ELMHURST — A beloved music bar and cafe will be forced to move by the end of the year — but fans are trying to keep it in the neighborhood, according to a petition.
Terraza 7 — which hosts local art and meetups as well as live music at 40-19 Gleane St. — had attracted nearly 900 signatures to the petition as of Tuesday morning.
"Terraza 7 needs your help finding a new home!" reads the petition, which explains that Freddy Castiblanco, who opened Terraza 7 in 2002, told supporters the lease on his space is up at the end of the year and he expects his rent will likely go up as much as four times what he already pays.
"Please sign this petition to demonstrate your support for one of Queens' most distinctive arts venues and let potential landlords know how much the community values Terraza 7," the petition continues.
Castiblanco did not immediately respond to a call or email seeking comment.
The building that houses Terraza 7, along with the Roosevelt Mini-Mall directly behind it, sold last May for $2.8 million, according to Department of Finance records.
The mortgage was then turned over to a new limited liability company, 84-02 Roosevelt Funding, Inc., which was created in January.
That company is traced back to WRA Properties, a Westchester-based company that specializes in the purchase and sale of large buildings and shopping centers, according to its website.
Calls to WRA Properties were not immediately returned.
Castiblanco has been an advocate for small businesses and has spoken out against the plan to expand the Jackson Heights BID, saying it will push local people out.
In 2014, the bar was briefly shuttered by the state for failing to pay more than $100,000 in workers' compensation insurance fines.