4 The QUENS Courier • april 30, 2015 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com MTA will boost service on 7, L and M lines later this year BY ROBERT POZARYCKI rpozarycki@queenscourier.com @robbpoz With overall subway ridership up 2.6 percent across the city, the MTA is set to meet the increased demand by boosting service on three local subway lines this December. Most of the changes will take place during off-peak hours, as the MTA reported ridership between or after rush hour periods reached its highest rate in 65 years in 2014, with more than 1.75 billion riders systemwide. The biggest boost will take place on the L line, with seven additional round trips added between 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. on weekdays. Ridership on the L line — which services Ridgewood and Bushwick — grew 4.7 percent last year, the largest increase of any line in the system. According to the MTA, the seven additional trains will reduce wait times on the L line to five minutes between the morning and evening rush hours. Last fall, the MTA similarly enhanced L train service during weeknight and weekend periods. The MTA will also introduce two additional round trips on the 7 line — which services the rapidly-growing neighborhoods of Long Island City, Sunnyside, Woodside and Flushing — between 8 and 10:20 p.m. on weeknights. The agency said this will reduce wait times to under 4 1/2 minutes. This service increase is expected to ease commuting, in particular, out of The 7 line, along with the M and L, will see an increase in service starting this December. the Vernon Boulevard-Jackson Avenue station in Long Island City, which experienced a 12 percent growth in weekday ridership in 2014; and at the Flushing- Main Street terminal, which averages about 60,000 riders each day. Finally, the M line will get an extra round trip just after the morning rush hour, between 9 and 9:30 a.m., reducing wait times to an average of 7 1/2 minutes. Since the line was rerouted in 2010 through Midtown Manhattan and northwest Queens (replacing the defunct V line), M train ridership is up about 31 percent, with an average increase of 6.2 percent at stations between Metropolitan Avenue in Middle Village and Marcy Avenue in Williamsburg. “New York is a dynamic city and it continues to grow as new or better File photo housing options become available and more people come here for jobs or school,” said MTA New York City Transit President Carmen Bianco. “By making these schedule changes, New York City Transit is making the most of its resources to deliver service that accurately reflects ridership in growing areas.” The MTA plans to spend $1.6 million to implement the additional service. Confusion arises after allegations of illegal Flushing hotel BY ALINA SURIEL asuriel@queenscourier.com @alinangelica Questions and rumors continue to fly about a mystery home expansion in Flushing. Although members of the Broadway- Flushing Homeowners’ Association have issues with renovations on a single-family home they believe will create a transient hotel on 156th Street, the property’s owner was surprised to learn that these allegations were being spread about what he claims will be his family home. The Broadway-Flushing Homeowners’ Association has been circulating information that alleges that a three-floor home at 35-20 156th St. will be renovated to have 14 bedrooms and eight bathrooms and operate as an illegal hotel. Robert Hanophy Jr., president of the Broadway-Flushing Homeowners’ Association, said that he did not get a chance to speak to the Yang family, but that there would be no need for a rally if they were indeed planning to live in the house. Until they get confirmation that this is the case, though, the demonstration is still set to take place. Hanophy said that the new owners are welcome to attend the rally on Thursday or to meet with the association at a more convenient time to speak directly to the community. “What we are doing as the homeowners’ association is trying to maintain the neighborhood as single-family residences,” said Hanophy, “whether it’s grandma who lives alone or a family of 15 kids.” The structure is located in a zoning district designated for only detached, singlefamily homes. Qira Yang, whose mother, Qiujin Yang is the property’s owner, said the situation is all a misunderstanding because his family does plan to live there once renovations are complete. “We kind of have a big family here, so my mom just wants to have a room for every child she has,” said Yang, who said that his elderly mother has four adult children. The family plans to grow into the house as his generation gets married and has their own offspring. Yang said he was not aware of a rally set to take place in front of the house with the homeowners’ association and state Senator Tony Avella Thursday afternoon, and that no one contacted him to tell them of their plans. According to Yang, the renovations taking place will actually reduce A single-family home at 35-20 156th St. has been subject to allegations that it is being renovated to be an illegal hotel. the number of bedrooms to 10 and make the rooms larger than they had been before. Yang said that he was aware of the house’s history as an alleged hotel. The house has 50 recorded complaints with the city Department of Buildings, 42 of which occurred before the current owners came into control of the house in October 2013. Some of the complaints date from as far back as 1989, many of which indicate that the home had been illegally converted into multiple separate dwellings or transformed Photo courtesy of Robert Hanophy Jr. to accommodate transient hotel rooms. While there is an order to stop work on the renovations based on one of the most recent complaints, these are related to minor infractions, including construction work that did not conform to the set plan and workers smoking cigarettes on the job site. The other complaints that were recorded during Yang’s ownership dealt largely with construction being done without the proper permits posted. Senator Avella was unable to be reached as of press time.
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