When Hostess Brands broke the news that it would be shuttering its 130-year-old Wonder Bread factory in downtown Jamaica, some community members mourned the loss of a neighborhood icon, hundreds of workers feared for their jobs and developers and local politicians began salivating at the opportunity to take over 100,000 square feet in the middle of a potential commercial and transit hub. The area has access to several mass transit lines, including the AirTrain to John F. Kennedy International Airport. And there are a number of national retail chains and restaurants already settled along Jamaica and Hillside avenues. According to Crain’s, Hostess says it hasn’t yet begun thinking about unloading the facility, but will start the sale process after closing the factory Jan. 7. According to Carlisle Towery, president of the Greater Jamaica Development Corp., that “presents a tremendous opportunity.” [Crain’s]