Chong Hap Market is closed. All that outside space could be enclosed to create a space like the old Czech beer garden. Although of course the train noise might interrupt conversation, music etc. Probably someone is already plotting to build a new shopping mall or apartments. Is there a public right to know who owns which land, or an elected planning committee where the public can find out what's going on? Excuse my ignorance (I'm from London).
Yes, but it's sometimes useless. Here's what you do.
Enter an address into the BBL finder here:
http://webapps.nyc.gov:8084/CICS/fin1/find001IFor more details, then enter the block and lot into ACRIS:
http://a836-acris.nyc.gov/DS/DocumentSearch/BBLIf you're lucky, you'll get the financial documents transferring the property into the name of an individual or a recognizable corporation. But sometimes, you'll get documents showing that the ownership is a synthetic LLC like "73-01 37TH AVENUE ASSOCIATES LLC" which exists only to own the property and shield the actual owners' names. You would then have to go to the Corporations Department search at
http://www.dos.ny.gov/corps/bus_entity_search.html and try to dig up information on that corporation.
Now as regards my sample address (the Duane Reade on 73rd), we do get lucky, as we find it is owned by "WALGREEN CO," as you'd expect it to be. Have fun punching in other addresses and seeing what you find.
