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.

Renewed Hope for Parkland at St. Saviour's Site

By Conor Greene

Maspeth residents and activists are hopeful that years of lobbying for parkland at the former St. Saviour’s will eventually pay off, now that several local officials have thrown their support behind the effort.

Borough President Helen Marshall and City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley are pursing the possibility of securing funding thorough the state Environmental Protection Fund to help pay for an acquisition of the lot near the corner of Rust Street and 57th Road. The property is currently empty, but is being prepared for future development should the owner, Maspeth Development, LLC, find an interested buyer.

The land was formerly home to historic 1847 St. Saviour’s church, which was designed by noted architect Richard Upjohn. In 2005, a Korean Methodist congre-gation sold the property to Maspeth Development for $4 million. The community fought the plan for residential development, and the owner allowed the Juniper Park Civic Association and other volunteers to dismantle the church building so that it can eventually be rebuilt on land donated by All Faiths Cemetery in Middle Village.

In the meantime, residents and activists including Christina Wilkinson of the Newtown Historical Society, haven’t given up the battle to have the land preserved for much-needed greenspace in that portion of West Maspeth. Wilkinson informed Marshall and Crowley of the Environmental Protection Fund opportunity, and the officials are responding with a letter the state Department of Parks and Recreation urging support for the endeavor.

“We’re looking to see if we qualify to get money from that state fund to acquire the land as parkland,” confirmed the borough president’s spokesman, Dan Andrews. In addition, Marshall has requested that the city Parks Department - which recently expressed a willingness to take title of the land if funds are secured to buy it - have a formal appraisal of the land conducted. While the city Parks Department is willing to take the land over, officials made it clear that funding for a purchase will have to come from other sources. “There is no city money to do it right now, but there is support for acquiring it as parkland, so obviously it is a question of money,” said Andrews.

The property is currently being listed by Manhattan-based Berko & Associates for $8.5million. This week, Joe Berko said the property owner would be willing to discuss a sale to the city at the right price. “Obviously, I don’t think anyone is looking to build right now, that is a well known fact,” said Berko. The owner acquired the land with the intention of developing the site, but “that is not happening right now,” said Berko.

Berko said there has been “some interest” in the site, including from firms seeking to lease the land to store equipment. “I think we have had communication with some members of the community, and if there is interest in the land, then absolutely” the owner would be willing to listen to offers.

Wilkinson said that while word that the Parks Department would take title of the land was encouraging, it set off an uphill battle to secure the funds. She first tried to arrange a land swap using land owned by the city elsewhere, but says the Bloomberg administration immediately ruled out that plan. She then came across the Environmental Protection Fund, through which money is provided to purchase space in neighborhoods that are underserved by parks, such as Maspeth.

“It sounded like a promising avenue to explore, and I contacted Councilmember Crowley and the borough president and they took it from there,” said Wilkinson. “A new park for Maspeth is something that the community has been looking forward to for a long time without much hope that it would happen because our elected officials in the past were not on board with the proposal,” she said. “It took the recent infusion of new political blood over the past year to give it some momentum.”

In her letter to the state, Crowley said the site “represents centuries of local history” dating back to when it was part of a Native American settlement along the Newtown Creek. It was part of the first European settlement in Queens when Maspeth was founded in 1642 by the Dutch and English. Then, 162 years ago, local congressman James Maurice founded St. Saviour’s Protestant Episcopal Church and donated the 1.5 acre property for the churchyard. Until last year, the site was home to 185 trees that helped buffer the residential blocks from the nearby industrial properties.

Crowley notes that while the mayor’s plan calls for every New Yorker to live within a ten minute walk of a park, Maspeth only has 12 acres of greenspace for more than 36,000 residents. The city calculates the ideal amount of open space to be 2.5 acres per 1,000 residents, meaning the neighborhood is vastly underserved, according to Crowley, who hopes to have other local officials sign on in support of the letter.

“The community very much would like to see this space opened back up to them,” she wrote. “Community members and groups already secured donations of trees, flowers and clean fill, but this working class neighborhood needs money in order to acquire the property.” She adds that there likely isn’t enough time for officials to raise the needed funds before the real estate market improves and the land is developed. “Should we miss this chance to create public parkland, another opportunity such as this will not likely present itself in our lifetime,” she added.

Request for Maspeth Parkland Highlights CB 5 Budget Hearing

Dry Harbor Playground, South MV Street Repairs Also Requested

By Conor Greene

Impassioned requests by Maspeth residents to set aside money to purchase and convert the former St. Saviour’s property into a public park highlighted the fiscal year 2011-2012 budget hearing, held during Community Board 5’s monthly meeting.

Other requests made by residents and board members during last Wednesday’s session included funding for senior housing, upgrades at Dry Harbor Playground, reconstruction of the 80th Street bridge, repaving of streets in south Middle Village and additional manpower for the 104th Precinct in Ridgewood.

Board District Manager Gary Giordano said the board’s Executive Committee met Monday and devised a list of 35 capital budget items to be considered this year. Each board member will have the chance to rank the items in priority order with the final rankings scheduled to be voted on by the full board on Oct. 14. The expense side is handled in a more informal manner, with the Executive Committee reviewing last year’s list to determine if changes need to be made regarding those requests.

“There was obviously a lot of testimony in regard to residents wanting the city to build a park at the former St. Saviour’s site,” said Giordano. “The Executive Committee took all of that into consideration, as well as all the other budget requests we have to make,” he said. “You’re talking about requests that cost more than $1 million so often times you have to advocate for some time
to get the project funded.”

Park at St. Saviour’s Property

Almost immediately, the focus was on the former St. Saviour’s property on 58th Street in west Maspeth. While the historic church structure has been dismantled, removed from the property and will be rebuilt on a site in Middle Village, local residents haven’t given up the fight to preserve the actual property for use as a park.

The property, which comprises a full block and has been listed for $8.5 million, is privately owned and zoned for commercial use. The city doesn’t have the funding needed to buy the land and build a park, so Christina Wilkinson of the Newtown Historical Society has been working with local elected officials in hopes of arranging a land swap using city-owned land to compensate the St. Saviour’s property owner.

The budget hearing featured a handful of Maspeth residents, including several who live across from or near the vacant property. Wilkinson started by reminding the board that the idea of acquiring the land and church building for use as a park and community center was first raised three years ago. “While the church building has been saved, there is still more work to do in order to be able to call this endeavor a success,” she said.

Wilkinson added that Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe has indicated that the department would be receptive to taking possession of the land provided that funding for its acquisition and maintenance is set aside by local elected officials. In addition, Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley and Borough President Helen Marshall are working “on acquiring the site at minimal cost” and a local company has offered to donate clean fill that could be used to repair the land.

“I request that you continue to list this project as a priority because now we are closer than even to making this proposal a reality. The property is still available and the elected officials are on board and actively working to make this happen – something which was not true in the past,” said Wilkinson. She noted that the property “represents the last sizeable tract of undeveloped land in Maspeth,” which has just 12 acres of park to serve more than 36,000 residents.

Dorie Wolt, who lives a block from the property, called the site a “dumping ground” and said “it’s a disgrace what they did” including cutting down dozens of trees. “I really think they should do something about it,” she said, before reading a statement by the Historic Districts Council advocating on behalf of a park there.

“While the building is now unfortunately gone, the site still remains a welcoming natural open space in an area grievously underserved by parkland,” the HDC statement argued. “For over 150 years, St. Saviour’s was the center of the community… Returning the land to such a purpose is a chance to preserve a piece of the area’s past while giving to its present and future.”

A resident who said he has lived in Maspeth his entire life said the neighborhood is the second oldest town in the state and suggested that a museum be created on the site, while another noted that the area’s closest greenspace is Maurice Park, which is difficult for many residents to get to.

Others, including Anthony Lewandowski lamented the destruction of what was once the centerpiece of the neighborhood. “You allowed a beautiful piece of land to be destroyed,” he told the board. “It’s now a dirt pile surrounded by a fence that’s covered with graffiti.”

Other Budget Requests

Other testimony included a request from Glenridge Senior Center Executive Director Albert Juszczak for the board to consider funding for senior housing, which he called “so critical for our community.” He said it is an issue the center’s board is working on and noted that, “despite the fact that [housing] prices have been falling supposedly… they are still way too high for many seniors.”

Board member Brian Dooley, president of the Glendale Property Owners Association, suggested that money be set aside for phase two of the Dry Harbor Playground improvements, including lighting at the basketball courts and softball field, along with fencing around the children’s playground. “I think these [are the types of requests] that in these tough economic times are obtainable,” he said.

On the expense side of the budget, Dooley suggested that the board call for additional manpower at the 104th Precinct. “It benefits all of us,” he said. “Little by little, I do think we are seeing some increases in the quality of life type of things” such as graffiti.

Board member Cathy Sumski asked that repairs of streets in south Middle Village be prioritized this year. “It keeps getting pushed back... and 73rd Place is full of potholes and sinking sewer covers,” she said. “I think it’s becoming dangerous.” According to Giordano, that project includes streets south of Metropolitan Avenue between 73rd Place and 80th Street north of the LIRR tracks. He said that 73rd Place is “probably the busiest roadway in that area” and described it as “kind of like a country road” that gets a lot of traffic during the day. While the project includes 73rd Place, it doesn’t include 80th Street.

Flooding, Parks, Libraries and Transit

Giordano said on Tuesday that he expects measures to help prevent future flooding to be highly prioritized by the board. “I think we continue to be very concerned about the need to reduce the potential for street and basement flooding conditions, so I expect that should be a very high capital budget priority, trying to get new, larger sewer lines installed,” he said. “So that continues to be an important priority, as do the parks, the roadways and public transit. This board has always been a big advocate of renovating the libraries and the schools and I don’t think that is going to change much.” He added that he would like to see an addition at PS 81 in Ridgewood highly prioritized.

Glendale Playground Planned; Maspeth Park Fight Continues

By Conor Greene

Glendale residents will likely soon have a new playground thanks to money set aside in this year’s budget by the area’s local councilmember. At the same time, the push to preserve the former St. Saviour’s site in Maspeth is continuing, with officials looking into the possibility of a land swap as a way to acquire the land at a reasonable cost.

Glendale Playground Plans

Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley announced she has secured $600,000 in the 2009-2010 budget that will be used for a new playground in the upper-Glendale area. Her office is looking into the possibility of using land inside Forest Park off Myrtle Avenue near the Union Turnpike and is planning to tour the area with Parks Department officials in coming weeks to identify an ideal location.

In addition to the $600,000 secured by Crowley, $300,000 previously allocated by former Councilman Anthony Como (R-Middle Village) was just sitting in the Parks budget after the department decided that money shouldn’t be used at the Dry Harbor Road playground as initially planned. Crowley said she is working to combine the two appropriations so the entire $900,000 can be used in the Forest Park area.

“It is such a large park that Glendale is built around, but it is really cut off [from the community] by the Jackie Robinson Parkway,” said Crowley. “We want to open access to the park [but] it’s complicated because we have to do it in a way so we don’t take down any trees. That could provide access for people in Glendale without having to go to Woodhaven Boulevard. It is a much needed renovation and expansion to the playground area that the people in upper Glendale have not had.”

Crowley noted that the expansion of PS 113 led to a reduction in the amount of playground space available to the community. She said she envisions a new play area within Forest Park similar to Joseph DeVoy Playground, which is in a wooded area off Union Turnpike near 71st Avenue in southern Forest Hills. She is also working to expand the playground in Evergreen Park on St. Felix Avenue in Liberty Park.

The Parks Department did not return a message seeking information on the planned Glendale playground.

Fight for Maspeth Park

Maspeth residents and activists still haven’t given up the effort to have the former St. Saviour’s property acquired for use as public parkland. Crowley’s office is awaiting a response to letters sent to Mayor Michael Bloomberg urging him to pursue the idea as part of his goal to provide parkland within a ten minute walk for every city resident.

Christina Wilkinson, president of the Newtown Historical Society, identified several city-owned parcels in Brooklyn and Queens that could be eligible for a land swap, through which the owner of the St. Saviour’s property would be compensated for his land. Crowley’s office is looking into whether the proposed city-owned properties would be eligible for a swap, and recently sent a second letter to Mayor Bloomberg about the idea.

“Maspeth is underserved by parks, this site is for sale and acquisition of the land by the city for use as a public park would satisfy a need for both present and future residents,” said Wilkinson. “The city should take action and not pass up this rare opportunity to create more parkland.”

The land swap is being pursued after Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe informed residents that the department doesn’t have the funding required to purchase the land and then convert it into park space. “We believe the residents of Maspeth would benefit from more and better access to public parkland,” wrote Benepe. “While we could not justify the forcible acquisition of the site through condemnation, we would consider purchasing the land if the current owners are now willing sellers.”

The 58th Street property is the former home of the historic St. Saviour’s church building. That structure was dismantled and removed from the site before the property owners readied the property for development. The church will be rebuilt on land donated by All Faiths Cemetery in Middle Village. The Maspeth property is currently listed for $8.5 million, and Benepe noted in his letter that “no such funding” currently exists in Parks’ budget, meaning allocations from local elected officials would be necessary.

In a July letter to Mayor Bloomberg, Crowley argued that the “community is in desperate need of more green space” and a park there would serve students from Martin Luther High School and St. Stanislaus Kostka, along with West Maspeth residents “who have to travel miles to find a park.”

On Wednesday, Crowley said a second letter was recently sent to the mayor since her office “hasn’t gotten the response we’re looking for.” She said Maspeth residents are especially in need of green space to help alleviate the pollution caused by heavy truck traffic in the area. “That’s just a great spot [for a park] and this would be an easy part of achieving his goal” to provide parkland access to all neighborhoods.

In the second letter to Bloomberg, Crowley warns that construction of a warehouse, allowed under the property’s zoning, “would clearly hurt the community and end any chances of building much needed park space for Maspeth.” She adds that the community has compiled “a large list” of unused city-owned sites that could be used in a land swap.

Crowley noted that the owners paid $4 million for the land but have since made a “significant investment” in order to prepare the site for construction. “Many people in the community feel that the land has historical value and building anything on it from a historical perspective would be wrong,” she said. “I imagine the owner would be happy to get rid of the land based on his experience owning it for a fair trade or price.

“With the cost of acquiring land today and building parks, it’s tough to find that type of funding in the city, but there’s no doubt in my mind that this area, which has traditionally been forgotten about, needs to be recognized,” continued Crowley. “By teaming up with community leaders in Maspeth to put pressure on the mayor, I think we will prevail.”

However, not all Maspeth residents think a park is the neighborhood’s most pressing need. In a letter to the Forum, Charlene Stubbs of the Maspeth West End Block Association expressed fear of problems such as increased crime and argued the area is in desperate need of a supermarket. She said the issue will be discussed at the civic’s next meeting, scheduled for Thursday at Trinity-St. Andews Church on 60th Street at 7 p.m.

Residents Protest Trash Plan, Rally for Maspeth Parkland

By Conor Greene

Several dozen Maspeth residents and community leaders gathered at the Clinton Diner on Rust Street to protest the city’s plan to have garbage trucked through local streets, and to call on the city to buy the former St. Saviour’s property for parkland.

Saturday’s rally, which was organized by Christina Wilkinson, attracted officials including Councilman Tony Avella (D-Bayside), Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village), several state assembly candidates, civic leaders and representatives for other elected officials. It focused both on the city’s solid waste plan and the need for green space in the area.

Under a proposal aimed at removing long-distance truck trips, local residential trash will be brought to Waste Management’s transfer facility on Review Avenue, which will be expanded. From there, it will be placed on trucks and driven one-and-a-half miles to the rail yard at Rust Street and Maspeth Avenue. It is that aspect of the plan that has angered locals, as it will result more than 100 local truck trips per day.

Instead, residents, officials and Community Board 5 members want Waste Management to construct a rail spur directly on its property or to utilize the adjacent Newtown Creek to eliminate the need for more trucks on Maspeth streets.

The rally was also called in response to a related issue – the push for the city to acquire the former St. Saviour’s property as the site for a new park, which is needed in that area. Last year, the Juniper Park Civic Association removed a historic church building from the property, which is across the street from the rail yard. While the church will likely be rebuilt on land in Middle Village, the property remains vacant and is being offered for sale for $8 million.

Wilkinson noted that the current projection of more than 100 local truck trips per day “is just a starting point” and likely would be much higher in future years as the city’s population continues to grow. “There are more than enough trucks already in Maspeth residential streets where they don’t belong,” she said. “This is really ridiculous – stop dumping on Maspeth.”

State Senators Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach), who was represented at the rally by aide Jeff Gottleib, and George Onorato (D-Astoria), who issued a statement, both support the efforts. Gottleib suggested that Waste Management instead pursue the former Phelps Dodge property and build a rail spur connecting to the LIRR Montauk line. “There is something they’re not explaining to us,” he said.

“Like others here today, I think there must be a better way to deal with our garbage disposal issues in Queens,” said Onorato. “This plan by Waste Management will have a negative effect on our residential neighborhoods, our general daily quality of life, and the public health. The heavy truck traffic will only add to the air pollution that already plagues our community and results in higher instances of asthma and other health problems.”

The senator instead suggested that Waste Management look into using rail spurs or the Newtown Creek to move the trash. That sentiment was echoed in a letter to the company by Crowley. “I believe I speak on behalf of my constituents when I say the current proposal must be adjusted before the community can embrace this plan,” she wrote to Jim Van Woert, senior district manager.

Crowley notes that community leaders and groups including Community Board 5, which voted against the current plan, have suggested alternate proposals. She suggests either building a rail spur at Review Avenue or acquiring the Phelps Dodge site.

“Maspeth has been dumped on for years [and] across the street we have the opportunity to build a park,” Crowley told the residents at the rally. She called on Mayor Michael Bloomberg to allocate funding needed to provide the area with its “fair share of green space.”

Several of the candidates running for the vacant 38th District Assembly seat suggested legal action might be needed. Farouk Samaroo argued that, unlike many other instances in the city, this might be an appropriate use of the city’s powers of eminent domain. Since it would be for a true public use, it would be a more appropriate use of eminent domain than turning private land over to developers with political ties, he argued.

“As a citizen and an aspiring public official, I fully support using the right of eminent domain to make this park a reality,” he said. “I challenge anyone to tell me why a public park is not a permissible public use.”

One of his opponents, Albert Baldeo, said that the residents could file a lawsuit against the plan, especially if changes suggested by CB 5 aren’t taken into consideration. “If that is not done, we are all aggrieved citizens here,” he said, adding that a lawsuit focusing on the environmental impacts might be appropriate.

Waste Management officials previously said in a statement that the project is in accordance with the solid waste plan approved in 2006 by the City Council. Crowley, who wasn’t in office at the time, said she doesn’t think council members “knew the nitty gritty details” at the time of the vote. “For them [Waste Management] to pass it off to the City Council or Sanitation Department is ridiculous,” she added.

Avella, who is also a mayoral candidate, said his philosophy as an elected official is that “nobody knows their block better than the people who live there” and wondered aloud why the city isn’t listening. “We have to change the very way we do things.” He called for “community-based planning” where the residents have real input into the planning process.

“We have to take care of the people who live in the neighborhood,” said Maspeth resident Tony Nunziato. “This is a case of waste not managed.” He stressed that this isn’t a case of residents fighting against a proposal in their backyards. “This is not NIMBY – this is a case of put it in the right location,” he said.

Wilkinson said the St. Saviour’s property has been used to store Dumpsters since 2005and reported that the city Buildings Department issued a full stop work order for the site on July 17th. She urged nearby residents to continue reporting any illegal activities on the property, including storage of Dumpsters that contain trash.

In his statement, Senator Onorato supported the effort for parkland in West Maspeth. “Speaking of our environment, I am also pleased to lend my support to the effort to bring a new park to western Maspeth at the former St. Saviour’s church site,” he wrote. “This site is now being used as a garbage dump, and there is no question that the area could be put to much better use as green space that could be enjoyed by all members of our community.”

In an interview Tuesday, Crowley said that the battle to force Waste Management to revise its plan “is not over.” She said this is another situation that began years ago that she has been forced to try to rectify since taking office. “I don’t know what Dennis Gallagher was thinking at the time,” she said referring to the area’s councilmember when the solid waste plan was approved. She said it “would have been fair” for the council to demand that Waste Management construct a rail spur as part of the project.

Crowley also said there is a possibility of winning the battle for a park at the St. Saviour’s property. “I don’t think it’s just a pipe dream,” she said. “I think that rally was a step towards pressuring the mayor to put city dollars for what he speaks in favor of – more parks, especially in neighborhoods that have not seen their fair share. That part of Maspeth does not have enough green space… But that’s the type of money that takes a mayoral initiative.”

Board Rejects Company's Trash Disposal Plan

Maspeth Truck Traffic Would Increase

By Conor Greene

Waste Management’s plan to transport trash from a new facility on Review Avenue to the Maspeth rail yard for transportation to out-of-state landfills was resoundingly rejected by Community Board 5 members because it will result in more truck traffic in Maspeth.

At its meeting last Wednesday at Christ the King High School, the advisory board unanimously voted in favor of a Sanitation Committee resolution rejecting Waste Management’s current plan. Instead, the resolution suggests that the company use the adjacent Newtown Creek to barge the containerized trash out of the area, build a rail spur at its Review Avenue property or purchase part of the former Phelps Dodge property or another site where a rail spur can be accessed or built.

Waste Management has applied to the state Department of Environmental Conservation for permission to replace its existing truck-based solid waste transfer operation at 38-22 Review Avenue in Long Island City with a new rail-based transfer facility that would accept trash from neighborhoods within community boards 1-6 in Queens. However, the plan would require the company to transport the trash one-and-a-half miles from Review Avenue to the Maspeth rail yard at Rust Street.

It is this aspect of the plan, which would result in 85 round-trip truck trips daily between the two sites, that didn’t sit well with board members. “This whole plan – pardon the pun – stinks,” said Robert Holden before the vote.

“We all know how congested that area is now.” Sanitation Committee Chairman Paul Kerzner noted that the area was already backed up with traffic at 9:30 on a recent morning. “This is just going to add to it,” he said.

Holden also noted that the containerized trash will be loaded onto trains near the Clinton Diner at Rust Street and Maspeth Avenue. The transfer will take place in the open, near the former St. Saviour’s property and homes. He questioned whether the plan meets requirements that this type of facility be located at least 400 feet from homes and parks.

The resolution notes “there was significant opposition” to the plan during a public information session the company held last month at Martin Luther High School. In addition, “there was unanimous agreement that for several important reasons, a better waste transport plan needs to be found.”

The “major reasons” for the board’s objection to the plan include that it “would mean additional handling of garbage” in order to get it loaded onto trains; that “the Maspeth community would have dozens of additional movements by tractor trailers daily” between Review Avenue and Rust Street; that the additional traffic “would mean significant increased air pollution hazards to Maspeth and adjacent communities,” and because the truck traffic would cause hazards, especially navigating tight turns such as from Rust Street onto Maspeth Avenue and after leaving the rail yard.

The resolution instead urges Waste Management to barge the trash directly from its facility, build a rail support at its 38-22 Review Avenue property - which is adjacent to LIRR tracks that are only used by two passenger trains daily - or investigate other nearby properties such as the former Phelps Dodge sites.

“Part of this former Phelps Dodge site would be further from residents than the Maspeth rail yard, where there is a residential area across the street,” the resolution notes. “By reducing the handling steps associated with transporting residential garbage… barging of garbage or establishing a rail spur may prove less expensive over time.”

Under the current plan, Waste Management will build a new, fully enclosed transfer facility at the Review Avenue site. The current facility is permitted to receive up to 958 tons of garbage per day. Under the new plan, the site will be able to handle up to 2,100 tons per day and will typically receive about 1,150 tons per day, according to the company. The facility would receive 134 deliveries daily from garbage trucks, in addition to the tractor trailer trips to Maspeth. The company claims that each train will carry between 60 and 68 containers, which is the equivalent of 51 to 58 tractor trailer loads.

In response to CB 5’s vote, a Waste Management spokeswoman said the company met with the community board “and other stakeholders several times” to discuss the project and obtain input. “We are committed to continuing this dialogue with the community and to working with the city to address the issues that have been raised,” wrote Rachel Amar.

Amar noted that the city Department of Sanitation identified Waste Management’s Review Avenue property as a site for handling residential waste under the city’s Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP). “The plan was developed over several years with input from environmental groups and other stakeholders and was approved by the City Council in 2006,” she wrote. “The SWMP is designed to manage the city’s municipal solid waste in a more sustainable, efficient manner over the next 20 years, by shifting NYC’s waste exports from a truck based system to a rail and barge based system, reducing truck traffic and vehicle emissions.”

Still, some residents aren’t accepting the additional truck traffic without a fight. Maspeth activist Christina Wilkinson has organized a rally at the Clinton Diner at 11 a.m. Saturday to call on the city to prevent additional truck traffic and instead preserve the former St. Saviour’s property, which is being offered for sale for $8.5 million. In addition to members of local civic groups, Councilmembers Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) and Tony Avella (D-Bayside) are expected to attend, along with other elected officials’ representatives.

Funding Allocated for St. Saviour's Reconstruction

Church to Become Community Center

By Conor Greene

The reconstruction of St. Saviour’s church can move forward now that nearly $2 million in city funds has been allocated for the effort, according to the Juniper Park Civic Association, which led the effort to prevent the historic building from being demolished.

Queens Borough President Helen Marshall has allocated $1,450,000 in the city’s capital budget for the first phase of St. Saviour’s reconstruction and restoration, announced JPCA President Robert Holden at his group’s meeting last week. In addition, Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) secured an additional $500,000. The church will be rebuilt on donated land in Middle Village for use as a community education, cultural and performance center that integrates aspects of “green technology.”

The church, designed by renowned architect Richard Upjohn, stood on a hill in Maspeth for 160 years until the owner of the Rust Street property decided last year to demolish the building and ready the site for development. With the church minutes away from the wrecking ball, Holden convinced to owner to give the JPCA one month to dismantle the building and remove it from the property. A group called Save St. Saviours, Inc. was created, and the 1847 Carpenter Gothic structure was painstakingly labeled and packed in two trailers for storage with assistance from experts including the New York Landmarks Conservancy.

While the JPCA also pushed for the city to preserve the St. Saviour’s property along with the building itself, officials were unwilling to pay $10 million for the land. Holden said that the civic group is “still trying to convince Mayor Bloomberg that the historic St. Saviour’s property in Maspeth” should be acquired for a public park. “Although it’s a long shot we have not given up hope in returning the church to its proper location.”

Instead, Dan Austin, president of All Faiths Cemetery in Middle Village, has donated a small plot of land that is unsuitable for burials to serve as the building’s future home. Assuming the city doesn’t pursue acquisition of the Maspeth property, St. Saviour’s will be reassembled at 69th Street and Juniper Valley Road. “Juniper Civic has worked extremely hard to save St. Saviour’s for so long, and we would be honored to have such an historic building on our property,” said Austin.

At JPCA’s meeting last Thursday, Holden called allocation of the funding “a milestone” and reminded the crowd that “St. Saviour’s was just minutes – literally minutes – from demolition… We were all out there preparing for the worst, and then the miracle happened,” he said. He noted that there currently are no official landmarks or historic buildings in Maspeth or Middle Village. “This is fantastic news and another chapter in the miraculous story of St. Saviour’s,” he added in a statement released this week.

“I am pleased to lend this vital support to the Juniper Park Civic Association that provides frontline services to the residents of Queens and our city,” said Marshall.

Crowley noted that the funding came at a time when city council members had to work hard just to restore funding for critical services such as firehouses, education and libraries. “Furthermore, I am proud to announce that we were able to secure $500,000 to reassemble, restore and transform St. Saviour’s into a green and sustainable building,” she said. “This is a huge victory for the people of Queens, especially for those living in Maspeth and Middle Village.”

Under phase one, the new site will be graded and the building’s frame and roof will be reconstructed for use as an open air performing arts center. The exterior walls will be closed in and the interior will be finished during phase two, at which point the building will be available for use as a community center. According to Holden, phase one could begin as early as next spring, with the project taking up to three years to complete. In all, the two phases are expected to cost a total of $4 million.

Board Discusses Grand Ave, Budget and Roads

Issuess discussed at this month's Community Board 5 meeting included traffic concerns on Grand Avenue, local roads projects and the board’s capital budget.

Grand Ave Traffic Concerns

Tony Nunziato, who is challenging Assemblywoman Marge Markey (D-Maspeth) in next month’s elections, spoke out against the city’s plan to combine two traffic triangles in Maspeth into a single, larger green space.

While Nunziato said he supports the park project in general, he says it doesn’t make sense to essentially eliminate a lane of Grand Avenue without first implementing the Maspeth Truck Bypass plan, referring to the stalled effort to prevent trucks from cutting through the heart of the neighborhood’s shopping district on their way to the expressway.

According to Nunziato, DOT crews have been prepping the area where Maspeth, Grand and Flushing avenues meet, meaning the project will likely move forward in the coming weeks. “Here we are at holiday time, with the economy in the dumpster, we need all the parking we can get, and they’re doing this,” he said. “The idea of a park is wonderful, and will bring this back to a walking community, but only if you take the trucks off the avenue first.”

Under the DOT’s project, the two existing traffic islands at that intersection will be combined into one larger space. To do so, a lane of Maspeth Avenue between Grand and Flushing avenues must be eliminated.

Capital Project Budget Vote

Board members voted on the capital and expense budgets for fiscal year 2010. The proposed projects are ranked and submitted to the city to help determine which initiatives move forward and receive funding.

The following list was approved by the board, with three members voting against it:

• Redesign and reconstruct sewer system in portions of areas having worst flooding

• Study of sewer system in CB 5 and Queens considering flooding problems and anticipated future growth

• Reconstruct Cooper Avenue underpass and construct a new pedestrian crosswalk

• Provide new catch basins and reconstruct deteriorated catch basins

• Reconstruction of Grover Cleveland Park, phase two

• Renovate deteriorated schools and construct new school space where needed.

• Rehabilitate Glendale library branch

• Reconstruct ball fields, jogging path and add lights at Francis J. Principe Park

• Reconstruct south Middle Village streets

• Provide traffic improvements and rehabilitation at Fresh Pond Road

• Rehabilitate Ridgewood branch library, phase two

• Improve pedestrian and vehicle safety at Grand Avenue and 69th Street

• Reconstruct Dry Harbor playground, phase two.

• Provide new street tree plantings

• Establish a community/cultural/recreation center in Maspeth

• Flushing Avenue and Grand Avenue sewer projects

• Improve Myrtle Avenue commercial strip from Fresh Pond Road to 80th Street

• Rehabilitate Ridgewood Reservoir and portions of adjacent Highland Park

•Provide funding for historic restoration of St. Saviour’s church

•Reconstruct and widen sidewalk along the 80th Street bridge over the LIRR tracks

•Build a 104th Precinct parking facility

•Reconstruct 75th Street from Eliot Avenue to Juniper Boulevard North

•Provide lighting and restore curbing along Fred Haller’s Union Turnpike mall from Myrtle Avenue to Woodhaven Boulevard

•Improve Myrtle/Wyckoff transit hub, including painting the M Train station

•Rehabilitate interior of 104th Precinct stationhouse

• Extend roadway widening along Metropolitan Avenue from Aubrey Avenue to Woodhaven Boulevard

• Rehabilitate Evergreen Park playground

• Reconstruct streets that are along bus routes

• Reconstruct DeKalb Avenue, Halsey Street and Jefferson Street train stations

• Reconstruct Prokop Square at Fresh Pond Road and Cypress Hills Street

The board voted to approve the list with the exception of three members: Robert Holden, Lorraine Sciulli and Steve Fielder. Holden later said that he wanted the reconstruction of St. Saviour’s church to be included in the top ten.

“We [the Juniper Park Civic Association] fought so hard to save St. Saviour’s that all we ask is the board put it in the top ten so this can become a reality,” said Holden, who is also president of the JPCA. “The board did nothing to save the church and now they can’t even support the effort by putting it in the top ten.”

He also criticized the board’s practice of including items that have already been funded. “The board has a long history of including projects in their capital list that have already been funded,” said Holden. “Didn’t we listen to a design presentation for phase two reconstruction of Grover Cleveland Park that evening? In order for design to start, the project must be funded, yet the board has Grover Cleveland as number five.”

Road Projects Updates

Board District Manager Gary Giordano provided an update on local road improvement projects.

Maspeth Avenue has been completed from 61st Street to Maurice Avenue, which he called a “big get for use” since that project had been refused several times previously. Forest Avenue between Metropolitan and Myrtle avenues has been completed, but a portion needs to be redone due to a batch of bad asphalt, said Giordano. In addition, Myrtle Avenue from Fresh Pond Road to Woodhaven Boulevard is complete, as is Central Avenue.

Next year, the board will focus on roads in Middle Village, including Juniper Boulevard North and South. “They are tentatively on the list for next year,” said Giordano.

VFW Liquor License Application

Giordano reported that the Haspel Staab VFW post in Middle Village has now filed an application with the state Liquor Authority to expand the use of its liquor license to apply to the building’s side yard.

The request had received backlash from some residents, who objected to allowing the post members to drink outside, especially during parties the neighbors say are noisy. The issue was discussed at the board’s land use committee meeting earlier this month, but post Commander Michael Brown was unable to attend that session due to the death of his father.

While the application is now in the hands of the state, Giordano expressed hope that a compromise between the members and neighbors can be worked out, “more than just whether to use it or not use it,” he said. However, the board will inform the state that it received “some objections” to expansion of the license.

Juniper Civic Pushes for Rezoning

Candidates Speak at Monthly Meeting

By Conor Greene

The need to move forward with an effort to downzone parts of Maspeth, Middle Village and Glendale, along with the upcoming City Council and State Senate elections highlighted this month’s meeting of the Juniper Park Civic Association.

Civic President Robert Holden began the meeting last Thursday in Our Lady of Hope in Middle Village by urging residents to choose carefully during the upcoming elections in November. Citing the Elmhurst gas tanks property as an example, he argued that residents should elect officials who will be proactive in working with the community.

“We had two to three months left before that was going to be a Home Depot,” he said of the Grand Avenue property, which the city is converting into a park. “In three months, we were able to stop the Home Depot and convince Keyspan to give it to the city for one dollar, and now we’re going to have a park,” said Holden. “We expect our elected officials to stand with us and be proactive.

Holden reminded the audience that the civic began the effort of having the area downzoned in October 2005, when 75 members went door-to-door surveying the existing types of development. “We were promised that by 2006 it was going to become law,” said Holden. “It’s now going to be October 2008, and we’re still waiting. Where are our elected officials?”

He questioned whether Councilman Anthony Como, who was not in attendance, has met with Department of City Planning Commissioner Amanda Burden regarding the stalled down-zoning.

“The only thing we are waiting for is Amanda Burden to get in her city car and come over here and give [the rezoning] her blessing. Instead, we can’t get her out here, and the [construction] fences are going up, destroying the character of the neighborhood… I want to see a photo of Como with Amanda Burden, not of him giving out another award,” said Holden.

According to Como’s office, the councilman has met with officials from the mayor’s office regarding the down-zoning. During a recent meeting with reporters, he expressed confidence it would move forward.

The Department of City Planning said on Tuesday it is continuing to “gather information from the community on development trends to complete our analysis and refine our preliminary draft rezoning recommendations.

According to spokeswoman Jennifer Torres, the department “is committed to completing the draft recommendations and will be meeting with elected officials in the coming weeks.” She noted that “the study process for this area did not formally begin until September 2006.”

Councilman Joe Addabbo: Senate Candidate

Councilman Joe Addabbo (D-Howard Beach), who is challenging Senator Serf Maltese (R-Glendale) for his position on the State Senate, discussed issues including overdevelopment and property taxes with the crowd.


Addabbo said he personally attempted to contact Burden about the stalled down-zoning, even though he doesn’t currently represent the area. He said he has received numerous questions about this from residents as he has campaigned in the area, and contacted DCP in hopes of gaining some answers.

“I hear a lot about overdevelopment,” he said. “It’s often that there’s no answers flowing back to the community, and that’s no good.” Despite his attempts to reach out to City Planning, “we have no information… at this point” regarding the status of the down-zoning, said Addabbo. “We need to make it known that we have very concerned residents here.”

A resident then asked Addabbo about the threat that the city’s property tax rate will increase by seven percent next year, and suggested that the city instead eliminate the $400 rebate and keep the property tax flat.

“Before we even talk of tax increases on any level – either the city or the state – we need to cut government first,” said Addabbo. “We haven’t done it… We can’t raise property taxes at this point in my opinion.” He added that certain cuts can be made to the city and state budgets that won’t affect the quality of services residents receive. “We can make cuts that won’t affect your lives, but at the same time we can’t be freezing senior’s meals to save a few pennies,” said Addabbo.

Council Candidate Elizabeth Crowley

Elizabeth Crowley, a Democrat from Glendale who is challenging Councilman Anthony Como (R-Middle Village) this fall, was invited to address the crowd. She vowed to “fight against any tax increase” and touted overdevelopment as one of the area’s biggest issues.

“I’ve seen the changes – I grew up here,” said Crowley, who holds a Master’s degree in city planning. “We don’t have the infrastructure in place. I know how important it is to put in place this downzoning.” She accused Burden of “avoiding this area” and said the neighborhood “is in danger.”

“I guarantee you that as the City Council representative from the area, I will get the commissioner to come out here and get the downzoning passed,” promised Crowley. She also vowed to continue to fight against the Cross Harbor Tunnel proposal, which would have brought 16,000 trucks a day into Maspeth.

Crowley urged residents to support her in the upcoming election, noting that she lost out to Como by less than a half a percentage point, with less than ten percent of registered voters going to the polls. “It really gives no indication as to what’s going to happen in November,” she said of the special election, which was held in June to replace former Councilman Dennis Gallagher.

Tony Nunziato for State Assembly

Maspeth resident Tony Nunziato, who is a JPCA member, discussed his candidacy to replace Democrat Marge Markey of Maspeth on the State Assembly.

“I want to put my name on the most dysfunctional government in the country,” he told the audience. “I want to make it better.”

Nunziato, who owns a florist business on Grand Avenue, touted previous accomplishments as a community activist including fighting for the Elmhurst gas tanks park, opposing the Cross Harbor Tunnel proposal, working for the preservation of St. Saviour’s church and helping to secure additional funding for the Phelps Dodge property cleanup near the Newtown Creek.

“It was all for the good of the neighborhood,” said Nunziato.

Holden said later that the civic associationhas not yet formerly endorsed any candidates in the November election. He said that Crowley and Addabbo were invited to speak since they attended the meeting. “Once again, Maltese and Como elected not to [attend the meeting], which more than demonstrates their lack of support for the JPCA and our membership,” he said.

Other Items Discussed

Other items discussed at the civic meeting included trains carrying garbage that cause a horrible stench, reduced parking because of the Q45 bus extension to Atlas Park mall and the civic’s victory over an illegal development project in Maspeth.

Holden informed the residents that the civic is collecting signatures for a petition in regard to trains carrying garbage sitting for hours in the middle of the neighborhood. The problem came to a head over the summer when a train sat idling in Middle Village for several hours. The car carrying stinking garbage was uncovered, causing the odor to linger in the air until the train left the area.

He also said the civic has received complaints from several business owners regarding parking near the intersection of 80th Street and Eliot Avenue. According to Holden, a line of metered parking spaces along 80th Street was removed after the MTA decided to reroute the Q45 bus to Atlas Park shopping center in Glendale.

Civic member Manny Caruana reported that the city has forced notorious developer Tommy Huang to remove portions of a house illegally built on Mazeau Street, including the fourth floor. New plans submitted to the city now call for a reduced project featuring a two-family house, instead of a four-family unit originally proposed.

In addition, the contractor building a second house at the site promised to limit work hours to between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays, with no weekend work. “This is a major victory” that came as a result of the pressure applied on the developer and city by the civic members.

St. Saviour's Relocation Moving Ahead

Cemetery Gets State Agency’s Approval

by Conor Greene

The process of rebuilding the historic St. Saviour’s church at a local cemetery is moving forward now that a state agency has approved using part of the property for the project.

The state Division of Cemeteries reviewed the proposal to move the 160-year-old church from its former home on Rust Street in Maspeth to a plot of land owned by All Faiths Cemetery at 69th Street and Juniper Valley Road in Middle Village. In a June 24 letter, the division ruled that permission has been granted because “the location within the cemetery is not usable as burial grounds.”

The historic structure, designed by noted architect Richard Upjohn, was threatened after the city issued a demolition permit to Maspeth Development, LLC, which owns the Rust Street property. The Richmond Hill-based developer agreed to allow the Juniper Park Civic Association to remove the church from the property after the civic association had struck a deal with All Faiths Cemetery to house the structure there.

Dan Austin Jr., president of All Faith’s Beautification and Restoration Program, which is handling the church project, said Tuesday that Montrose Surveying Company recently completed a survey of the property free of charge. An architect specializing in historic preservation projects is in the midst of a feasibility study to determine exactly where on the site the church should be placed.

It cost the civic association about $140,000 to dismantle the church, which is currently being stored in several trailers in Maspeth. It is expected to cost about five million dollars to rebuild the structure on the cemetery property. State Senator Serf Maltese was able to secure $100,000 through the Empire State Development Corp grant program, and Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi provided an additional $50,000. That means the cemetery is relying on obtaining donations from individuals and private businesses to eventually complete the project, said Austin, Jr.

“We’re taking it one step at a time,” he said. “This thing is going to be a very intricate and in-depth study on how to restore an old building, which is roughly seventy percent all there. “I think it’s going to be an outstanding project, but it’s going to take a while and is going to be an ongoing thing.”

He said that “the key to success is seeing some action come springtime” in terms of beginning to rebuild the structure on the cemetery property. The next step is an August 20 meeting with the architect. “By then we will hopefully have different studies for the juxtaposition of the church on the land,” he said.

Christina Wilkinson, a member of the JPCA who led the fight to save the church, noted that the land is still for sale, despite the fact that the civic was given little time to move the church since the owner claimed to have a buyer lined up. She said that she will continue to fight to have the land turned into a park, which is needed in that part of Maspeth.

State Warns of Significant Threat at Maspeth Superfund Site

Contamination Poses Risk to People and Environment

By Conor Greene

An industrial property at 57th Avenue and Grand Avenue in West Maspeth is contaminated by chemicals and could pose a “significant threat to the public and environment,” the state Department of Environmental Conservation warned nearby property owners in a letter.

The two-acre property, now home to Corrugated Box, Inc. and Feldman Lumber, was subjected to “hazardous waste disposal” during the years it was used by the W.L.K Corporation. It was enrolled in the state Superfund program last year, and an initial study conducted this March “detected a significant concentration of chlorinated volatile organic compounds in soil samples” collected on the site, according to the DEC.

According to DEC spokesman Arturo Garcia-Costas, the concentrations of chemicals found, which included Tetrachloroethylene, “suggest a potential continuing source of contamination in this area.” In addition, groundwater samples containing “high levels” of chlorinated volatile organic compounds were collected from wells monitoring groundwater and from samples “down-gradient from this part of the site,” said Garcia-Costas.

As a result of the findings, the DEC sent a letter earlier this month to nearby property owners alerting them of the potential danger. “Based on the presence of contamination onsite... this site poses a significant threat,” the July 14 letter warned. It notes that the site has been classified a Code 2, due to the threat level.

The code classification “means that the contamination uncovered represents a significant threat to the public health or environment, which requires action to address or mitigate this threat be taken by DEC at some point,” explained Garcia-Costas. “A Code 1 designation, on the other hand, means that a site represents an imminent threat to public health or the environment and requires immediate action.”

The next step in the process is for the DEC to conduct “a further investigation and feasibility study... to fully define the nature and extent of the contamination and identify the most appropriate remedial action,” according to Garcia-Costas. Part of the effort is a community outreach plan “to insure that the public is aware and engaged in the cleanup,” said Garcia-Costas. “At each stage in the process, the community is made aware [of what is occurring] and fact sheets are sent out.”

He noted that community-based organizations such as community boards are eligible for a “technical assistance grant,” which provides money to help the public “understand the process and be able to participate in the remedial process in the most informed manner possible,” he said.

The DEC was unable to say how long the lengthy cleanup process will take. The letter urges individuals to share the information with other tenants renting or leasing property near the site. However, the DEC said that human contact with “subsurface contamination is unlikely” since the majority of the property is paved over or built on. The DEC also noted that the groundwater contamination does not pose a danger to the public’s drinking water supply.

While 57th Avenue is now a gravel-filled dead-end road leading from Grand Avenue to the lumber yard, local residents recall that is was formerly a main road through the area, and home to a ballpark in the nineteenth century that stood on the site that is currently houses the box company.

An old house across the street from the businesses belonged to James Maurice, founder of St. Saviour’s church, which until recently was located several blocks away, according to Christina Wilkinson. She noted that the lumberyard’s presence is the only thing preventing as-of-right housing from being built at the St. Saviour’s property on Rust Street.