Bowne House restoration will help keep HISTORY ALIVE BY MELISA CHAN [email protected] Officials broke ground last week on a $3.2 million for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com JULY 4, 2013 • The queens Courier 19 UNVEIL NEW LOOK FOR ROOSEVELT AVENUE BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO [email protected] Take a look at what the 82nd Street Partnership has in store for Roosevelt Avenue. On Wednesday, June 19, the group revealed streetscape renderings for public spaces within the Jackson Heights-Corona Business Improvement District (BID) expansion area. In March, the 82nd Street Partnership announced plans to expand its BID to include corridors of Roosevelt Avenue, Junction Boulevard, 103rd Street and National Street. This expansion will become a community-driven effort including property owners, businesses, residents, public officials and other stakeholders. The goal is to improve the strip’s sense of place. In the past four months, the 82nd Street Partnership has met with businesses and collected more than 300 surveys from residents as well as property and business owners. The undertaking received support from community and economic development groups including the Queens Chamber of Commerce, Queens Economic Development Corporation, Corona Community Action Network (Corona CAN), Make the Road NY and Immigrant Movement International. After gathering the information, the partnership created conceptual renderings depicting the vision of the community for the Jackson Heights-Corona commercial district once the BID gets underway in 2014. In the renderings, Roosevelt Avenue is shown with improvements including new planted trees, street tables and chairs, flowers, outdoor café seating, lighting, banners, benches, bicycle racks, brighter lights and renovated storefronts with new awnings and swings. “The business community envisions sidewalks and public spaces along the commercial corridor to be inviting, enjoyable places where people of all ages and backgrounds can relax and feel comfortable - as is depicted in the rendering,” said Seth Taylor, executive director of the 82nd Street Partnership. “The community envisions a commercial corridor where people can comfortably and safely stroll all hours of the day and night.” The BID hopes to improve the quality of life and support the local economic activity in the neighborhood by making the area cleaner, safer, brighter and more enjoyable. “The Jackson Heights - Corona BID looks forward to helping the community realize its exciting vision for the future,” said Taylor. For more information, visit www.JHCoronaBID.org. project to preserve a historic Flushing gem. A 17th century symbol of religious freedom, the Bowne House will get a new roof, gutters, pipes, wood wall shingles and steel columns, among other exterior restorations. “The Bowne House helped to shape our history and now it is time for us to take care of its future for a new generation,” said Borough President Helen Marshall, who helped secure part of its funding. Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski said the site is a symbol of tolerance and diversity. It was built in the 1660s by John Bowne and used for Quaker meetings when religious diversity was forbidden by law. The city-landmarked house closed for restoration this spring. “The house is both historically and architecturally significant,” said Historic House Trust executive director Franklin Vagnone, “and this restoration will ensure it is preserved for the thousands of visitors and school children who will visit the house each year.” Renovations are expected to be complete by the end of the year, a Parks spokesperson said. However, officials are yet to determine the time frame for interior construction including strengthening the first-floor framing. Photo Courtesy of the Parks Department A $3.2 million project to renovate the historic Bowne House in Flushing officially kicked off with a groundbreaking ceremony. MAN COMES UP WITH 5POINTZ PLAN BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO [email protected] As the demolition date of the graffiti mecca known as 5Pointz gets closer, one Long Island City resident has come up with a proposal to save the art that covers the building. Kris Schrey, co-organizer of the Long Island City Parents Group, proposed moving the art from 5Pointz onto the concrete walls surrounding MoMA PS1 across the street. Schrey developed this idea after stepping out of a public hearing at PS1 in May during which the Wolkoff family, owners of 5Pointz, discussed their special permit application. The Wolkoff family, which has owned 5Pointz for decades, plans to demolish the graffiti-covered warehouses on Jackson Avenue and Davis Street and begin construction on apartment towers by the end of the year. Although Community Board 2 voted against the special permit in June, the Wolkoffs can still demolish and build at the space in keeping with their rights as owners. Schrey’s idea first appeared in a weekly newsletter for his parents’ group. “Could there be a better synergy than between MoMA’s high concept art and mind-numbing street art of the aerosol kind?” Schrey wrote in the column. “This ‘concrete’ solution would provide a new, better, lasting home for your graffiti: more space, more visibility, more foot traffic and maybe the museum could even carve out some office space for Jonathan Cohen’s graffiti group.” According to Schrey, the new apartment towers would bring residents that could help boost the businesses in the area and help the community. But for 5Pointz spokesperson Marie Cecile Flageul, the idea came with good intentions but unreasonable solutions. “Three walls at PS1 wouldn’t cut it. I think it’s a laughable idea, in the sense that it is funny and great that there is a parent association in Long Island City and as a resident he is trying to come up with ideas” she said. “But don’t you think before making a statement about this, you should have spoken to both parties involved?” According to Flageul, if there were any need or willingness from the museum, MoMA PS1 would have already reached out to the artists. She believes the warehouse should be maintained to make the area cleaner and safer for both artists and visitors. Schrey hopes to speak with members of 5Pointz and the community in the weeks to come and later present his idea to MoMA PS1 MoMA PS1 did not respond as of press time. Rendering Courtesy 82nd Street Partnership
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