4 THE QUEENS COURIER • JANUARY 12, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM Weekend storm exposes fl aws in plow app: Lancman BY EMILY DAVENPORT edavenport@qns.com/@QNS Th ey built it, but they still didn’t come. Councilman Rory Lancman is calling on New York City to examine its PlowNYC snow plow tracking app aft er reports that many streets weren’t plowed during the Jan. 7 snowfall Getting a good look at future tallest building in LIC BY ANGELA MATUA amatua@qns.com/@ AngelaMatua Architects working on Long Island City’s looming Court Square City View Tower have recently released renderings for the future tallest building in the neighborhood. Flushing-based developer Chris Jiashu Xu fi led plans for the mixed-use building at 23-15 44th Drive last February. Th e plans were altered last May so the building would span 79 stories and 984 feet instead of the formerly proposed 963 feet. But, according to architectural fi rm Hill West’s website, the plans have been scaled back to construct a 66-story tower with 802 units. Th e property will still beat out other future towers, including the the planned 70-story Queens Plaza Park, which would rise 915 feet. Th e design is described as “sleek” and “monolithic” and two shades of glass — “neutral blue” and “clear green” — will cover the exterior. A mezzanine lounge will overlook a pool on the third fl oor and the fi ft h fl oor will contain an outside terrace. Other amenities include a fi tness center, sauna, spa, Image credit MAQE via Hill West The Court Square City View Tower will be the tallest in Long Island City once it’s completed in 2018. yoga room, parking and storage. Th e rendering also depicts several storefronts on the fi rst fl oor. Plans show that about 20,000 square feet are allotted for retail on the ground fl oor. Construction is slated to begin this year and is expected to be completed in 2018. CityRealty first reported about the new renderings. — even though the app claimed those same streets had been cleared. PlowNYC is an app that allows New York City residents to track plow vehicles and confi rm snow designation throughout the city. However, this is not the fi rst time that the app has come under fi re. Last year, Lancman called out Mayor Bill de Blasio during last year’s snow storm in January when the PlowNYC inaccurately reported that roads in Queens had been plowed when they were still under thick layers of snow. It appears that this year is no diff erent. “Th is is the second year in a row that PlowNYC is calling streets plowed which aren’t, leaving my constituents frustrated at a lack of accurate information and concerned that their streets are being ignored based on PlowNYC’s faulty data,” Lancman said. “If PlowNYC can’t get it right aft er a minor snowfall, what will happen when we have a real storm?” Lancman tweeted videos over the weekend showing roads that had been reported as plowed on the app, but looking at the roads they clearly haven’t Councilman Rory Lancman is calling for New York City to examine the PlowNYC app. been touched. He also tweeted a screenshot on the map on PlowNYC that reported that the Screenshots via Twitter/@RoryLancman roads he drove down had been plowed. Photos by Suzanne Monteverdi/THE COURIER Family-owned Gaby’s Pizza in Queens Village reopens BY SUZANNE MONTEVERDI smonteverdi@qns.com @smont76 A Queens Village pizzeria has re-opened for business aft er undergoing an interior makeover. Family-owned Gaby’s Pizza, located at 204-23 Hillside Ave. within the Fran Hill Mall, re-opened for business on Tuesday, Jan. 10, aft er eight days of renovations and redecorating. Th e pizzeria was founded in 1964 by three brothers and serves regular, Sicilian and specialty pizza pies and slices, heroes, pastas, Italian-American dishes and more. Today, the eatery is run by the family’s second generation — relatives Gerome Seidita, Orlando Correale and Andre Logiutice. While the inside of the pizzeria may have gotten a new, modern face, Correale assures customers that all food remains familiar and delicious. “New face, but same old recipes,” Correale said. “No changes whatsoever.” Th e business partners said a number of celebrities from all walks of life have visited the pizzeria, including rappers Ja Rule, Run-D.M.C, LL Cool J and Salt- N-Pepa, and a number of players and coaches from the New York Mets, Jets and Giants. “We’ve been voted No. 1 in the neighborhood so many times,” Correale said. “We were on Pizza Showdown on national television and we beat out a pizzeria from Chicago.” Th e owners also stay involved in the community. During the holidays, the pizzeria runs a fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House — a nonprofit organization that works to improve the health and well-being of sick children and their families — and hosts a day with Santa, welcoming neighborhood families to stop by for a photo op. Th e pizzeria also sponsors some local athletics teams, as well. Gaby’s Pizza is open Sunday through Th ursday from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. until midnight and can be reached at 718- 740-9716 or 718-740-9720 for pick-up or delivery. Family and staff gather at the counter of the newly re-opened Gaby’s Pizza.
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