Cherry Hill Gourmet Market

The Cherry Hill Gourmet Market is a 19,000 square foot Russian themed specialty grocery and deli located on the corner of Emmons Avenue and Ocean Avenue on the water in Sheepshead Bay which is the principal establishment occupying the former Lundy's Restaurant in what is now called Lundy's Landing Shopping Plaza, which also houses Momoyama Japanese Restaurant and Masal Turkish Cafe on the first floor, and professional offices on the upper floors.. The historic Lundy Brothers Restaurant operated from 1934 to 1979, and again from 1995 to 2007. Opened by Russian born fruit and vegetable produce entrepreneur David Isaev in May 2009, the creation of the market put an end to attempts to revive Lundy's. The facade of the landmark Lundy's building remains the same.^[1] The market and other businesses located within the landmark Lundy's structure remain embroiled in legal controversy due to ongoing violations in of zoning laws created to protect Lundy's.

Community Opposition to The Market, Violations in Zoning Laws

The Lundy's Building underwent a seven million dollar renovation in order to be saved and reopened. Broooklynite neighborhood traditionalists have continued to attempt to force the new businesses out of the historic site. Community opposition centers on previous inclusion of the Lundy's building into a special maritime zoning district enacted in the 1970s to promote water-related commercial and recreational development. The Cherry Hill Gourmet Market also features tables for dinner, serves fish salad and a dozen kinds of smoked fish and caviar. However as such it is not primarily or exclusively a grocery store, and theoretically not permitted under the special zoning designation imposed on the historical Lundy's building, according to the New York City Department of Buildings. Mr. Isaev is involved in ongoing negotiations to legalize the market, and keep its roughly 100 workers employed. Isaev was hit with fines related to violation of the zoning laws, settled the fines with the New York City Landmarks Commission, and is now pursuing zoning changes which would legalize his and other businesses now housed within the Lundy's structure which are out of zoning compliance, which remain in operation despite being in technical violation of still legal and enforceable community zoning laws enacted to protect the Lundy's structure.

As part of a community settlement, Isaev, who removed the brass lettering 'Lundy Bros' and 'FWIL' for Lundy's founder Frederick William Irving Lundy from several arched doorways, restored the brass lettering to their original positions, and placed a large screen around large refrigeration units behind the market on the parking lot to settle landmark commission objections. The Lundy's building, which was a garbage-strewn decaying structure going to ruin when Mr. Isaev acquired it, is today a popular Brooklyn shopping spot for the Russian emigre communities situated in Sheepshead Bay, and nearby Manhattan Beach and Brighton Beach. In opening his establishment and later pursuing changing in the zoning laws applying to Lundy's, Isaev maintained he was unaware nor informed of all the complicated landmark designations and zoning requirements applying to the site when he signed his lease and opened a community business in good faith.^[2]

Hurricane Sandy Floods Lundy's Building, Destroys All Food and Produce

In November 2012, Hurricane Sandy forced the waters of Sheepshead Bay to overflow, resulting in tons of spoiled food at the Cherry Hill market. During the post-hurricane cleanup the food was discarded, but the Lundy's Building otherwise survived.^[3]

References

Coordinates: 40°35′02″N 73°56′57″W / 40.583808°N 73.949127°W / 40.583808; -73.949127