-=Update=-
A representative from the management company sent Batteryparkcity.com an email:
“As you may have seen, the former JJ Deli is once again going to be a deli of higher quality. They should be open in the next few months.”
Further questions about the name, types of food and whether or not it will be 24 hours are unconfirmed, but information will be forthcoming!
Thankfully it’s not a Duane Reade!
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Whenever I think of JJ’s deli, I’m brought back to 1989-1990 when in an undiagnosed ADD stupor, I left my clarinet at the candy section while waiting for the school bus — sadly, the clarinet was never found again.  A traumatic experience for me and a costly mistake for my parents who wanted to make sure I had no excuse to drop out of the school’s band. I digress.
On Monday, around 5pm — I received 3 emails within a 10 minute period from readers asking the same question:
“What’s going on with the old JJ’s Deli?”
As this site can only find its true potential through contribution — suggestions and questions included — I embarked on my first investigative report on behalf of our neighborhood and readers.
After taking some quick pictures of the permits on the door, I made my transformation into gumshoe.
First stop on the beat — Gatehouse. (I was hungry and it was dinner time). Friend and manager Joe had told me that he thought that JJ’s was turning into another 24 Hour deli or a 7-Eleven. He too hoped I would reveal the identity of Gatehouse’s impending neighbor. After dinner, I decided to dream of Slurpees on the esplanade, determined to try and find answers the next morning.
Yesterday, emails and calls were made immediately to the most logical source — the RY Management office.
A quick search through the NYC Department of Buildings site did not yield any information on what is to replace JJ’s. Information I did discern from the search was that the use of the location would not be changed and new refrigeration units would be installed. The construction company on the permit gave two names: Happy Garden Construction Corp. and Peter Plumbing Associates Inc.
Undergoing a search of the Happy Garden Construction Corp, I yielded an address of their last construction site on 7th avenue in Chelsea which included an area in which a Baskin Robbins/Dunkin Donuts combo was located. Since franchises almost always come in multiples (and a new location had opened at 88 Greenwich street), I felt this was a good direction.
Calls to Dunkin Donuts Corporate confirmed there were new locations scheduled for lower Manhattan, just not for 300 Albany Street. Additional calls to 7-Eleven Corporate Offices and Happy Garden Construction Corporation were not returned.
I did finally receive an email back from the property manager at RY Management. In his cordial email he said, “At this time, I can not release any information on this site, but once I am able to, I will let you know.”
At first I asked my computer screen, “Why not?” — then I realized that contracts might not be finalized, or any number of other reasons could be behind the secrecy.
I reached out to the readers who emailed me with the information so far, and will continue to update everyone as I learn more. One of those readers, Stephen, came up with a brilliant idea of what should happen with the now vacant location:
“Turn it into a 24 shop/cafe. During the day — have it setup for strollers and families of all sorts, serve ice cream, fro yo, etc — it will be an afterschool paradise… post 9PM — serve alcohol and light fare — believe me as one of them — the parents of BPC have nowhere close to go for a quick drink or meet-up AND buy milk… would do gangbusters… now i just need a million to get started! :)”
An all and all excellent idea in my book. Or an IHOP might be nice too!
If you should have any information — please share with the rest of us!
