ROTTERDAM Store, gas station closed again BY JAMES SCHLETT Gazette Reporter
For several years, the gasoline station and convenience store on Altamont Avenue near Hannaford Plaza stood vacant, earning it the reputation as Rotterdam’s largest eyesore. Then two years ago a former Schenectady fi refighter cleaned up the site and reopened it as a Citgo gas station and convenience store. “Citgo Is The Best Store Ever,” states a sign posted on the store’s main entrance window. “TRY THE FOOD HERE. IT ROCKS,” notes another. “CLOSED,” reads the third. The convenience store now sits empty with its gas pumps cordoned off, and the Citgo’s operator is attempting to liquidate the business in bankruptcy court in Albany. DiCocco Enterprises Friday fi led for Chapter 7 liquidation, citing $1.51 million in assets and $2.67 million in liabilities. DiCocco’s attorney, Richard Weiskopf, could not be reached for comment Friday. The filing came almost three years after the Schenectady County Industrial Development Agency approved a $25,000, five-year, nointerest loan for the Schenectady County Community Business Center, which passed the funding onto Anthony DiCocco and his DiCocco Enterprises. Between 1997 and 2005, the station had been vacant. Financial pressures from a gas leak cleanup forced the business’ prior owner, Charles Cintelli of Cintelli Enterprises, to close the station. It was once one of the busiest stations in the area. Although Rotterdam officials cheered DiCocco’s revival of the station, it got off to a bumpy start. Shortly after opening in March 2005, the state Department of Environmental Conservation leveled a series of violation charges against DiCocco Enterprises. The DEC alleged Dicocco Enterprises failed to register new petroleum bulk storage facilities prior to placing them into service. The station started receiving petroleum deliveries in February 2005. The tanks were not registered until two months later, according to the DEC. In May 2006, DiCocco signed a DEC consent agreement in which he agreed to pay $4,800 over the unregistered facility charge. An agency spokesman said that penalty has not been paid. For 2005 and 2006, DiCocco took in $3 million annually in gross income. But that figure had fallen to $1.2 million by this year, according to the Chapter 7 petition. In January, the New York Business Development Corp. initiated foreclosure on a $715,000 mortgage for the Altamont Avenue property. The development corporation is the leading secured creditor with a $965,000 claim, according to bankruptcy court documents. The bankruptcy petition notes DiCocco Enterprises leased the gas station and convenience store from Cinelli Enterprises in Flagier Beach, Fla.
I say knock the beast down and put up an Olive Garden or something like that. Being a gas station in that location is dated now. It's a bad location and there are more than enough gas stations around anyways. We need something a little upscale since that is the far end of Rotterdam that boarders on the city.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
It would be great if a restaurant that served good food at a reasonable price took over that location. We need something like that instead of gas stations, hair salons, nail salons, or a pizza parlor as we have enough of them already.
For several years, the gasoline station and convenience store on Altamont Avenue near Hannaford Plaza stood vacant, earning it the reputation as Rotterdam’s largest eyesore.
The Curry Road Plaza??
I'm no rocket scientist---
Quoted Text
leading secured creditor with a $965,000 claim,
For 2005 and 2006--$3 million annually in gross income
fallen to $1.2 million by this year
BTW---who is going to clean up this garbage heap now......the creditors?????
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
BTW---who is going to clean up this garbage heap now......the creditors?????
No, this is the old Kings gas station (I think that's what it was). It's the one across the road from the Friendly's that has access from Altamont Ave and the road behind it, if you're looking from the Wal-Mart parking lot, it's directly in front of you as you look from between the bank (and'or movie place) and Wal-Mart. It's directly to the right of the Valvoline Instant Oil Change up on the top of the hill. It used to have about 8 different sets of pumps before it closed the last time, and it's the one that has the sign out front that gas is to expensive, and that's essentially why they stopped selling it.
Guess EVERYTHING was too expensive for them to compete with the "big boys."
I was just referring to the writers classification of it being Rotterdams largest eye sore....as we all know the vacant curry road plaza made it to the history of Rotterdam book with pictures of the empty plaza in all it's present glory....although this will be remedied in the near future....as for the old cinellis gas station(when we were kids it looked like a circus/fair)....so now it sits-----AGAIN......
not to mention who ever owns the mobil now only looks in the register and never at the grounds----it appears that way.....if you keep garbage you will attract flys.....
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Did anyone screen this "clown" for financial solvency, a business plan or environmental compliance background?
If he thumbed his nose at the DEC who knows what else he may not have done to keep those tanks under regulatory compliance.
In my view the town elected offiicals are responsible to insure all merchants comply with basic business accumen. Or is this just another example of the community living with the ineptness of the good ol' boy network.
AFAIK, The soil was mitigated by DEC before Citgo/DiCocco went in there - they're setup for annual inspections by NYS. I also don't see any indication of them being financed/supported/helped by Metroplex (at this point)
AFAIK, The soil was mitigated by DEC before Citgo/DiCocco went in there - they're setup for annual inspections by NYS. I also don't see any indication of them being financed/supported/helped by Metroplex (at this point)
I don't know about Metroplex support, but the I believe the DEC info is correct.
Oh....the 'Runway' is open and they have all their trashy cigarette(I'm just saying that because there weren't beer ones) posters tacked to the telephone and light poles just so trashy like......after all that landscaping......hey, smokers dont need a sign,,,it is assumed that where there is gas there are smokes.....the owners of these conglomerates all rub elbows at the same tables....they know what the sheeple travel too......
they must remove their trashy advertising posters from the poles....although the 'tagging'(as it is so PC called) goes well with them......the mobil owner needs a fire up their butt too....the previous owners did a MUCH better job at keeping the site clean and up kept........
the hill will move in if the 'bar' is not kept up.......where is the code enforcer and strong arm of the rotory and other local organizations....there is teaching to be done......
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Logged
