STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Say goodbye to Hylan Plaza.

The New Dorp shopping center is being prepared for demolition to make way for a new $180 million multi-level mall dubbed "The Boulevard."

But before the wrecking ball hits the site, city firefighters are using it to train some of New York's Bravest in rescue techniques.

According to an FDNY spokesman, local fire companies have used the location for multi-unit drills, which is something that happens in every borough every weekend.

The exercises include familiarization drills, tool usage and overhauling after a fire or collapse, among other things, he added.

"Every day, fire units train throughout the city ... park areas, waterways, sites of recent fires, just to name a few," said the spokesman. "This is not a site we are using long-term for any training. It's a location that was available for limited usage ahead of the demolition."

WORK TO BEGIN SOON

Demolition of a portion of Hylan Plaza will begin this fall when construction commences on The Boulevard. The 460,000-square-foot shopping center will be built in a multi-level "Main Street" format.

The section of the shopping center that formerly housed KMart, Toys R Us, Hylan Plaza movie theater and other retailers will be the first to be demolished, said Joshua Weinkranz, president, northeast region of the Kimco Realty, the project's developer.

The project has gotten all the necessary city approvals for work to begin, and construction should start next month, he said.

LEASES SIGNED

Anchoring the site will be a 50,000-square-foot ShopRite as well as Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, which will offer a 41,000-square-foot dine-in movie theater with about 1,000 seats and nine or 10 screens, according to Weinkrantz.

Other retailers that have signed leases to open in The Boulevard include Beauty Ulta, Marshalls, Modell's, Mandee's, GameStop, Party City, PetSmart and Chase.

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