FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com OCTOBER 24, 2013 • The Queens Courier 11 Community Board 5 voiced support for a pedestrian plaza on the corner of Myrtle and 71st Avenues. A PRETTIER PLAZA BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO [email protected] One Jackson Heights plaza is getting a little extra help to fully shine in the community. Councilmember Daniel Dromm recently announced he will allocate $500,000 in capital funds for enhancements to the 37th Road Pedestrian Plaza known as Diversity Plaza. “Diversity Plaza has become an integral part of our community,” said Dromm. “These improvements will go a long way to build out an asset that our community has come to adopt as a town square. Despite its slightly rocky start, this truly is the ‘little plaza that could.’” The funding will allow the plaza, which is still in its design phase, to include seating, lighting and other features. Other amenities will also include the installment of community maps, guiding residents and visitors to local businesses around the neighborhood. The Department of Transportation (DOT) has also reserved $2 million to provide extra improvements to the plaza, including a public pay toilet, permanent seating and an improved street surface. Later this fall, Dromm’s office and the DOT will set up a meeting at which the public will have the chance to give their opinions on the amenities. “Diversity Plaza is a result of tremendous community effort, from the intensive transportation planning sessions that developed it, to the efforts of the local merchants and civic groups that are now sustaining it,” said Andy Wiley-Schwarts, Assistant Commissioner for Public Space at the DOT. “We look forward to working with Councilmember Dromm and the Jackson Heights community to build a safe, beautiful public space for generations to enjoy.” The councilmember also secured $10,000 in discretionary funding to include the services of the Horticultural Society and ACE New York, which will offer a monthly power washing and horticulture care as part of daily maintenance and cleaning services for the plaza. Dromm had already allocated $60,000 to the Doe Fund to clean both the plaza and surrounding area. The nonprofit organization SUKHI New York was founded to become the plaza partner and take care of maintenance and events. “We are eager to involve the broader Jackson Heights community in a discussion about what they would like to see on their plaza,” said Shazia Kauser, president and one of the founders of SUKHI New York. In the past months, the plaza has hosted the first ever open-air community board meeting with Community Board 3 and a series of short films as part of the Queens World Film Festival. 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QueensCourier.com HEALTH & FINANCIAL FITNESS EXPO Friday, November 22, 2013 10:00am-1:00pm Towers on the Green in the North Shore Towers 272-48 Grand Central Pkwy, Floral Park, 10005 QM6 Manhattan Express Bus FREE ADMISSION TESTINGS FOR: • Blood Pressure* • Vestibular Disorder* • Carotid Arteries* • Over 30 Exhibitors • FREE Coffee & Cake • FREE Parking • Entertainment • Expert Speakers FEATURING KEYNOTE SPEAKER RONALD FATOULLAH, ESQ. The Five Essential Documents All Seniors Should Have A discussion panel of experts in Elder Law, Insurance, Home Care, Medicare and much more. *With Insurance CALL TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT! MERCEDES MYRTLE MAKEOVER Plans for pedestrian plaza outlined BY LIAM LA GUERE [email protected] Call it the Myrtle Avenue makeover. Community Board 5 (CB5) is in favor of the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) plan to transform the corner of Myrtle and 71st Avenues into a pedestrian plaza. The plan to makeover the space was almost fully accepted at the board’s most recent transportation committee meeting, except for a few minor changes. “It’s a nice attribute for the community,” said Ted Renz, executive director of the Myrtle Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) and a member of the community board. “Pedestrian plazas have become very popular throughout the city.” The DOT will install new lighting, bike racks, plants, chess tables, chairs and umbrellas for shade, and raise the sidewalk for the new square. Renz said the BID will look to create art and music programs and variety of services at the plaza for the community to enjoy when it is completed. But before that, the DOT has to tweak the plan and present the final designs to the community board’s transportation committee for approval at an upcoming meeting. The plaza is just one of two coming to Myrtle Avenue. The city’s Department of Design and Construction is in the final design phase for another public square at the intersection of Myrtle and Cooper Avenues in Glendale, which is known as the Glendale Veterans Triangle. It is expected to go out to bid and start construction by next year, according to Renz.
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