WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES FEBRUARY 13, 2020 3
Judge dismisses suit against Glendale homeless shelter
BY MAX PARROTT
MPARROTT@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
A judge on Feb. 7 dismissed a lawsuit fi led by a
group of Queens residents in November claiming
that the city did not conduct the proper
environmental review for the proposed homeless
shelter at 78-16 Cooper Ave. in Glendale.
The lawsuit sought an injunction to halt the city’s
plan to develop the building into a 200-person homeless
shelter.
Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Carol Edmead
found that the plaintiff s misinterpreted the environmental
review process and denied the lawsuit
entirely.
The judge added that the Department of Homeless
Services had conducted its own environmental assessment
study, which found that locating a homeless
shelter in the subject building will not have a “signifi -
cant environmental impact,” and would authorize the
project to proceed.
“Petitioners/plaintiff s’ fail to identify any authority
to support the proposition that a ‘city-wide’ review
is required before DHS may initiate any homeless
shelter development projects,” wrote Edmead in her
decision.
In response to the news, DHS spokesperson Isaac
McGinn said the agency would be proceeding as soon
as possible with opening the facility.
“Today’s ruling is a win for New Yorkers experiencing
homelessness who will now have the opportunity
to get back on their feet at this high-quality employment
shelter,” said McGinn.
The DHS’ celebration may have come prematurely,
though, as the Supreme Court appeal is just one of two
Opponents of the 78-16 Cooper Ave. shelter gathered Jan. 31 to keep up the pressure as they
waited to hear about their legal challenges. Photo by Dean Moses
legal avenues that shelter opponents have pursued to
stop the project.
The Glendale-Middle Village Coalition also fi led
objections with the Department of Buildings that the
shelter would violate its current zoning requirements.
The group is still waiting on a denial letter from the
DOB aft er applying last year, and followed up by fi ling
again more recently with a diff erent attorney.
Councilman Robert Holden pointed out that the Cooper
Avenue site has been fl agged by the Department
of Buildings as a result of the objections.
“As of Feb. 3, the building plans are revoked due to
numerous objections submitted to the Department of
Buildings and Board of Standards and Appeals. These
objections will stand if the applicants do not fi gure
out how to resolve them. This fi ght is far from over,”
Holden said in a statement.
DHS dismissed the DOB objections as a standard
part of the construction process. A spokesperson said
that they expected them to be resolved promptly.
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