agent said the building would actually be home to a GNC store.
State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) recently caught wind of the situation and sent a letter to DOB, calling for the agency to investigate the ongoing construction at the site.
“Given this report, I would appreciate your auditing of this location as soon as possible and sharing your findings with me,” Avella wrote to Derek Lee, the Queens DOB commissioner.
The project’s architect, Rajinder Wadhwa, said the stop-work order was not related to the GNC store, but to another project that was going on in the summer on the building’s first and second floors.
He said DOB did, however, want a special inspection of the electrical system and they are complying with their request.
“The stop-work order was from the previous tenant and they are resolving it,” he said. “They’re going to get a letter of resolution by Dec. 31.”
The building’s managing agent claimed the project’s contractor swore to him the stop-work order had already been lifted, but DOB said it was still in effect.
The current tenants, who are developing the space into the GNC store, signed a lease with the building’s owner about a month ago, said the managing agent, who declined to give his name.
The adjoining building is vacant and has no tenants at this point, the agent said.
Reach reporter Alex Robinson by e-mail at arobinson@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4566.
