Qualimax Car Wash & Lube


defunct brooklyn car wash






Rolling up to this once-vibrant car wash, I couldn't help but reminisce about the blunder from my last visit. Okay, so, note to self: never neglect the basics. My camera’s autofocus was off and, embarrassingly enough, my photos turned out blurrier than the city's morning haze. You'd think after all this time behind the lens, I'd catch something so obvious during a review. But hey, even seasoned shooters have off days, right? After a short hiatus from photography, I probably was a tad rusty. This time around, I made doubly sure I got it right.






The site, a casualty of fire damage, lay exposed, its innards spilling out for all to see. An odd mishmash of household clutter and heavy-duty waste was thrown about as if the place had held a garage sale for discarded items. The scene hinted at the handiwork of unscrupulous contractors using this dilapidated garage as their personal landfill. In its heyday, the lube bay was buzzing with activity, with workers navigating beneath a sea of vehicle underbellies tainted with city grime.









Beyond the clutter, what caught my attention was the graveyard of cars left behind, each bearing the signs of life on the hectic Utica Avenue strip. Marked by graffiti and seemingly abandoned, I speculated these vehicles must have been stuck in a limbo of unpaid invoices. It felt like an open-air museum of New York City's vehicular past. Meanwhile, tucked away near the train line, street mechanics worked in the shadows, saving overhead costs by ditching brick and motor formalities. I've spotted their kind around NYC, often hovering near automotive suppliers such as AutoZone, Pep Boys, and O'Reilly Auto Parts, or just a few blocks away from licensed mechanic shops.


Speaking of car care, it’s staggering to think about the scale at which New York operates. Just picture this: NYC's streets are swarming with taxis, cabs, and personal vehicles, and only about 100-200 car washes cater to them. Surprisingly, less than 10% of these establishments have union backing. It's not just about hosing down cars, you see. The city mandates that you possess a Car Wash License to operate one. But here's the catch: You can bypass this license if car cleaning isn't your main gig or if you run a DIY wash station. Red tape, always keeping things interesting.







Diving deeper into its history, this lot has seen its share of change. From its inception as the Sinclair Auto Repairing joint in the 1940s to the Qualimax Car Wash with its faded grand opening special advertisement, the place has witnessed the ebb and flow of the city's dynamics. However, its current state tells a darker story. Open violations by the Department of Buildings, a sordid history of crime, and the aftermath of a devastating fire leave more questions than answers. And with the real estate market boiling over, who knows what the next chapter holds for this 4,200 sq. ft. space?







Now, there's a twist to this narrative. This isn't just another abandoned property in the city. In 2013, the walls of this establishment witnessed a chilling armed robbery. By 2018, a fire had consumed a significant portion, demanding the presence of a small army of firefighters. Today, with its doors sealed and wrapped up in green boards, its future seems as uncertain as its ownership. Buried under an LLC's cloak, Qualimax's real proprietors remain elusive. But there's a silver lining: locals have dreams for this space. For Pastor Gil Monrose, it's more than just a rundown car wash. He envisions it as a haven, a community center where kids can find solace and safety. "I don’t know who owns it," Pastor Monrose once mused, "But I know who can."


While the future remains uncertain, one thing's for sure: diving deep into NYC's public records, especially the DOB website, can test the patience of even the most diligent. It's a labyrinth of never-ending traffic, much like the city itself. But for now, the Qualimax story remains a puzzle – waiting for the next piece to fall into place.









Sources: 

1. News 12 Staff, "Fire breaks out at car wash in East Flatbush", January 13, 2018, News12Brooklyn

2. Nadal, Emily, "Trash into Treasure: A Vision for an East Flatbush Dumping Ground", November 16, 2020, Bklyner

3. Nadal, Emily, "From Dump to Dream", November 16, 2020, NYCITY NewsService








#abandonnyc
#abandonednyc
#abandonedny
#abandonedbrooklyn
#abandonedcarwash
#newyorkabandoned


Location: 1437 Utica Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Historic Killingly Ballouville Mill

Image
  As I recall that April day in 2018, the memory unfolds with the vividness of a carefully preserved photograph. The sky, a vast expanse of unyielding blue, served as the perfect backdrop for our excursion. J and I, driven by curiosity and a keen sense of adventure, stood at the threshold of the historic Ballouville Mill in Killingly, Connecticut. This relic of a bygone industrial era was nestled imposingly between two homes as if guarding the secrets of its storied past. Our entry into the mill was less an act of intrusion and more a gentle push through time's veil. An opening – not quite a door, nor a window – beckoned us into the heart of a forgotten world. Inside, the mill presented itself as a cathedral of industry, now silent and solemn. Wooden beams and columns, like the ribs of a great leviathan, stretched upwards, supporting the weight of history and time. The machinery, once the pulsing heart of this place, had long since ceased their hum of productivity. In their absence
Read more

Doorway on the Passaic River

Image
In the realm of industrial history along the Passaic River in Northern New Jersey lies a captivating tale of an oil company's struggle for survival against the evolving landscape of progress. Amidst the modernization of Route 21 in the 1950s, the Riverbank Petroleum Company later renamed to Northern New Jersey Oil Company stood as a fierce opponent to the development. Their existence pivoted on the river's access, a lifeline for their business. Relinquishing it meant demise, so they fiercely contested the eminent domain battles. Ultimately, a compromise was reached: a tunnel beneath McCarter Highway, enabling oil transportation without disrupting the flow of the newly expanded route. Riverbank Petroleum Company Wharf had its last recorded shipment of under 2,000 tons of fuel oils in 1997. Time has seen the oil company fade into history, leaving behind an abandoned, flooded tunnel. However, a peculiar sight remains – a doorway, a relic from the past, etched onto the side of Rou
Read more

Abandoned Factory Z (Northeastern, USA)

Image
Update : A full research write-up of International Silver Company's former Factory H boiler house .  This abandoned northeastern factory sits in the back of a quiet residential street surrounded by nature. Next to this two-story building remains another abandoned medical complex boarded up to the gills. Stay tuned for upcoming flicks. Getting into this building was quite hard. We hopped a perimeter fence in the middle of the morning just before a police car was sitting taking a quiet break or making their due diligence check on the property. This property is down the road at a current asbestos abatement medical hospital by the local town/state agency. Once on the property, it offers a mix of old machinery and pipework from this little factory which was probably much larger before residential developers took over. In addition, the building was free of graffiti and its brick-walled facade still looked like the day it was constructed. The only giveaway is the wide-open away roof
Read more

Sun, Sand, and Secrets: The Untold Stories of Neponsit Beach Hospital

Image
  While delving into the historical aspects of this place has been extensively covered by reputable news media, I humbly defer to their expertise. To explore its storied history and its significance as a safe haven for LGBTQ+ Riis beachgoers, please refer to the source material linked below. Neponsit Beach Hospital, also known as Neponsit Beach Hospital for Children, Neponsit Hospital, and  Neponsit Children's Hospital, Neponsit Beach Hospital, once a tuberculosis sanatorium, holds a rich history. Originally dedicated to children's treatment, it later served veterans during World War II. Located in Queens, New York, adjacent to Jacob Riis Park, it transformed into the Neponsit Home for the Aged and later the Neponsit Health Care Center. Discover its fascinating journey in the annals of healthcare, linked to the Belle Harbor district and cherished by the LGBTQ+ community at Riis Beach. The Past Comprising three buildings, two of which face the beach, Neponsit Beach Hospital boas
Read more

Rockaway Metal Products Corporation

Image
Rockaway Metals Products (RMP) began as a sheet metal fabrication factory beginning in 1961. RMP occupied the site from 1971 to 1987 leaving a plethora of hazardous waste materials onsite. From 1990 to 2004 the building housed various tenants which even included an auto repair shop. Rockaway Metals a manufacturer of filing cabinets and other metal products closed down in 1987. It was leased a few years ago to different owners who did not manage the 4.85-acre parcel. The 155,000-square-foot building has long been an eyesore and trouble in the neighborhood since its closure. A coastal storm in March 2018 blew debris materials to adjacent properties. Rockaway Metals was acquired by Nassau County in 1995 by tax deed. The county has held onto the property for 22-plus years. In February 2011, the site was damaged by fire and condemned soon thereafter. For more in-depth legal ownership of the property, you can read more below in the source list under U.S. v. 175 INWOOD ASSOCIATES LLP.
Read more