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QUEENS WEEKLY, DEC. 15, 2019
Plans for Bellerose community reading garden move forward
BY JENNA BAGCAL
Plans are finally moving
forward for a Bellerose reading
garden the city had promised
the community back in 2014.
On Dec. 5, elected officials,
the Parks Department, P.S. 133
leadership and community and
civic leaders announced the
next steps for the Bellerose Community
Reading Garden project
that will lie adjacent to the Bellerose
Playground and P.S. 133
schoolyard.
The city had previously closed
off the garden space where the
planned reading garden will go,
despite the community’s desire
to transform the area. In 2014,
former Senator Tony Avella secured
$250,000 in funding but the
project never moved forward.
Two years later, Borough
President Melinda Katz and
Councilman Barry Grodenchik
put forth a collective $4.4 million
from the city budget that
went toward schoolyard and
playground renovations for P.S.
133. The city moved forward
with the project while plans for
the reading garden fell to the
wayside. Construction is currently
underway and is slated to
finish by spring 2020.
“This reading garden has
been long sought after by the
community, and in fact, should
have been part of a comprehensive
renovation of the P.S. 133 recreation
area,” said Senator John
Liu. “However, lack of collaboration
in past years had resulted
in this component of the overall
renovation being excluded. We
have worked together with the
parks department, elected officials
and community activists
for the last several months to put
this project on a clear path forward
for completion. The next
step is a public scoping meeting,
which is important so that community
input can be incorporated,
and I hope anyone interested
will come share their ideas and
suggestions.”
P.S. 133 will host a public
scoping meeting on Friday, Jan.
10, at 3 p.m. At the meeting, the
community can weigh in on design
elements and things they
would like to see put in the reading
garden.
Prior to this project, parents
and community members
had advocated for a decade for
the city to make better use of
the garden space. Supporters
thought that a reading garden
would get students “more involved
in their community” and
provide a serene environment
for reading.
“The P.S. 133Q schoolyard
and Bellerose playground are almost
complete, and the reading
garden is the final puzzle piece
at that site,” said Councilman
Barry Grodenchik.
Reach reporter Jenna Bagcal
by e-mail at jbagcal@qns.com or
by phone at (718) 260-2583.
Plaxall joins other developers in outreach program for future of
Long Island City waterfront in absence of Amazon HQ2 campus
BY BILL PARRY
Plaxall has decided to
join a coalition of other
developers in a public
outreach effort over the
future of the Long Island
City waterfront, specifically
the land that was
going to be used to build
Amazon’s HQ2 campus
before the e-commerce giant
scuttled its plans last
February.
Plaxall, the longtime
family-owned manufacturer,
had partnered with
TF Cornerstone to develop
the site surrounding
Anable Basin for Amazon,
but hesitated to join
the Your LIC community
group formed by developers
TF Cornerstone, Simon
Baron Development
and L&L MAG, which collectively
control 28 acres
along the waterfront, opting
instead to meet with
community groups.
During the summer,
the City Council met with
the developers and urged
them to create a unified
planning approach to
better meet the needs of
the community and work
with residents and business
owners in an open
and collaborative process
to create a framework for
the waterfront.
More than 120 residents
showed up for the
group’s first community
workshop last month
where former LaGuardia
Community College
president Gail O. Mellow
moderated a discussion
alongside Urban Upbound
co-founder Bishop
Mitchell Taylor.
The public meeting
at the Jacob Riis Settlement
in the Queensbridge
Houses focused on economic
empowerment and
career development and
how new development
would best serve the
community.
“We have been paying
close attention to the
Your LIC process and
want to support this community
engagement and
participation,” Plaxall
Managing Director Paula
Kirby said. “Having been
a part of Long Island City
for more than 70 years,
we are dedicated to the future
of the waterfront and
look forward to working
with our neighbors to create
a plan that works for
the entire community.”
Mellow and Taylor will
facilitate a second Your
LIC community meeting
at the Hunters Point
Middle School located at
1-50 51st Ave. on Dec. 16,
beginning at 6 p.m. During
the workshop, subject
matter experts from
SHoP Architects, SCAPE
Landscape Architecture,
and Sherwood Design Engineers
will deliver presentations
on long-term
urban resilience and
equitable park access.
The workshop will
focus on community
resources, including
schools, recreation and
culture as well as comprehensive
neighborhood
planning including infrastructure,
housing and
mobility. Visit yourlic.
nyc for more information
on the workshop and join
the online engagements.
Reach reporter Bill Parry
by e-mail at bparry@
schnepsmedia.com or by
phone at (718) 260–4538.
Bellerose will get a long-awaited community reading garden. Courtesy of Senator Liu’s office
Plaxall decided to join the Your LIC public outreach group on the future of Anable Basin in
Long Island City. Courtesy of Cuomo’s office
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