Truck Traffic, Road Repair and Drug Counseling, Major Topics at CB 5

By Eric Yun

Truck traffic, unpaved roads and the proposal to open a drug-counseling center in Ridgewood were major topics discussed at last Wednesday’s Community Board 5 meeting.

During the public session of the meeting, Maspeth resident Peter Seymour complained about trucks on Melvina Place. Trucks travel through the street as a shortcut to get back to- wards Grand and Flushing avenues, and the roads simply can’t accommodate them.

Trucks find it difficult to make the turn from Melvina Place to 56th Drive, causing bottlenecks and crushed sidewalk curbs. Residents are hoping that Melvina Place can be converted to a one-way street southbound to help solve the traffic problems.

The issue on Melvina Place is part of the much larger issue of how and where trucks should be allowed to operate in Maspeth. For almost ten years, community activists have been fighting for the Maspeth Bypass Plan to keep trucks away from the community’s residential areas. The neighborhood’s main strip, Grand Avenue, faces a daily barrage of truck traffic on a daily basis.

Vincent Arcuri, chairman of CB 5, reported that many streets were being repaved, particularly in Middle Village, but the process was taking longer than expected. The streets have been milled but remain unpaved. Arcuri theorized that Verizon could be laying fiber optic cables holding up the process.

Board member Lorraine Sciulli commented that cars were speeding down the unpaved
streets creating hazards by kicking up rocks and debris, and drivers who know about the status of the street who slow down are at risk of being rear-ended. She suggested the city Department of Transportation at least erect rough road warnings for drivers until the work is finished.

At last month’s CB 5 meeting, JNS Counseling Services gave a presentation for their proposal to open an outpatient counseling service on 752 Onderdonk Avenue in Ridgewood. There were concerns if the community would see an increase in crime. In response, the board’s Health Committee contacted Brooklyn’s Community Board 15 and was told that there was no increase in crime and JNS runs a good program.

The board, which acts as an advisory board, approved the proposal.

The community board also discussed making Glendale’s I.S. 119 a K-8 facility. Community Education Council 24 and the Department of Education Portfolio Planning department will meet with the residents at I.S. 119 on November 22 about the plan.

Members of Transportation Alternatives asked the board to support their quest to hold the MTA and state legislators accountable for mass transit funding. They also asked the board to endorse the groups Rider’s Bill of Rights. The board didn’t take any action yet on the requests.

Finally, re-elected Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven) and Senator Joe Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) thanked residents for their support and promised to continue the hard work in Albany.

Cooper Ave Underpass Project Expected to Begin in 2011

DOT Might Reverse 74th Street Traffic Flow

By Conor Greene

The Cooper Avenue underpass reconstruction project is expected to move forward early next year and will likely include reversing the traffic flow along part of 74th Street, according to the local community board.

Gary Giordano, district manager at Community Board 5, said recently that construction of the Cooper Avenue underpass has been pushed back from its expected start in September, likely to early 2011. Despite the delay, he expects the project to move forward eventually.

“We have every indication to believe the funding is secure,” said Giordano, adding that the project is expected to cost about $6 million. The project includes replacing the deteriorating panels above the retaining wall, which will also be shored up, according to Giordano. New sidewalks and curbing will be installed along Cooper Avenue from the vicinity of 74th Street to 79th Street.

However, nothing is planned regarding the two stairways, one of which has been closed off to pedestrians, added Giordano. He wasn’t sure if the city Department of Transportation is planning to install guardrails along the north side of Cooper Avenue, as the board requested “to better protect pedestrians, especially the school children, since its downhill and traffic moves much too quick there,” said Giordano.

“We’re the ones who originated the request for this project, and have been advocating for this project,” said Giordano. The city DOT didn’t respond to a message seeking additional information on the planned work.

As part of the project, the DOT is considering reversing the flow of traffic along 74th Street, which is currently one-way south, according to Giordano. “The DOT looked at various traffic situations there, and in doing that, they determined they would like 74th Street to become a one-way north, at least between 78th Avenue and Edsall Avenue,” he said. “I think their reasoning is that people are making left turns from Cooper Avenue onto 74th Street southbound, and they thought it would be safer to prohibit that.”

The change in traffic flow will impact parents and school buses dropping children at IS 119, noted Giordano. He said school officials weren’t “necessarily opposed to the idea of changing the direction of 74th Street.”

The DOT is also planning to add a bike lane in each direction and possibly widen the sidewalks, reducing the width of the traffic lanes, said Giordano. “That is not an easy mix [to accommodate] because our streets are pretty narrow,” he said.

State Delays Reservoir Redevelopment

Parks Explains Need to Cut Down 65 Trees for Phase One

By Conor Greene

While the city Parks Department is prepared to move forward with its phase one redevelopment of Ridgewood Reservoir, it appears that the second phase - which will determine the future use of the property - is on hold as the state decides whether the land should be designated a wetland.

As has been reported, the state Department of Environmental Conservation is currently investigating whether to classify the property on the Queens-Brooklyn border, which contains three basins, as wetlands. Doing so would complicate the Parks Department’s proposed plans for the site, which range from keeping it entirely natural to building ball fields in one of the basins.

“The determination to regulate an area is based on its characteristics and functions as a wetland,” wrote DEC spokesman Thomas Panzone. “In the years since the reservoir was decommissioned, the basins, or part of the basins, have developed some wetland characteristics such as seasonally or permanently wet areas and wetland-dependant vegetation.”

Panzone added that the agency’s investigation comes as a result of a request to map the reservoir as a wetland. That request was made by the public through local elected officials, according to activists that have been lobbying for the site to be kept in its natural state.

Those activists, including David Quintana of Ozone Park, were surprised to learn this week that Parks plans to cut down 65 trees as part of phase one. That aspect of the project, estimated at $7.6 million, includes new lighting and fencing along the perimeter of the basins and better handicap accessibility.

Parks says that, of the 65 trees, nine are dead and the remaining 56 are invasive species, have weak root systems or are compromising existing infrastructure. Three are being removed to create the ADA path. A parks spokeswoman added that “all of our plans for phase one were approved by all the appropriate agencies, and we will continue working with them as we move forward to develop this site.”

Quintana and others who attended a recent Queens Civic Congress meeting on parks say they were also surprised by comments made by borough Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski regarding the potential wetlands designation. According to several in attendance, she suggested the site might not qualify for wetland designation because the basins are not large enough individually, and would have to be connected to meet the size standards.

The DEC said that while wetland designation is normally based on size, “under certain circumstances other factors can be considered.”

There was also talk the DEC might instead classify the site a dam, which could require stripping the basins of vegetation, according to several attendees. The DEC noted that, while the Ridgewood Reservoir system contains a dam, it “can be managed in a number of reasonable ways.” Panzone added, “DEC is not aware of any proposal for stripping the basins and has not issued any such order.”

When asked about Lewandowski’s comments that the DEC is looking at it as a dam, the Parks spokeswoman responded, “That is not what the commissioner said and there is no discussion or plans of stripping the basins. As mentioned in the [prior] statement, the conditions on the site are being reviewed.”

Parks had been set to present three options for phase two to local community boards earlier this year, but that was delayed by the possible DEC intervention and wetland classification. Those pushing for the site to remain natural say they are hopeful the state’s involvement will prevent the city from building ball fields on the property.

“I think DEC is going to stall them, and that should be a long process,” said Quintana.

Steven Fiedler, who attended the meeting as a member of the Juniper Park Civic Association, said there is another complicating factor aside from the potential wetland investigation. He says there are two 46-inch pipes on Seneca Avenue and Vermont Place that the DEC wants sealed before any phase two work moves forward.

“That’s a huge undertaking that sets phase two back,” said Fiedler, who also chairs Community Board 5’s Parks Committee. “In my opinion, you are not going to see it for five years.”

Gary Giordano, district manager of CB 5, echoed the sentiment that state involvement is a good thing. “Whatever the technicalities of classification are, speaking for myself, and I think for some board members too, I’m hopeful that with the state DEC being involved, there is more of a likelihood that the reservoir basins will remain in very much a natural state,” he said.

Giordano added that he doesn’t expect to see any phase two plans in the near future. “I don’t think they are going to show anything, even to the community boards, until [the DEC investigation is complete] because one of the options may be an issue with DEC if it is to put ball fields in one of the basins,” he said. “I would think that certainly would be an issue with DEC. Sometimes more is less, and I don’t think anyone on our board wants to see those ball fields in the basins.”

A number of elected officials have thrown their support behind keeping the site dedicated for passive recreation, including Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven).

“It’s a positive thing to keep the basin as wetlands,” he said in a statement. “My colleagues and I are doing our part to prevent development of the reservoir. Here in Queens, unpaved and undeveloped land is becoming increasingly hard to find, which is why it is important to protect these beautiful areas we still have left.

City: Decision to Close Playschools is Final

Addabbo, Parents, Still Pushing for Answers

By Conor Greene

Worried that time is running out as the summer quickly approaches, a group of parents and young students showed up at last week’s community board meeting to seek help in their fight to keep city run playschools, including Dry Harbor in Glendale, open.

However, while the parents said they were relieved to hear that the Parks Department, which runs the playschools, has finally agreed to meet with state Senator Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) about possible solutions, a Parks spokeswoman said Wednesday that the decision has been finalized.

“These five Parks programs in Queens, serving a total of approximately 75 children, are permanently discontinued and will not be reopened,” said the spokeswoman. “The services are duplicated by other facilities in the same area, and parents affected by the measure have the option of enrolling their children at these public and private high-quality centers.” She didn’t say how much will be saved.

Last week Community Board 5 member Brian Dooley, who is also president of the Glendale Property Owners Association, asked his fellow residents to join the effort to save the program, which provides an educational program for children ages three and four in a building at the Dry Harbor Playground, and other locations across the city.

“We all need to group together as a community to try to keep this school open,” said Dooley, who attended the program as youngster. “It was a great place to go when I was a kid, and it’s still a great place to go. It’s hitting us at a hard time.”

After Dooley spoke, several parents – joined by several dozen children who attend the program – stressed that the program is invaluable.

“It’s a wonderful program and it’s an important program,” said Charles Suffel, who has been leading the charge to gain the support of elected officials and convince Parks to reverse course. “This is about education, about kids having a place to go that’s safe, clean and progressive.”

Suffel said the parents have tried to work with Parks officials, to no avail. “We’re trying to find a middle ground with Parks,” he told the audience at last week’s CB 5 meeting. “We’ve asked for options, but we’ve gotten none. We don’t want to be the crazy people on the steps [of City Hall], but what more can we do? They won’t talk to us about how to keep it open.”

Tara Norvez has had six children attend the school, which costs $1,300 for a four-day week and is slated to close this summer, but fears her youngest child won’t have that same chance. “I really feel like the middle class in this city is really getting squeezed out,” she said. “This program has been doing more with less for 30 years... This is an academic program that surpasses Universal Pre-K in many areas” and costs roughly half as much as private programs, she added.

One of the Norvez children to graduate, Aiden, spoke about the impact it had on him nine years ago. “One of the things [our teacher] taught us is that we have to stand up when we see something wrong,” he said. “We know closing Dry Harbor is wrong. It would be a real shame if next year’s kids were deprived of this opportunity.”

Addabbo said Wednesday that his initial meeting with Parks has been postponed, but he plans to continue the fight to keep the school open at Dry Harbor in some form, despite Parks’ latest statement on the decision.

“It is still my intention to have a meeting just to go over what the options are for the parents, possibly under a different structure if we’ve exhausted all the possibilities for Dry Harbor Playschool as we know it,” he said. “I’m working on this meeting so parents are afforded the opportunity to know what their options are for the preschool as it exists now or in the future under a different form.”

Ridgewood Church Listed for Sale

By Conor Greene

The 103-year-old United Presbyterian Church of Ridgewood was recently placed on the market, leaving preservationists and residents are concerned about its future.

Adjacent properties at 62-54 and 62-56 60th Place is currently listed with Massey Knakal for $1.8 million. According to the company, the combined properties include a 12,868-square foot church building and a two-story single-family home. The site has about 127 feet of frontage on 60th Place and “could be utilized ei- ther as part of the community facility or re-developed as a residential rental or condo/co-op project.”

The two combined lots have about 23,721 feet of buildable square feet for residential uses and approximately 35,142 buildable square feet for community use. “The entire property may be delivered vacant upon closing, making it ideal for a user, investor or developer,” the listing notes.

According to the Lost City blog, which posted an entry on the listing, the congregation dates back to 1862, when the First Presbyterian Church of East Willibamsburgh met in a little wooden church on the property. The existing building is in the Renaissance-style and features stained glass windows made in France. It was dedicated on May 22, 1910, with a congregation of 500 plus 750 Sunday school pupils.

The United Presbyterian Church of Ridgewood was formed after merging in October 1993 with the St. James United Presbyterian Church.

Word of the real estate listing led to a flurry of e-mails between resident Christina Wilkinson and Community Board 5. Some light was shed on the situation when Ridgewood civic leader and CB 5 member Paul Kerzner wrote that he has been aware of this listing for the past month or so.

“I have been working with the pastor since early last fall to put together a plan to build senior housing on the site, while preserving the edifice and an interior chapel for this church,” wrote Kerzner. “I’ll know by the end of May whether we were successful.”

Bid for JVP Dog Run Hits Dead End

By Conor Greene

The push for a dog run in Juniper Valley Park has hit a road block after three proposed locations there were rejected by a Community Board 5 subcommittee. With no viable locations having been identified within the Middle Village area, the board has suggested the new Elmhurst Park as a possibility.

At last week’s CB 5 meeting, Dog Run Subcommittee Chairwoman Kathy Masi reported that the three proposed locations in Juniper Valley Park – near the area along 80th Street and Dry Harbor Road dedicated for passive recreation, between the soccer field and track in the western portion of the park, and behind the roller hockey bleachers – had been rejected earlier this month.

“Basically, we had opposition from all over the place, including residents, community groups and civic associations,” said Masi of local reaction during a December visit to the sites, an event she called “one of the worst experiences” she has had during her years of community involvement. “It was just not a nice situation – I was embarrassed by the behavior of all sides,” she added.

The community board eventually voted to send a letter to Community Board 4 about the possibility of setting aside space in Elmhurst Park, which is under construction at the former gas tanks site on Grand Avenue near 74th Street. Part of the thinking behind that idea is since the land is still “in the process of being dug up,” it would be easier to construct on there, said Masi.

On Tuesday, CB 4 District Manager Richard Italiano said he hasn’t received the request yet and would have to run it by his full board before commenting. A spokeswoman for the City Parks Department said the agency is open to considering proposals for dog runs provided a committed group agrees to maintain the area and a funding source is identified to fund creation and upkeep of the facility. “Once these precursors are in place, Parks can consider the feasibility” of a specific site such as Elmhurst Park.

Still, the idea of using space within the six-acre Elmhurst Park didn’t set well with some board members including Manny Caruana. “I can’t believe we would choose to put dogs where we put people. There isn’t room for both there,” he said. An informal straw poll of the board showed that about two dozen members, or roughly half the group, were in favor in general of having a dog run in CB 5.

In an interview Tuesday, Masi stressed that the letter to CB 4 is merely a suggestion. “From what I got, it didn’t look like they had open arms, and that’s okay,” she said. “I wouldn’t want to impose something on someone, so if they don’t want it, fine.”

There are other issues to hammer out on top of finding a suitable location, including a plan for funding both construction and ongoing maintenance of the dog run, according to Masi. “Looking for a dog run [location] was a little premature,” she said. “Part of this is my fault; I assumed they knew what they were doing.” She has since provided the group with information on forming a nonprofit organization, but in her view “nobody’s done anything else expect come to meetings and say they want a dog run.”

Masi also said that the group advocating for the dog run has shrunk considerably after members found out that installing a dog run would mean the end of off-leash hour privileges in Juniper Valley Park. Currently, dog owners can allow their pets to run free in the park during certain early-morning and late-night hours.

For a location to be deemed appropriate, it would likely have to be in an out-of-the-way area not near homes. Masi said that while some advocate have pointed to the run in Forest Park as a possible model, she found that area to be “disgusting” during several visits there. “I would never advocate to have that situation in Juniper Valley Park,” she said. “Of every run I’ve looked at, the really nice ones have private funding.”

At this point, it appears the push for a dog run has hit a dead end, unless the dog run group can come up with a funding plan and an appropriate location is agreed upon. “I’m willing to see this to the end, but I’m not sure where the end will lead,” said Masi. “We’ll wait to hear from CB 4, and then decide what the next step will be. Hopefully by the next meeting we will have something to discuss and the dog run people will have their ducks in order.

Board Backs Metropolitan Ave School Plan

By Conor Greene

The city’s plans to build a 600-seat school at the former Rite Aid site on Metropolitan Avenue was overwhelmingly backed by Community Board 5 members at last week’s meeting, albeit with some specific requests.

Despite backing the project, some members of the advisory board were unhappy with the lack of specific details provided by the city Department of Education. “We really didn’t see any plans at all for the site… so I’m giving this recommendation kind of blind in many respects,” said Walter Sanchez, chair of the board’s Land Use Committee. However, “I really don’t feel the board should object to a school there,” he added.

Under the current plans, the city School Construction Authority would build a new K-5school serving 600 students in hopes of easing overcrowding in District 24, which is home to the city’s most overcrowded schools. Three board members – Manny Caruana, Sylvia Knappi and Chairman Vincent Arcuri voted against the proposal.

Among the board’s stipulations are that a 16 foot wide driveway be built around the perimeter of the school, which would replace the vacant pharmacy on the site, to prevent buses from causing traffic backups along Metropolitan Avenue. “We believe it is vital that provisions be made for providing space within the property exterior,” wrote CB 5 District Manager Gary Giordano in a letter sent recently to the SCA.

The board is also requesting that the school be zoned so that it draws from neighborhood children currently attending PS 153 and PS 71, which are both currently overcrowded.

“Unfortunately, presentations to our board lacked specifics related to youth demographics in the area, and the specifics of overcrowding in nearby schools, justifying the need for this multi-million dollar project,” wrote Giordano. “Our inquires indicate that the overcrowding at nearby PS 153 impacts approximately 300 children, and that PS 71 in Ridgewood, while not as overcrowded, may be able to have a library and gym if this new primary school is build.”

The city has already agreed to Community Education Council 24’s request that the facility be built so that it can be converted to a K-8 building in the future if needed. The board has asked that an “appropriate size” gym be included in the final plans.

Sanchez also noted at last week’s CB 5 meeting that he would like the board to be presented with detailed drawings so that members can provide additional input.

Following the vote, Arcuri said he voted against the plan because “once again, SCA and DOE have failed to present demographics to prove the need for this school and to show where students would be coming from. That should be the first presentation by DOE,” he said. “We have down-zoned most of our district, yet we continue to come up with more classrooms.”

In response, board member Dan Creighton said he think “we owe it to our children to have schools that are the proper size” and include amenities such as a proper size gym and science labs.

There was also the feeling that it doesn’t matter in the end what board members and the community say to the city. “The point is, they don’t really care about the community board’s opinion one way or another,” said Vernon McDermott. “They feel they can put it through with or without us.”

Maspeth Demands Immediate Steps to Reduce Truck Traffic

Crowley Calls for Change to Through Route Designation

By Conor Greene

Sick and tired of heavy truck traffic along Grand Avenue, elected officials and community leaders came out in force last week to demand that the city take action to prevent large vehicles from using local roads instead of nearby expressways.

The long-awaited Maspeth Truck Bypass Plan is still being studied by the city Department of Transportation, which expects to unveil several route options to the public in September. In the meantime, a group of officials led by Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) is requesting that changes be made to the through-truck routes that currently run along Grand and Flushing avenues into Brooklyn.

Currently, the through route becomes local truck routes once the avenues enter Brooklyn, meaning vehicles can currently exit the Long Island Expressway and cut through Maspeth to reach their destinations. Crowley wants the DOT to change the through route designation to a local route, forcing truckers to stay on the expressway until they reach their destination.

“For far too long the DOT has ignored the traffic problems in Maspeth... and has allowed trucks to use [the neighborhood] as a dumping ground,” said Crowley during last Friday’s press conference at the intersection of Flushing and Grand avenues. “Why is Maspeth the only location in the city where the DOT allows a through route to terminate at a borough boundary?”

Crowley notes it would only require a “simple adjustment” to change the route designation and alleviate the strain on local roads, and says the change could be implemented within days or weeks. “What we’re asking for is something so simple… It’s not fair for people to be using Grand Avenue to get to Brooklyn,” she said.

Joining the councilwoman at the event were officials including Rep. Joseph Crowley, Rep. Anthony Weiner, Senator Joe Addabbo, Assemblywoman Marge Markey, Jim O’ Kane of the Maspeth Chamber of Commerce, Gary Giordano of Community Board 5, Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, and members of the Juniper Park Civic Association, which has been pushing for the Bypass for years.

A city DOT spokesman wouldn’t say whether the agency will change the route designation, and didn’t provide an update on the status of the bypass plan study. “We are studying the concept of a local truck route as we move ahead with the ongoing Maspeth Bypass study and discussions with the community,” said Scott Gastel in a statement.

Crowley spoke with Queens Commissioner Maura McCarthy before Friday’s rally, but the councilwoman’s office refused to provide details of that conversation.

After more than a decade of waiting for action to reduce the amount of trucks rumbling through the neighborhood’s commercial center, residents and officials say they are running out of patience with the DOT.

Robert Holden of the JPCA said the problem became much worse with the closing of the Staten Island landfill ten years ago, at which time community activist Frank Principe and Maspeth business owner Tony Nunziato began devising the bypass plan. “Here we are in 2010 talking about the same thing,” he lamented. “We’ve done so many studies, yet the DOT is not listening. Our patience has run out – we need something done right now.”

“It has sat on many a desk for too long,” said Nunziato of the bypass plan.

Assemblywoman Marge Markey, who has represented Maspeth since 1998, said the truck traffic negatively impact the local quality of life in numerous ways, including by adding to air pollution, creating hazardous conditions for pedestrians and clogging up roads for local drivers. “In these tough economic times, it is important that we do everything we can to help neighborhood businesses survive,” she said.

When asked why elected officials have yet to be able to get the truck bypass plan implemented, she laid the blame with the city. “It’s just that the DOT is working at a very slow pace. I think it’s a real embarrassment for that agency,” she responded.

Jim O’ Kane of the Maspeth Chamber of Commerce said the trucks have a huge impact on the many senior citizens living and shopping in the area. “They are intimidated by this truck traffic while crossing the street,” he said.

After the official press conference ended, members of the JPCA including Holden, Nunziato, Manny Caruana and Lorraine Sciulli called out several of the politicians whom they say only attended for a “photo op” after dragging their feet on the issue for a decade.

“Frankly, I’m surprised a couple of the elected officials dared show their faces,” said Holden, specifically mentioning Markey, Joe Crowley and Anthony Weiner. “Marge Markey never mentioned Tony Nunziato, who thought of the plan. What’s happened since 1999? Zero. She can’t even get trucks off the main street of her own town.”

Lydon Sleeper, chief of staff for Councilwoman Crowley, interjected several times that holding the second conference “is not right.”

“Had they done their jobs for ten years, this would have been done,” said Sciulli. “These elected officials didn’t do their job for ten years.”

Vision for St. Saviour's Parkland is Unveiled

By Conor Greene

While funding for the project is still up in the air, the Newtown Historical Society has unveiled its vision for public parkland at the former St. Saviour’s Site in Maspeth.

Based on input from area residents, Christina Wilkinson of the historical society has created a rendering for the 57th Road property, which currently sits vacant. “I met with the residents who live around the site, and they listed amenities they would like in the proposed park,” she said at last month’s Community Board 5 meeting.

Among the items suggested are a wrought iron fence around the property perimeter, a landscaped hill featuring a statue and flag poll, walking paths and benches, open space, restrooms, a children’s playground, gardens and flowers and trees, especially along the Rust Street side to buffer the greenspace from noise and pollution from passing trucks.

However, due to questions regarding funding for the property acquisition, the plan remains up in the air. The city Parks Department agreed last year to buy the land if local officials can come up the funds needed for acquisition, and the owner is asking for about $10 million for the property.

Wilkinson was hoping that the state’s Environmental Protection Fund would be the key to securing funding for the land, but that is in jeopardy due to the state’s budget deficit. In a letter to Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) last month, State Parks Commissioner Carol Ash said the governor’s current plan to close the budget gap would result in suspension of the property acquisition program.

“Governor Paterson has proposed a budget that will place an indefinite moratorium on land acquisition under EPF, starting in the state fiscal year commencing April 1,” wrote Ash in a February letter to Crowley. “If the budget is enacted by the state legislature accordingly, State Parks’ land acquisition activities will be put on hiatus.”

There has since been a push to restore the funding for land acquisition, with local State Assembly members including Marge Markey (D-Maspeth) and Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven) signing on to a letter being circulated by Robert Sweeny (D-Lindenhurst), who chairs the Assembly Environmental Protection Committee.

The city has refused to release the results of a recent appraisal conducted of the property, according to Wilkinson. However, according to the city Department of Finance, the two lots that create the square-block site have a market value of about $2.5 million, and the owner purchased the site for about $6 million in 2005.

The property was home to a historic 1847 until it was set to be demolished to make way for residential development. Local preservationists, including members of the Juniper Park Civic Association were given permission to dismantle the structure so that it can eventually be rebuilt on land in Middle Village. While the development plans never panned out, the site – which is zoned for manufacturing uses - was recently cleared and leveled for construction.

“It really would be a travesty to see this site developed, because it is historic,” said Wilkinson at the community board meeting.

Hearing Planned on New Maspeth School

PS 873 to be Housed in IS 73 Annex

By Conor Greene

The city has scheduled a public hearing on the recently-unveiled plan to open a new K-5 school on the IS 73 property in Maspeth.

Under the plan, a new school called PS 873 will open in an existing annex building adjacent to IS 73. It would be a zoned elementary school starting in 2010-2011, when it opens to about 50 to 75 kindergarteners. It would phase one new grade in per year until it tops out in 2015-2016 with between 270 and 350 students in grades K-5.

Education officials say the plan is feasible due to a “steadily decreasing” enrollment at IS 73 in recent years. It enrolls students in both 6th and 7th grades since it is fed by both K-5 and K-6 schools in the area. However, two of IS 73’s feeder schools – PS 49 and PS 102 are being expanded to K-8, contributing to the enrollment decline.

According to the DOE, IS 72’s current 7th grade class has just 590 students, compared with 715 students in 8th grade. Currently, IS 73’s 6th graders are housed in the annex building eyed for PS 873, but the DOE estimates that the space will be freed up for the new school as a result of the smaller 7th and 8th grade classes.

The DOE projects a combined enrollment for PS 873 and IS 73 of approximately 1,650 students in 2010-2011, well below the buildings’ capacity of 1,979. Of those students, between 270 and 350 students would be enrolled in the new PS 873. The change is intended to address the need to relieve elementary school overcrowding throughout District 24, according to the DOE.

The public hearing is set for April 14 at 7 p.m. inside IS 73, located at 70-02 54th Avenue. Comments can also be submitted by e-mailing d24proposals@schools.nyc.gov or by calling (718) 935-4198. Speaker signup begins 30 minutes before the start of the public hearing and will close 15 minutes into the session.

There will be no question and answer period at the public hearing, so for additional details on the proposal contact Natalie Ondiak of the DOE’s Office of Portfolio Planning at (212) 374-3482.

City Reverses Course and Removes Eliot Ave Meters

By Conor Greene

Members of the 75th Street Block Association were successful in their push to have the city remove seven parking meters recently installed along Eliot Avenue.

Without warning, the city Department of Transportation installed the meters on the north side of Eliot Avenue between Lutheran Avenue and 74th Street in Middle Village last November. The decision made the spots virtually useless to 75th Street residents, who used to park there when their dead-end block was full.

After residents appealed to Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) and Community Board 5, DOT crews removed the meters late last week, according to block association members Frank Toomey, Mike White and Dmytro Fedkowskyj.

“We’re reasonable people, and when you drive by and see empty meters all the time, you wonder why they’re there,” said White, adding that he is not surprised the DOT agreed to remove them, considering they weren’t generating much revenue. “Nobody was parking there,” he added. “That’s seven additional spots, and it doesn’t sound like a lot, but seven spots is seven spots.”

The residents have now turned their attention to four meters on the south side of the avenue they say are also unnecessary. There are three additional meters near Phillies Pizza that White said make sense to have, but the four closer to Lutheran Avenue that aren’t in front of businesses should be removed in his view.

One result of the new meters, according to residents, was spillover of drivers searching for spots in front of homes on nearby residential blocks such as 74th Street. “Our densely populated neighborhood got back some free parking spots that mean a great deal to the neighborhood,” said Fedkowskyj, who thanked Crowley, Community Board 5 District Manager Gary Giordano and the block association for their efforts. “More importantly, this action sends a message to city officials that we’re watching what you do within our community,” added Fedkowskyj.

“It was unreasonable to have parking meters in an area that is mostly residential,” said Crowley. “That is why I asked the [DOT] to review this area and they understood our po- sition and acted accordingly.”

A DOT spokeswoman said the meters were installed after a survey was conducted at the request of a local business. She confirmed that the meters on the south side of the avenue will remain, while, those on the north side were removed to restore general parking. The DOT refused to reveal to either Crowley or The Forum which business had submitted the request for meters.

City Entering Final Study Stages of Maspeth Truck Bypass Plan

Routes to Presented to Community in September

By Conor Greene

The city is moving forward with the long-anticipated and much-needed Maspeth Bypass Plan, which would reroute trucks off Grand Avenue and away from the neighborhood’s main shopping district. At an information session this week, officials vowed to have a return to the community in September with concrete proposals for the route. However, after years of waiting, that timeframe isn’t soon enough for some community leaders.

The Department of Transportation has hired a consultant to study specific engineering questions and issues that arose during the 2007 study conducted on the plan, according to Queens Borough Commissioner Maura McCarthy. The consultant and DOT will continue gathering data over the next three months so that proposed routes can be brought back to the community for approval later this year, she added.

“Tonight is about give and take with the community,” she said at Tuesday’s meeting in Martin Luther High School. The DOT will then return with proposals so “the community to decide what the best way to move forward is.” The route suggested by residents several years ago, which would force trucks to use 58th Street after exiting the expressway, will definitely be one of the proposals, said McCarthy. Other potential routes would be developed by the consultant over the next couple of months.

However, Maspeth businessman Tony Nunziato said the city has taken too long to implement the plan. He pushed for the timetable to be moved, something McCarthy said was unlikely. “It’s embarrassing. We’re talking year after year,” said Nunziato. “It’s really unacceptable… I really believe this has to be moved up… We know what the community wants. I’m not waiting another year. We have to address this.”

Robert Holden of the Juniper Park Civic Association said the DOT promised several years ago to at least install signs urging truck drivers to follow the proposed route as an interim measure until the bypass plan could be implemented. Although money was set aside for those signs, they were never erected, according to Holden. He vowed to organize a rally and block traffic along Grand Avenue if the plan is further delayed.

Throughout the session, which featured large poster boards showing the study area and route proposed by the community instead of a formal presentation, McCarthy sought to look forward instead of dwelling on the past delays. “I can’t speak to the past, I can only tell you where we are now,” she said several times. “I’m totally empathetic to the community’s feelings, but I can’t go backwards, only forward.”

She refused to say whether the timeframe has become unacceptably long, and chalked the delays up to the amount of time it took to hire the new consultant to complete the engineering study. “That’s a long wait… but we’re in a position now where we have a consultant on board and are nearing the end of data collection.”

McCarthy also refused to estimate how long it will take to implement the plan after a final route is chosen later this year, noting that it depends on what type of infrastructure work is needed. “If I was a community member I would be pretty annoyed also,” she conceded. “The community is right, they’ve been promised this for a number of years.”

The plan can’t be implemented soon enough for the Maspeth Chamber of Commerce, whose leaders say truck emissions is having a negative impact on the local shopping area. “When the large trucks go up Grand Avenue, they emit black smoke that contains carbon, and people shopping are breathing this in,” said chamber President Jim O’ Kane.

Past chamber president Maryanna Zero noted that it’s an older community, and many of the senior citizens face dangerous conditions while crossing the avenue. “People are upset by it – they don’t like it,” she said of the overwhelming truck traffic. She added that the noise and fumes associated with the truck traffic has made it tougher to rent second floor apartment space and makes it impossible to leave windows open on summer days. “I think it’s a good start, but you will definitely need enforcement,” she said of the plan.

As a businessman, Nunziato understands the importance of moving goods by truck and says the idea isn’t to stifle that industry. “We’re not here to hurt the truck drivers – they have to make money,” he said. “We just need to let them know which route to take.”

Several local elected officials released statements this week reiteriating the importance of quickly implementing the plan.

“The Maspeth truck bypass is an important project that the community has been waiting on for far too long,” said Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village). “It’s time for the [DOT] to move forward with this project to drastically improve the flow of traffic for this overburdened area.”

Assemblywoman Marge Markey (D-Maspeth) said she has been pushing this issue since the late Frank Principe, who was a civil engineer, helped create a proposal on behalf of Community Board 5.

“A decade of pressure and lobbying by elected officials and community leaders is finally getting us results,” said Markey. “At long last, there is a sucessful end in sight to a decade of frustration about the city’s failure to implement a solution to the longstanding concerns about truck traffic through residential and retail areas of Maspeth.”

Residents Get Help in Fight Against Rail Operations

Legislation Restricting Idling Pending on State Level

By Conor Greene

Glendale residents are getting some support from elected officials in their fight for changes to the way rail companies conduct business in residential neighborhoods, as legislation is being considered on the state level to help maintain the local quality of life.

Assemblyman Michael Miller (D-Woodhaven) is working on having legislation written to address the residents’ concerns, which came to light last year through the efforts of Glendale neighbors Mary Parisen and Mary Arnold. According to a spokesman for Miller, there are two main points being considered for the legislation: a ten minute maximum idling time and mandating the use of cleaner fuels.

A third approach – banning the idling of locomotives within a certain distance of homes – also hasn’t been taken of the table, according to the assemblyman’s office. The bill, which would be based in part on similar legislation in Long Island, will be sponsored by Senator Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) in the Senate.

"I understand people want to sleep at night and I understand that railroads need to run their business," said Miller. "We need to learn to co-exist. Working together we can find a way to defend our quality of life without disrupting business...This legislation won't solve every issue over night, but it is the first step toward a bigger solution."

News of the impending legislation came from Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi (D-Forest Hills), who updated residents at last week’s Community Board 5 meeting. “This is a tough issue – I’ll be real candid with you,” said Hevesi, adding that there tends to be a lot of finger pointing between agencies at different levels of government. “There is a gap in the regulations” which the new legislation would work to address. The good news, he said, is the tracks are owned by the MTA, which is at least “somewhat responsive to the state,” especially compared with other companies and agencies.

“What’s happening now is just inappropriate and shouldn’t be happening,” concluded Hevesi, promising to report back to the residents and board in several months.

Addabbo later described visiting one of the affected residents at 5 a.m. on a recent day to hear first hand the sounds coming from the rail yard, which is located along Otto Avenue. “It’s important for me to hear first hand the nuisance these residents are dealing with on a regular basis,” he said.

During the public portion of CB 5’s meeting, several residents spoke of the impact the rail yard has on their quality of life. Anthony Pedalino of 69th Place said the fumes and noise have become “unbearable” especially in the morning. He added that locomotives have idled outside his house on recent mornings from 5:15 to 5:45 and then again from 6:50 to 8:00. “We really need to keep the pressure on,” he said.

Parisen, who along with Arnold founded the group Civics United for Railroad Environmental Solutions (CURES), reported that a series of five meetings dealing with specific rail-related issues and involving elected officials is planned. The first is scheduled for January 28 in Borough Hall and will focus on the transfer and transport of solid waste.

Parks to Solicit Phase One Reservoir Bids

Phase Two Plans to be Unveiled Next Month

The city Parks Department is expected to solicit bids for phase one of the planned improvements at Ridgewood Reservoir in the coming months, but didn’t make any major changes to the plan after hearing from officials at a recent meeting.

According to a statement released by Parks last week, phase one is expected to go out to bid within the next three months. Work in that phase includes replacing existing perimeter fencing around the reservoir’s three basins and upgrading lighting and pathways.

While no changes to the plan were made after a meeting held several weeks ago at the Borough Presidents office, the plan was previously altered in response to input from various local elected officials, according to Parks. Changes include preserving a stairway on the north side, facing access panels to lights away from the walkway and increasing fence height at areas where there are dangerous conditions on the other side.

However, other ideas reportedly raised at the recent Borough Cabinet meeting that have been rejected by Parks include raising the height of the perimeter fencing from four feet to six feet and preserving some of the 19th-century gates that are part of the decommissioned reservoir’s history.

The entire project, which might include filling in at least one of the reservoir’s three basins for construction of ball fields, is being funded by a $26 million budget allocation. The first phase is expected to cost between $7 million and $8 million, and Parks is currently “consulting sister agencies and the state regarding the three conceptual design plans… to ensure there are no regulatory issues with any of the ideas proposed for the site due to its history as a reservoir,” the spokeswoman wrote in a statement.

The three plans – one dedicated to passive recreation, one for active recreation and one combining the two options - are expected to be presented to the community at the end of February or in early March, according to Parks.

Waste Management Ripped for Lack of Updates on Transfer Station Plans

By Conor Greene

Unhappy with the lack of updates from Waste Management regarding the company’s plans for a new transfer station on Review Avenue, the chairman of Community Board 5’s Sanitation Committee ripped the company during last week’s meeting.

Waste Management is planning to expand its transfer station on Review Avenue in Long Island City to allow it to increase the amount of trash it receives each day. However, the plan would require the company to place the trash on trucks and transport it about two miles to the rail yard on Rust Street in Maspeth. There, it would be loaded into rail cars to be shipped out of the area.

While the plan would allow Waste Management to sharply reduce the amount of miles trash is driven through city streets, it would require the approximately 1.5 mile trip from Review Avenue to Rust Street, a plan that has been met with strong opposition. Instead, residents and officials are pushing the company to either construct a rail spur on its property so the trash can be loaded directly onto train cars there or to purchase another nearby property and use the Newtown Creek to barge the trash from the area.

At last week’s CB 5 meeting, Sanitation Committee Chairman Paul Kerzner took an unorthodox approach to providing his update: frustrated with the lack of details from Waste Management, he simply read aloud an e-mail exchange between him and a company official. The official responded to his request for an update with a short messages informing him that Waste Management is “actively researching potential options” that would avoid trucking the trash to the rail yard.

In response, Kerzner wrote that the update was “just a bit skimpy for five months,” referring to the amount of time that has elapsed since he requested a status update. He added that he is “truly disappointed with Waste Management’s work product.” The company only said in response to that message that research is still ongoing and that a timetable will be provided once it is available, according to Kerzner.

In a statement to The Forum, a Waste Management spokeswoman said the company has formed a technical team that is studying potential solutions to concerns raised by the community. “It would be premature to speculate or comment further until our research is completed,” wrote Rachel Amar. “We will report back to CB5 as soon as we have concrete results. Waste Management will consult with the community before taking any action.”

Kerzner later told The Forum that he was prompted to call the company onto the carpet since months have passed since CB 5 overwhelmingly voted in favor of a resolution rejecting the company’s current plan and requesting that other alternatives be explored.

“It has been several months since this motion was made, and I think the board should have a status report,” he said. “I’m waiting for them to produce some results and I’ll be happy to hear what other proposals they have… I’m waiting and so is everyone else.”

Board Pushes for Changes to City's Plan for Opening of Metro Ave HS Campus

Community Board 5 has overwhelmingly voted in favor of three resolutions to be submitted to the city Department of Education seeking changes to the current plan for the opening of the new Metropolitan Avenue High School in Forest Hills.

At its meeting last Wednesday, the full board voted in favor of the three resolutions that are seeking: a greater share of the high school seats for students in District 24 (the facility will be shared with District 28); a second tier be created so that PS 91 students have the option of enrolling there if the district’s allotment isn’t filled by students from PS/IS 87 and PS/IS 113, which have first chance at the seats; and that the school be opened up to both 9th and 10th graders in its first year, instead of just freshman as currently planned.

The Metropolitan Avenue Campus, slated to open this fall, includes a 1,000 seat high school that will be split between District 24 and District 28. It also includes a second building serving students in sixth through 12th grades that is dedicated solely for District 28. Currently, District 24 students will occupy half of the 1,000-seat high school, or just 500 or the 1,400 total high school seats within the two schools. Instead, CB 5 is requesting that 700 seats be set aside for District 24 so it gets its fair share of class space.

The second resolution was the result of concerns that if 125 seats in each grade level were not filled by PS/IS 87 and 113 students, they would then be opened up to students throughout the entire district and borough. The board is seeking insurance that the seats will remain open to Glendale students who attend PS 91 until 6th grade and IS 119 through 8th grade graduation.

The third resolution is being pushed by the board due to the current classroom overcrowding crisis the borough is facing, especially at the high school level. The DOE argues that opening the school up one grade at a time – meaning it will only be filled to 25 percent capacity this fall – is the best way to set the school up for success. However, board members agreed that argument is trumped by the dire need to immediately provide more seats for students throughout Queens.

The only board member voting against the three resolutions was Chairman Vincent Arcuri, who had pushed for the three requests to be contained within a single resolution. The DOE did not respond last week to a request for comment on the board’s requests.

Officials Want More Metro Ave HS Seats for Glendale Students

By Conor Greene

As the Metropolitan Avenue school complex gets closer to its anticipated opening this fall, the battle over who gets to occupy the building is continuing with officials pushing for more seats for students in the Glendale area.

On Monday, members of Community Board 5’s Education Committee agreed to present three resolutions to the full board regarding the new complex, with features a 1,000 seat high school to be shared between District 24 and District 28, along with a 1,000seat 6-12 school dedicated solely for District 28.

The three resolutions call for 200 additional seats in the high school for students in District 24 so the two districts would more evenly split the total number of new high school seats. It also asks that a “second tier” be created so that priority shifts to students in PS 91’s zone if the 125 seats in each grade level currently assigned to District 24 aren’t filled from students in the PS/IS 87 and PS/IS 113 areas. The third resolution asks that the high school be opened to both ninth and tenth graders in its first year, instead of just freshmen as proposed.

The resolutions were expected to be voted on by the full CB 5 membership at its monthly meeting this past Wednesday. Check next week’s Forum West for an update on the vote.

In December, Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) wrote to Schools Chancellor Joel Klein asking that a secondary zone be created limited to District 24 students to ensure the area doesn’t lose part of its 125 seat allocation. “The people of Glendale and Middle Village are in dire need of high school options and those families just outside the local zone should be given preference… before the school opens up to the rest of Queens,” she wrote.

Two weeks later, Crowley wrote to Klein to request that “immediate action” is taken to alleviate “dire overcrowding” in District 24. She proposed that the new Maspeth High School, which won’t be ready until 2012, be opened up in the available space at the Metropolitan Avenue complex, since that facility won’t be filled to capacity for several years. Once the Maspeth High School is complete, the students, teachers and administrators would simply move to the new building.

“As I understand, the [DOE] plans to incrementally ‘grow’ the two new schools located on the Metropolitan Avenue Complex,” wrote Crowley. “During the first years these schools are open the building will be at approximately 25% capacity. I believe we can take immediate action to alleviate the overcrowding of Queens high schools without sacrificing the level of education… If we act now to put together a school leadership team and have the administration for the Maspeth High School to start teaching children as early as the fall of this year.”

The issue of only opening the next high school up to one grade at a time has been met with criticism from some officials and parents due to the current situation. “The DOE’s argument that new schools do better when grades are phased in does merit consideration, but our Queens high schools are massively overcrowded, so delaying utilization of 1,000 new high school seats for many years can’t be in the best interested of our Queens high school students,” Dmytro Fedkowskyj, who is a CB 5member and the Borough President’s appointee to the Panel for Educational Policy, told The Forum.

The DOE said last month that parents and officials had several weeks to comment on the proposed zoning boundaries. The department didn’t immediately return a message for comment on the zoning proposal or the plan to open the school only to 9th grade, and Crowley’s office didn’t receive a formal response to either December letter.

The overcrowding situation in Queens has forced a number of high schools to operate on split sessions. According to Fedkowskyj, Francis Lewis is at 175% capacity on five sessions, Forest Hills High School is at 160% capacity on three sessions, Cardozzo is at 150% capacity on three sessions, and both Grover Cleveland and Newtown are at about 120% capacity while operating on multiple sessions.

At Monday’s meeting, attendees including D24 President Nick Comaianni suggested the three requests be submitted to the DOE as separate resolutions to prevent them all from being rejected at once. “Taking seats away from Forest Hills to give to us is not happening,” he said. “The reality is, Forest Hills will fight tooth and nail for those seats.”

New Bake Sale Regs Frustrate Students

Restricts Fundraisers Held by Clubs and Teams

By Conor Greene

Fundraising efforts for public school clubs and sports teams has been severely hampered by a new chancellor’s regulation banning bake sales during lunch periods. A group of students representing nearly a dozen schools citywide have launched a petition drive in response to the new rules, which they say were implemented without warning.

Whitestone resident and Bronx High School of Science student Matthew Melore recently attended a Community Board 5 meeting with colleague Seth Hoffman to spread word about the new regulation, and the impact it is having on students. Fundraisers involving food are now only allowed during non-lunch periods, and since most students don’t have free periods at that time, it is difficult for clubs and teams to have enough members available to hold a bake sale, or make money due to the lack of hallway foot traffic.

“There is a better way of getting healthy foods to students than getting rid of bake sales, which we need for clubs and teams to raise money,” said Melore. “It’s had a really big impact on clubs, which have to come up with other ways, or they run out of money.”

The problem has impacted sports teams, especially at smaller schools where funding has been cut or eliminated in recent years. As a result of those budget cuts, sports teams at smaller schools have relied on fundraisers to pay for equipment and other costs.

Adding insult to injury, said Melore, is that the new regulations were passed in the summer, at which time approval from the Panel on Educational Policy was not required. In addition, many schools, including his, were not even aware of the new rules until September, by which time clubs and teams had budgeted for the year based on expected bake sale revenues.

“It was passed without warning,” said Melore. “Getting rid of bake sales and fundraisers is not solving the problem. A cupcake once in a while is not a bad thing to do, and most of the food that students get that’s bad, they get at home, not at school… In my opinion, and many others, the regulation that was passed is not even legitimate.” He notes that it was “hastily written” before mayoral control of schools expired, and was “enacted in such a haste that the Nutritional Guidelines that were a key part of the legislation were not even incorporated until late October.”

After hearing from the students, Community Board 5 passed a resolution supporting their petition drive. So far, Melore and Hoffman have visited three boards, and in all, students from 11 schools have collected 5,000 signatures on the petitions. The students’ goal, said Melore, is to convince officials that the rules should be revised so that bake sales can be regulated, but still provide students with a way to fund raise for teams and clubs.

In a statement, a Department of Education spokesman said that the new rules were co-developed with the Department of Health and represents an important step in combating childhood obesity and ensuring that students develop healthy eating habits. “The city and country are confronting an obesity epidemic the proportions of which are difficult to overstate,” the spokesman wrote. “It is our responsibility to make sure schools are a part of the solution rather than part of the problem.”

At the same time, the DOE is working to increase students’ access to athletic programs, expand physical fitness education in schools and make sure the city’s school lunches are some of the most nutritious in the country, the spokesman added. However, recognizing that the policy “might affect students’ and parents’ ability to raise money for their schools,” the DOE is “in the process of working with the Department of Health to see how we can maintain our commitment to combating obesity without putting onerous restrictions on student fundraisers.”

Another aspect of the new wellness policy involves a new city contract for school vending machines, the department noted. In October, the school board approved two new contracts for machines that will only sell foods and beverages that meet strict nutritional guidelines. The millions of dollars in revenue that the machines will produce will help fund the city’s middle and high school athletic leagues, the spokesman said.

Concerns Over Burglaries, Railroad Security and Response Time in 104th Precinct

By Conor Greene

A number of concerns regarding the 104th Precinct were discussed at a public safety meeting this week, but with no officers in attendance, many of the questions remain unanswered.

Items slated for discussion at Tuesday’s Community Board 5 Public Safety Committee meeting included a review of the precinct’s current staffing levels, updates on crime statistics and concerns over the safety of freight train cars passing through the area.

A member of the precinct’s Community Affairs Unit said on Wednesday that “conflicts in our schedule” prevented the precinct from sending an officer to the meeting. Regardless, he noted that certain issues, such as staffing levels or personal assignments, are not discussed in public due to security concerns. One aspect of the precinct’s crime statistics that was discussed at length is an increase in burglaries, which is the only major crime that is up so far this year compared with 2008.

To date, there have been 415 reported break-ins, up more than 14 percent from the 363that had occurred at the same point last year. Over the past 28 years, burglaries are up more than 70 percent, with 46 reported this year compared with 27 last year.

All other major crimes are down this year compared with the same point in 2008, including robbery (263 to 290), grand larceny (464 to 515) and grand larceny auto (287 to 336). There has been one murder this year compared with four that occurred in two separate incidents last year, and there have been 13 rapes compared with 17 last year. However, all categories except murder are up over the past 28 day period, including double the amount of felony assaults (16 to eight) and grand larceny auto (25 to 18).

Another issue discussed in depth was security along the railroad corridors and train yards located within the community board’s confines. A representative for Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Glendale) said that pushing the rail operator CSX to ensure that all necessary safety precautions are being taken is a top priority.

While nobody from the precinct was able to discuss sensitive issues such as staffing levels and response time, board members in attendance expressed concerns over both issues. Robert Holden, who chairs the Public Safety Committee and is president of the Juniper Park Civic Association, said he has been hearing complaints from neighbors that there aren’t enough officers to patrol the area or respond to crimes.

One problem, according to Holden, is that a patrol car dedicated to following up on prior crimes was nixed. That has led to a number of complaints from residents who said they had to wait “five, six, seven hours or longer” to report crimes. “We’ve been getting a lot of complaints about that,” he said, adding that the problem will likely be compounded when officers are reassigned for the upcoming terror trials in Manhattan. “That is going to overburden our precinct, which is understaffed already,” he said.

Another complaint from residents, said Holden, is officers discouraging victims from filing police reports. Several residents complained about both of these issues at recent civic meetings, leading Holden to wonder, “How often is it happening?”

Ridgewood North Historic District Approved

By Conor Greene

After extensive lobbying by community members and elected officials, the City Council has overwhelmingly approved the Ridgewood North Historic District.

The vote earlier this month brings citywide recognition to one of the neighborhood’s most distinctive aspects: blocks of multi-family homes built starting in 1908. Known as Mathews Flats because they were built by the G.X Mathews Company, the homes provided affordable housing for working class residents.

The Ridgewood North Historic District (RNHD) includes 96 buildings on former farmland along Gates, Fairview, Grandview and Forest avenues and Woodbine and Palmetto streets. The three-story buildings were constructed in long rows of repeated designs with buff-and-amber-colored brick facades and each included six separate residential apartments featuring a full bathroom.

The homes marked a departure from the overcrowded living conditions many immigrants and working-class residents were subjected to after the turn of the century. Central shafts provided ample light and fresh air, and the design was thought to be such an improvement over prior forms of affordable housing that they were exhibited at the Panama-Pacific Fair in 1915. The company, founded by German immigrants, ultimately built more 300 flats in Ridgewood and hundreds of other buildings throughout Queens.

News of City Council’s Nov. 30 approval of the district, during which 48 members voted in favor with one abstention, was welcomed by activists including Paul Kerzner, a lifelong Ridgewood resident who is hoping the city will ultimately landmark the 2,982 neighborhood buildings added to the state and federal historic registers in the 1980s. Next up is the Ridgewood South Historic District, which is currently awaiting approval from the city Landmarks Preservation Commission.

“This is just another chapter,” said Kerzner, adding that the effort is long from complete. “Some people have gotten the impression that this has taken care of all 2,983 buildings in the district… This is the second one they have approved, and the third is in the hopper. I’m very happy to see that we’re making progress.”

Kerzner noted it is important to recognize the neighborhood’s history so that it can be appreciated by future generations. “Ridgewood has always been a melting pot of new immigrants,” he said, making it fitting that its history of providing affordable housing is being recognized. New immigrants are often concerned with finding shelter and work, meaning many times it is “the next generation starts to appreciate the significance of getting historic designation” as they become more invested in the neighborhood.

Vincent Arcuri, chairman of Community Board 5, called the designation “a long time coming and well deserved.” He said that the borough has been “ignored for many years” in terms of preserving historic areas and structures, and as a result Queens has “lost too many of these” notable buildings. “I think it is good for the community’s pride, it’s good for property values, and it’s good for the young people to understand that we recognize our history,” he said. “If Paul Kerzner completes everything he started 15 years ago, we could have the largest historic district in the city.”

The next goal, said Arcuri, is to secure funding and approval for street signs to provide “real visual recognition” similar to the brown and white street signs in Greenwich Village. Arcuri is also looking forward planned to the Wyckoff Avenue reconstruction project, which will help create an inviting entrance way into the historic district.

In a statement, Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village), who represents that portion of Ridgewood, called the approval “a long-awaited victory for many people in Queens.” Landmarks Preservation Commission Chairman Robert Tierney said the buildings are “innovative in plan, striking in style, and, remarkably, have remained unchanged since their completion nearly 100 years ago.”