Jan. 8, 2018 By Tara Law
Liz Cleaners, a family-owned laundromat that has been in Forest Hills for nearly three decades, will close on Jan. 21.
The store, located at 107-06 Queens Blvd., is closing to make way for an eight-story mixed-used building that is planned for the site. A demolition permit for the property and several surrounding businesses, including the closed Caffe Biu Bella, was filed in Nov. 2016.
Plans for the new development have yet to be filed with the buildings department.
Liz Cleaners’ owner declined to give his name but said that he had learned early in 2017 that the property owner had decided to demolish the building.
He said that development was inevitable and that he knew that this would be his fate.
“Family owned businesses like mine are being forced out of the neighborhood,” he said.
He said that his customers are not happy and that many are concerned that the neighborhood is becoming like Long Island City, where small businesses struggle to keep up with rent.
The owner inherited the business from his parent who have retired.
The property is being developed by RJ Capital Holdings and a leasing brochure indicates the building will have ground floor retail and 7 floors of office space.
