Queens lifestyle center ranked among city's best.

Since opening in April 2006, New York City's first-ever lifestyle retail center, The Shops at Atlas Park, has transformed the way residents work, shop and play in Queens. Now, with approximately 55 retailers, restaurants and office tenants, the shopping center has been named "Best Local Mall Experience" in New York Magazine's annual Best of New York issue.

Noted in the magazine for its "grassy elliptical center plaza" and "white, classical-inspired buildings," The Shops at Atlas Park, located within the former Atlas Terminals site at the intersection of Cooper Avenue and 80th Street, is the realization of Damon Hemmerdinger, owner and development director for Atlas Park.

"We have grown Atlas Park into a thriving outer-borough destination, from our unique collection of retailers, several of whom are now opening second stores at Atlas Park, to our wide range of restaurants," says Hemmerdinger.

"It is a tremendous honor to receive this distinction after just two short years."

The impressive roster of tenants at Atlas Park includes Borders, Regal Cinemas, Marmi, Aerosoles, Stein Mart, White HouselBlack Market, Gymboree, Jos. A. Bank, Coldwater Creek, Florsheim, Chico's, J. Jill, Laila Rowe, Blue Tulip, Claire's, Starbucks and New York Sports Club.

In addition to its brand name retailers, The Shops at Atlas Park has also attracted many local merchants including Stella Gialla, a women's clothing and accessories shop honored last year by Lucky Magazine as one of the city's best 100 boutiques, Crazy for Animals, an upscale pet accessories boutique and the first green pet boutique of any kind in New York City, [M.sup.12]Thirty One, a family-owned menswear boutique and Frankie's Playce, the only full-service toy store in Queens to incorporate children's haircutting.

Additionally, Atlas Park offers many options to entice its shoppers' palate, with national chains such as Johnny Rockets, California Pizza Kitchen, Chili's Bar & Grill and Cold Stone Creamery, as well as many flourishing local restaurants including Manor Oktoberfest, a casual German eatery serving up bratwurst, sauerbraten and a variety of German beers, the Zagat-praised Pasticcio offering authentic Italian cuisine from its new expanded operation in Queens and Shiro of Japan, a sushi-and teppanyaki-restaurant.

Over the next few months, Atlas Park will also become home to The UPS Store, Dance & Beyond and New York Sun Club Tanning.

"Atlas Park is intended to be the true town center for Central Queens," explains Hemmerdinger.

"We have a variety of tastes and price points in everything from clothing to food, so that morns and dads can come shopping here with their children, their best friend and even their in laws."