Booking A Beginning For Construction Of Hunters Point Library Boulevard and 48th Avenue, adjacent to Gantry Plaza State Park. “For nearly 15 years I have worked hard to make this day possible. Today, we proudly announce shovels will hit the ground this spring,” Van Bramer said. “With this project, we will expand access to the Queens Library’s world-class resources and free programs and services to generations of local residents, families and seniors.” The Hunters Point library will go up amid ongoing development in its immediate vicinity. The Queens West and Hunters Point South projects are well underway, creating schools, parks and thousands of housing units on the formerly industrial waterfront. Designed by noted architect Steven Holl, the 21,500 sq. ft. Hunters Point library will include separate reading areas for visitors of all ages, state-of-the-art technology, a reading garden, a rooftop terrace and a performance space. Its location will also offer visitors an up-close panorama of the Manhattan skyline. “The new building will also be a welcome community gathering place and serve as an anchor linking the Queens West and Hunters Point South developments,” said Queens Borough PresidentMelinda Katz. “I look forward to visiting what is sure to be an amazing addition to this wonderful neighborhood.” “We are looking forward to seeing the new Queens Library at Hunters Point start to rise,” added Interim Queens Library President Bridget Quinn-Carey. “Libraries are a critical component of the educational and cultural life of a neighborhood. It took so many stakeholders working together to move this project forward.” Van Bramer secured $3 million in city funds to advance the library project, and pledged to obtain another million toward its completion. Quinn-Carey thanked him, Katz and other partners in government for their support, including Mayor Bill de Blasio, State Sen. Michael Gianaris, Assemblywomen Catherine Nolan and Aravella Simotas and Rep. Carolyn Maloney. Also recognized for their contributions to the Hunters Point library Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the city Department of Parks, the city Department of Design and Construction (DDC), the Office of Management and Budget, the -CONTINUED FROM PG. 1- Man Fatally Struck By Van In M.V. Sounding Alarm On Cross Harbor Plans limited infrastructure and the existing traffic there makes it seemingly impossible to accommodate “significant additional utilization of freight rail” in the area. CURES instead called on the PortAuthority consider increased barging and other means of freight shipment through the city’s network of waterways. It also requested “technological upgrades for the existing, antiquated rail freight (sic) system, including new engines,” waste containerization and sound and vibration engineering. The coalition also urged the PortAuthority to devise “demand and transportation system management alternatives” left out of its DEIS and expand passenger freight rail options in the area, which would also reduce vehicular traffic on roadways, bridges and tunnels across the tristate area. Due to last week’s snowstorm, the Port Authority postponed its Jan. 29 public hearing at Queens Borough Hall on the Cross Harbor Freight Program. The hearing will take place on Tuesday,Mar. 3, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Borough Hall, located at 120- 55 Queens Blvd. in Kew Gardens. -CONTINUED FROM PG. 3- TIMES, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 • 20 Chancellor Fariña Hears Concerns In Bushwick SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS MEANS MORE THAN WAVING FLAGS. HHeelpp Reetturnninngg SSoolddieers By DDoonnaattinngg Too VVeetteeraanns OOrggaannizaattioonns. Co-located schools are created when there are small public schools, but large public school buildings. When this happens, another small public school is colocated into the building, resulting in a shared building between two schools. Each school is assigned a segment of classrooms and hallways for their own use, while the large amenities of the buildings, such as the gyms and libraries are shared between the schools. Assemblywoman Maritza Davila voiced her opinion and mirrored the concerns of the parents in her district against the co-location of schools. “I am not against charter schools, what I am against is co-location,” Davila said. She brought up the safety issue of having sixth-graders share the same hallways as high school seniors. “Co-location is never easy,” Fariña admitted. But she did point out that co-location has its benefits. One being shared programs for all students of the school. Some of the shared programs include after school programs and after school tutoring. “As far as the safety measure, I am offering an opportunity to have the stakeholders sit down and talk with us,” Fariña said. “We haven’t really had, in most co-located schools, major issues about safety.” City Council Member Antonio Reynoso also noted that co-location is a big issue for the community. He wants to make sure that the principals of the schools that will be co-located will not be involved in the details of how to best co-locate the schools into one building. “I want him focused only on our students,” Reynoso said. Fariña answered this problem with the creation of a “campus squad.” These campus squads will go to each co-location school and determine all the logistics and complete the paperwork of moving the two schools together. They will count the classrooms, decide on which school gets which section of the building, and only involve the principals in the final decision, leaving the principals free to work on bettering their schools. Reynoso brought up the need for more safety officers in schools, not just co-located schools. “Currently, we have a shortage of school safety officers throughout the city of New York,” Reynoso said. “Since 2006 we haven’t seen an increase in security safety officers.” Fariña answered Reynoso’s concerns: “It’s not about how many safety officers you have, but how well trained they are.” Fariña and her staff are going to institute a new training program from school safety officers to make sure they are more responsive to students and can do their jobs better. All elected officials on hand praised Fariña on the new system she implemented last week, giving superintendents more power to make decisions for their schools, and streamlining support for parents and schools. “In your new model, I really feel that superintendents are going to be empowered and are really going to be able to invest a lot more time in our schools,” Reynoso said. -CONTINUED FROM PG. 1- Officers from the 104th Precinct and EMS units rushed to the scene. Paramedics rushed Gorski to Elmhurst Hospital Center, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Hours later, detectives tracked Rojas down and took him into custody on charges of leaving the scene of an accident. Additional charges against him are pending the results of an ongoing investigation, police said.N o charges were filed against the second driver, and no criminality is suspected, it was noted. The NYPD Collision Investigation Squad is handling the case, authorities stated. -CONTINUED FROM PG. 1- An artist rendering of the Hunters Point library, which is scheduled to be completed in 2016. Empire State Development dream library a reality.” Corporation, Queens West and “As per our mission, the new the Queens Library Board of library planned for Hunters Point Trustees. has been designed with cutouts “The Hunters Point library that will offer spectacular views will provide a state-of-the-art of the Manhattan skyline and will learning environment in our provide a glowing presence at community for young and old night,” added DDC alike,” said Gianaris. “I am proud Commissioner Dr. Feniosky to have provided important Peña-Mora, “making it a support to make this project prominent addition to the Long possible and I am overjoyed that, Island City waterfront while also after so many stops and starts, we giving the neighborhood a muchneeded are finally on track to make this community resource.” “The unflinching dedication of members of the community will finally result in a world-class library on the East River that will be the crown jewel of the Queens Library system,” said Mark A. Christie, president of the Friends of Queens Library at Hunters Point. “Our library will welcome all as we sail into the future of high technology and renewed environmental stewardship in our beloved and ever-evolving Long Island City.” KKeeeepp YYoouurr EEyyeess OOnn TThhee RRooaadd——NNoott YYoouurr PPhhoonnee!! Texting While Driving Is Dangerous & Illegal. UUssee AA HHaannddss-FFrreeee PPhhoonnee OOrr DDoonn’’tt CCaallll WWhhiillee DDrriivviinngg!!
RT02052015
To see the actual publication please follow the link above