Like me, most of you probably still think of the corner of 14th & Commercial in downtown  Astoria as home to Chris’ News.  Growing up, this was the hotspot for Archie Digests,  jigsaw puzzles for family holidays, and cigars for grandpa.  I had always assumed that Chris’ News had been there since the building’s inception, but come to find out this is not the case.  Prior to being Chris’ News the building was home to the Commodore Hotel, which first opened it’s doors in 1925.  Fast forward 83 years and The Commodore is preparing to re-open it’s doors once again.   As part of the ongoing Renaissance that’s embracing Astoria, the Commodore Hotel is being reinvented by local builder and craftsman Paul Caruana.  Known for his flare for combining traditional architecture with spaces designed to accomodate our modern lifestyles,  The Commodore will be no exception.  Geared towards the modern hip traveler,  the hotel will feature 19 unique rooms that blur the line between youth hostel and urban boutique hotel.  Many original details of the building will be stylishly recycled into the new design, insuring the approval of both Gen-Xer’s and adventurous Baby Boomers alike.  As of right now, the grand re-opening is slated for fall/winter 2008.  Look for more updates on the project at commodoreastoria.com.