ELMHURST — A portion of the parking lot of the Georgia Diner, which years ago was slated for a multiplex and mall, is again up for sale for $24 million.
The more than 47,000-square-foot lot on the corner of Justice and 55th avenues, a block from Queens Boulevard and across the street from the Queens Place mall, also has more than 200,000 square feet in development rights, according to the listing.
The lot, owned by the diner, is zoned for residential and commercial purposes, and a potential developer would have to build either a residential and/or community facility or use the existing approved plans, the listing said. It was not immediately clear what the approved plans are.
A manager at the restaurant, who declined to give his name, said the eatery occasionally lists the land to see what offers come in.
"It doesn't cost anything to list it," he said.
Calls to the listing agent were not immediately returned. It's not clear what would become of the space, but in 1999 there was talk of building both a multiplex theater and a shopping center on the lot.
The theater plans were similar to a proposal by the Mattone Group to build a multiplex on another parking lot nearby.
A decline in the multiplex industry curbed both theater plans, and the lots sat vacant for years.
The Mattone Group is now building three chain restaurants on its empty lot, a plan some in the community have tried to oppose.
