The Belmont Steaks. (Google Maps)
July 12, 2019 By Laura Hanrahan
Glendale residents are once again sounding the alarm on the long-abandoned Belmont Steaks restaurant after locals began observing a resurgence of flies coming from the shuttered building.
One local resident took to social media over the weekend and posted a video on the Glendale Civic Association Facebook page of a concerning number of flies seen in the horse-racing themed restaurant’s boarded up windows. Other residents responded to the post stating that they had similarly observed the excessive number of flies in recent days.
This would not be the first time that the vacant restaurant, located at 79-11 Myrtle Ave., has had issues with pests. Last year, several reports were made of a severe fly infestation and foul odor, believed to be the result of rodents or other wildlife living on the property.
Two official complaints were filed last week about the flies, as well as an odor emanating from the property, the New York City Department of Health confirmed. An inspector was sent out to survey the site on Wednesday, but did not find any flies or an odor, according to the DOH.
The inspector did report, however, that there was trash and debris conducive to rats and other pests, but there was no sign of rat activity at the time.
The Belmont Steaks restaurant, which began operating in the late 90s, has been vacant for more than five years. With no apparent upkeep done on the property, the building has become a run-down eyesore in Glendale.
The property’s owner, listed as A. Trinchese Myrtle LLC, filed plans with the Department of Buildings back in November to build a three-story mixed-use project that would house a healthcare facility and retail store at ground level, along with eight residential units on the two upper floors.
However, the plans were denied by the DOB because the application was not complete.
A. Trinchese Myrtle LLC then put the property back on the market in March of this year for $1.6 million. A sale has not yet been made and the price has since dropped to $1.5 million, according to the property’s listing.
A. Trinchese Myrtle LLC did not respond to a request for comment.
