for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com may 9, 2013 • The queens Courier 3 LAND SWAP IN TENNIS CENTER EXPANSION BY TERENCE M. CULLEN tcullen@queenscourier.com The US Tennis Association (USTA) has agreed to give up some of its rented land in exchange for 0.68 acres the organization has eyed for expanding the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, in an effort to placate critics of the project. Two pieces of land make up the 1.56 acres that USTA will give back to the NYC Parks Department, according to a news release. One section spanning 0.75 acres is open access area and the remaining 0.81 acres include five tennis courts. The deal has already drawn criticism from the project’s opponents, who pointed out the parcel of land that includes the courts was already publicly accessible. The only change involved in the deal is that the parks department will run the land. While USTA will still maintain the courts for Parks, part of the agreement allows the organization to use the facilities during the two-week Open, according to a spokesperson. Geoffrey Croft, president of New York City Park Advocates, said the deal was null. “They are swapping parkland that we already have access to for parkland that we already have access to,” he said. USTA executives spent nearly a year lobbying for expansions on the tennis center’s southern border. The expansions would also relocate a connector road currently situated on land rented by the USTA. But the status of the parkland, and the fact the USTA was not required to replace any lost, became a hot button issue as the project got approval. “Understanding that every inch of parkland is precious and after seeking input and recommendations from the local Queens communities and elected officials, the USTA, in consultation with the Parks Department, decided it was in the best interest of all parties to propose a parkland swap,” said tennis center COO Danny Zausner. The six community boards affected by the expansion were split on the project, but Borough President Helen Marshall ultimately recommended that it move forward. During her April borough board meeting, which USTA executives attended, Marshall said parkland had to be replaced. “Today’s announcement is welcome news and shows just how much we value every acre of parkland here in Queens,” Marshall said upon the land swap becoming official. “My support for the USTA proposal was conditioned on the need to replace any alienated land in our borough’s flagship park.” THE COURIER/Photo by Melissa Chan The city has bought the Keil Bros Garden Center and Nursery and wants to build an elementary school in its place. NOT IN MY BACKYARD Bayside residents oppose school in place of Keil Bros BY MELISA CHAN mchan@queenscourier.com Build a school, say Bayside residents, just not in our backyards. Community Board (CB) 11 voted against a controversial proposal to build an elementary school in the place of a popular garden center after enraged residents who live near the 210-11 48th Avenue site vehemently opposed it. “This area is saturated with schools, and we can’t stand it anymore,” said resident Mandingo Tshaka. “Hell, no. That’s all I’m going to say.” The owners of Keil Bros Garden Center and Nursery have struck a deal with the city to sell their entire Bayside property, including a home next to the store, for an undisclosed amount. Ronald Keil, vice president of the family-run business, cited “the changing nature of the retail world” and “increasing COMMUNITY BOARD CHAOS City may take legal action after contentious meeting BY MELISA CHAN mchan@queenscourier.com The city might take legal action after two school construction officials were threatened Monday at a contentious community board meeting. Bayside residents were enraged at a proposal by the city’s School Construction Authority (SCA) to build a 416-seat elementary school at 210-11 48th Avenue. They said it would destroy their quality of life, worsen parking and traffic congestion and lead to dangerous crossing conditions for students. But two attendees took it too far, said Monica Gutierrez, one of two SCA representatives who pitched the application at the May 6 hearing. Gutierrez said a woman in her 60s approached the pair of speakers after the meeting adjourned and verbally threatened them. Someone then allegedly followed Gutierrez in a car until she pulled into an empty lot. “She said, ‘You’ll have what’s coming to you. You’ll see,’” Gutierrez said. “When you threaten somebody, there are repercussions. They’re not above the law. They acted very barbaric.” An older man also approached Chris Persheff, the agency’s Queens site selection manager, at the end of the meeting. The man called Persheff a liar and threatened to break his legs, according to the manager. “I’ve done this a lot,” he said. “Usually the audience can sort of separate whatever I’m saying with the issue at hand. I’ve never had this personalized before like this.” Gutierrez said the angry resident “tried to be all up against” Persheff. She said she grabbed the man and told him to calm down. “It’s too vulnerable of a position to be in,” Persheff said. “It’s just unacceptable.” Community Board 11 Chair Jerry Iannece said emotions were high, but the threats were uncalled for. “The residents are very frustrated. They’re skeptical about what they don’t know,” he said. “But I don’t condone violence in any form. There’s no place for intimidation.” Gutierrez said the city may take legal action against the alleged verbal assailants. A spokesperson for the city’s Department of Education said the department is “taking appropriate action.” Persheff said he would file a police report but had no further comment. The two residents’ identities were not known as of press time. “We’ve been in bad neighborhoods, low economic areas, and they treat us with respect,” Gutierrez said. “Yes, they voice their minds, but they respect people.” “It’s sad,” she continued. “These people are adults, and that’s how they are treating people. We’re just out there trying to do our jobs.” costs of doing business” as reasons for the sale. “Basically, it’s an uncertain economy,” he said. Residents said the 416-seat school would destroy their quality of life, worsen parking and traffic congestion and lead to dangerous crossing conditions for students. “It’s really a disaster in the making,” said Toby Pagano, 64, of Bayside. “I would be horrified, but not surprised, if there was an accident.” There are 21 elementary schools in the district and 12 within CB 11’s jurisdiction, according to Susan Seinfeld, district manager of Community Board 11. Local educators said the majority of them are heavily congested, with registration growing every year. At least three schools have had to put classrooms in space originally meant for libraries or music, Seinfeld said. “There’s an opportunity for a school to be built,” P.S. 41 Principal Sari Latto said. “We’re hoping that will alleviate some of that overcrowding.” No designs for a new school have been laid out yet, according to School Construction Authority officials. The site selection process began in 2008 and honed in on the disputed site last month. According to Keil, the city approached his 83-year-old business within the last two years. He said he and his brother are exploring options to continue the store in another part of Queens. The garden center will be open for regular business for the rest of the year. CB 11’s advisory vote now heads to the City Council for a final ruling. “I do get the need for new schools,” said resident Carol Shriver, 55. “I understand that. But this is wrong. This is just the wrong place to build a school. They’re just asking for trouble.”
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