End of the line for Ogdensburg (NY)'s Park Plaza

[mikey7290]

The former Park Plaza (later renamed Ames Plaza, now Aldi Plaza) in Ogdensburg, NY is completely vacant, other than the Aldi store which is freestanding and company-owned.  I took some pics this morning of the stores in the plaza and will post them here from time to time.  

Here is the front of the old Kmart, located at the plaza's far left end and open here from 1976 until it moved in 1990.  From 1972-1976, this store was a Grants.

[mikey7290]

Here's a closeup of where the sign used to be.  You might even be able to make out the Kmart and/or Grants labelscar.

[store215]

great pics. u got any more?

[mikey7290]

Originally posted by MBZ321
great pics. u got any more?

Sure!  I have a couple more of the old Kmart plus I took at least one pic of every store in that shopping center.  I am emailing them to the administrator of the site and he said that he will help me post them here.

[mikey7290]

Originally posted by mikey7290

Originally posted by MBZ321
great pics. u got any more?

Sure!  I have a couple more of the old Kmart plus I took at least one pic of every store in that shopping center.  I am emailing them to the administrator of the site and he said that he will help me post them here.

Were you looking for just those of the old Kmart or other stores in the plaza, too?

[Ameskid]

I'd like to see some new dead retail pictures!  Maybe you could send it to DeadMalls.Com.....was it a shopping cebter (almost no small shops) or a mall?

[mikey7290]

Originally posted by Ameskid
I'd like to see some new dead retail pictures!  Maybe you could send it to DeadMalls.Com.....was it a shopping cebter (almost no small shops) or a mall?

Yes, it was a shopping center.  It had eight stores.  Five were chains (Grants/Kmart, Acme/Chicago Market/Super Duper/Jubilee Foods, Fay's Drugs, Loblaws/Great American, and Ames).  Two were local (Sholette's Steak House & Milia's Shoes) and the last was a bank (Ogdensburg Trust Company/Oneida National Bank/Norstar Bank/Fleet Bank).  I may try and send these pics to deadmalls.com.  Thank you so much for the advice!:D

[mikey7290]

Hi everyone, I just read in my local paper this morning about the Park Plaza in Ogdensburg NY (you may remember I posted pics of the old Kmart there and there was an old Ames in that plaza too).  Anyway, the article says that complete demolition of the plaza will begin by the end of the month.  There's a snow fence already around the old Ames store, so I guess that's going first.  The plaza's been completely empty for the last decade and is beyond repair.  Rumor has it that once the land is cleared, they're going to build a new Super Wal-Mart on the site.  It is a shame to see the plaza go, though. :( Maybe I can get pics of the demolition and post them here.

[beachgal26]

That shopping center really looks as though it has seen better days!  It is too bad that the only use for it is to tear down everything and put up a Wal-Mart (like we really need another one....).

It would be great to see the demolition pics and to see if you can get inside the old Ames/Grants/K-Mart and see if you can get any relics.

:yup:

[mikey7290]

Originally posted by mikey7290
Hi everyone, I just read in my local paper this morning about the Park Plaza in Ogdensburg NY (you may remember I posted pics of the old Kmart there and there was an old Ames in that plaza too).  Anyway, the article says that complete demolition of the plaza will begin by the end of the month.  There's a snow fence already around the old Ames store, so I guess that's going first.  The plaza's been completely empty for the last decade and is beyond repair.  Rumor has it that once the land is cleared, they're going to build a new Super Wal-Mart on the site.  It is a shame to see the plaza go, though. :( Maybe I can get pics of the demolition and post them here.

Well guys, it appears as though the old Park Plaza may not be coming down after all.  The city owned it, but lost it due to back taxes.  It was sold at a tax auction and the snow fence around the former Ames store is pulled down.   I don't know what's going to happen now :huh: -- hopefully not another ten years of decay.  :no:

[mikey7290]

Here's the latest on the abandoned Park Plaza in Ogdensburg, NY.  According to today's (6/9/08) newspaper, the City of Ogdensburg is considering taking the owner of the plaza to court over its demolition.  Back in March, the owner promised city officials that he would have the entire plaza demolished by April 30.  However, it's now June and no work has even started yet.  According to the article, the plaza is "so damaged, decayed or deteriorated that it cannot be economically restored" and that "the northeast corner of the former Kmart section of the building continues to separate, the northern wall of the former Ames section of the building is beginning to detach from the roof, which is in danger of imminent collapse and interior walls are leaning and buckling."  Demolition costs are estimated at $450,000, with the owner responsible for an additional 10% inspection fee plus a $100 penalty for each code violation.  I will keep you all updated as this continues.

[mikey7290]

The City of Ogdensburg, NY is expecting the trial for Park Plaza owner P. J. Simao to take place in city court this coming April.  The city is taking Simao to court to try and get a court order to force him to tear down the shopping center.  The plaza has been completely vacant since Jubilee Foods, the last tenant, went out of business in 1995.  Since that time, the building has been boarded up, windows have been broken, the roof has caved in, and walls are falling down.  The parking lot is also full of very deep potholes.

[mikey7290]

P. J. Simao, owner of the Park Plaza in Ogdensburg has submitted plans to the city planning board.  He plans to demolish the long-vacant shopping center and replace it with a Tractor Supply store.  That means the end of a plaza which once housed such well-known retailers as Grants (later Kmart), Acme (later Chicago Markets, Super Duper, then Jubilee Foods), Fay's Drugs, Loblaws (later Great American) and Ames, plus 2 local businesses and a bank.  No word on when the demolition will happen, but I will try to get pics if possible.

[mikey7290]

Originally posted by mikey7290
Hi everyone, I just read in my local paper this morning about the Park Plaza in Ogdensburg NY (you may remember I posted pics of the old Kmart there and there was an old Ames in that plaza too).  Anyway, the article says that complete demolition of the plaza will begin by the end of the month.  There's a snow fence already around the old Ames store, so I guess that's going first.  The plaza's been completely empty for the last decade and is beyond repair.  Rumor has it that once the land is cleared, they're going to build a new Super Wal-Mart on the site.  It is a shame to see the plaza go, though. :( Maybe I can get pics of the demolition and post them here.

As promised, I did get some great pics of the demolition of the Park Plaza in Ogdensburg, NY this afternoon.  The former Ames, Great American, Jubilee Foods and Kmart have all had their doors and windows removed.  The former Sholette's Steak House, Milia's Shoes and Fleet Bank have had their entire front walls torn down.  I even got a couple of videos that run about a minute or two.  I would be happy to post them if you are interested.

[jmcnamara96]

yes please post them

[mikey7290]

Here are some of the Park Plaza demolition pics I promised.  These were taken yesterday (Dec. 2).  Starting from the right end of the plaza, here is the store that I think might be most important to most of you here on the Ames Fan Club...the old Ames store!  This first pic is of the entire front of the store.

[mikey7290]

A closer shot of the front...the doors used to be right under the sign.

[mikey7290]

More close-ups of the main entrance.

[mikey7290]

[mikey7290]

As you can see here on the back wall, the walls were not painted over after Ames closed.  The red stripe is still clearly visible.

[mikey7290]

Plus, an added bonus!  The white letter "A" that adorned the walls of Ames stores (along with the red stripe) during the late 80's and early 90's (before they changed from red and white to green and yellow).

[mikey7290]

Since there are so many pics, I will move on to another store in my next posts.  Hard to believe that in a matter of months, this will all be replaced by a Tractor Supply store (at least where the old Ames now stands).

[gu4ever]

Originally posted by mikey7290
As you can see here on the back wall, the walls were not painted over after Ames closed.  The red stripe is still clearly visible.

Those pictures of Ames are fantastic!!

[mikey7290]

Originally posted by gu4ever

Originally posted by mikey7290
As you can see here on the back wall, the walls were not painted over after Ames closed.  The red stripe is still clearly visible.

Those pictures of Ames are fantastic!!

Thank you very much!:D

[jmcnamara96]

Nice pic sad sight tho

[GothicPrincess]

great pics :)

[jmcnamara96]

try rd the kmart logo were letters apreared

[mikey7290]

Here are three pics of the old Great American being demolished.  It was located next to Ames and was a Loblaws from 1971-76, then Great American from 1976-92.

[mikey7290]

[mikey7290]