GPOA President Urges Residents To Speak Out Against Glendale Shelter Sen. Joseph Addabbo, said the property is under an environmental study. If it passes muster, the structure’s fate will be in the hands of the Department of Homeless Services (DHS), which preliminarily approved the plan last year, as stated in an article in this paper’s previous issue. Assemblyman Mike Miller, who also spoke at the meeting, said he hasn’t stopped fighting against it. He has set up a meeting with City Comptroller Scott Stringer to discuss the reasons why he believes the proposal needs to be stopped. “The fact that they are still in an investigation of this use of money ... the fact that Samaritan’s Village is taking out a loan to fix up the building to pay for it out of the contract is illegal for them to do,” Miller said. “The city doesn’t pay for rehabilitation of a building. This is the way, we think, for them to get around it.” The DHS and Samaritan Village will be at the May 22 hearing. Maureau asked anybody who wants to speak at the meeting to register in advance by calling Board 5 at 1-718- 366-184. Each speaker will be allotted two minutes and people are encouraged to take public transportation as parking will be limited. Disgusted by trash Ingrid Huber of Glendale made note of trash building up on the Jackie Robinson Parkway. Miller suggested calling the Sanitation Department via 311 before bringing up Myrtle Avenue, which flared up anger among residents beside themselves about dirty neighborhood streets. Aresident at 69th Street andMyrtle Avenue said there were four pails on the corner and was disgusted by the amount of garbage around them. “I thought I was going to church in the ghetto,” she said, exclaiming she would be ashamed to bring friends or family around. Residents gave plenty of stories of seeing neighbors leave their trash bags at the public cans and seeing them overflow on the weekends. More pick-ups would help, many agreed, but in the end the best solution would be to get rid of them all together. Miller stated he has been, and will be, working on solutions. Other news Dominick Dale, representing City Council Member Elizabeth Crowley, said the lawmaker supports the City Council’s latest effort to employ 1,000 more police officers. He also noted Crowley’s latest legislative action, a bill that would halt the sale of cats and dogs bred in poor conditions. Dooley noted Crain’s New York Business published an interview with Queens Borough president Melinda Katz detailing her “new path for the borough.” In the interview, she said she wants to rebrand Queens, starting with the NewYork State Pavilion and planning the 50th anniversary of the World’s Fair. When asked what Queens motto should be she said, “‘The world’s borough.”’ Members at the meeting got a sneak peak at the summer event schedule for Forest Park and Highland Park, which is now available online at www.nycparks.gov. Margaret Carrillo-Rosas from the city’s Parks Department said the carousel is open in Forest Park Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. After Memorial Day, it will be open one hour later on the weekends and weekdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Part-time coaching positions are open for Forest and Highland Parks’ 2014 sports clinics that will run six weeks in July and August, Carrillo added. The position pays $15 an hour TIMES, THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2014 • 28 Assemblyman Mike Miller (at right) addressed residents at the Glendale Property Owners Association meeting last Thursday, May 1. Shown at left is the civic group’s president, Brian Dooley. (photo: Matthew Van Deventer) -CONTINUED FROM PG. 3- for a few hours every week coaching skateboarding, basketball and soccer. Those interested can email resumes to margaret.carrillorosas@ parks.nyc.gov or call 1-718-235-4100, Ext. 307. Carrillo also noted the Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP) established a command post at Dry Harbor Playground. The next Glendale Property Owners Association meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday, June 5, at 7:30 p.m. at St. Pancras Pfeifer Hall, located at the corner of Myrtle Avenue and 68th Street. Liquor Authority Knocks Out Liquor License Request For Knockdown Center -CONTINUED FROM PG. 1- submitted documents indicating a reduced maximum occupancy to 3,100, security plans for large events and reassurances regarding the availability of public transportation and off-street parking. In the end, SLA Chairperson Dennis Rosen and Commissioner Jeanique Greene stated at the authority’s May 6 meeting in Harlem they believed the Knockdown Center didn’t do enough to address concerns from community activists and the 104th Precinct, which also previously informed the SLA of its opposition to the application. “With all of the material you presented, obviously the community and the Police Department aren’t convinced this is going to be a controlled place,” Greene told Flynn during the meeting. “The population you are targeting may not be 3,100 every night, but it still has the potential to be” out of control. “There were concerns that are reasonable concerns with respect to crowd control and the related issues that we’ve discussed,” Rosen added. “Again, I really see no community support for this at all.” Flynn indicated that he would seek to appeal the SLA’s decision to the courts. According to the SLA, applicants who are rejected may file an Article 78 proceeding asking a state court “to review a decision or action of a New York State official or administrative agency.” That action, however, may not happen for another 30 days, as the SLA must first issue its final written decision on the Knockdown Center within that timeframe. ‘Relieved’ with the decision Nevertheless, those who long opposed the Knockdown Center praised the SLA for rejecting the application in interviews with the Times Newsweekly following Tuesday’s decision. “I’m pleased with the decision and I think it shows the integrity of the commissioners,” said Community Board 5 District Manager Gary Giordano. “I’m relieved that the SLA sided with the community and I wish the Knockdown Center well in their operation of an alcohol-free arts center,” added local activist Christina Wilkinson, who testified against the application at the SLA’s Apr. 22 hearing. Wilkinson and the presidents of two local civic groups—Robert Holden of the Juniper Park Civic Association (JPCA) and Rosemarie Daraio of the Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together (COMET) civic association— submitted joint testimony to the SLA on May 5 in response to the Knockdown Center’s application changes. “Certainly it demonstrates that any company or community that tries to come in and affect the quality of life for the neighborhood is going to be in for a battle,” Holden told this paper. “This thing had no benefits whatsoever for Maspeth.” “We didn’t win the war, but we won a battle,” Daraio added. “I think it will curtail any rowdy activity if they’re sober. ... I couldn’t say it would deter people from going, but it would certainly help prevent any kind of rowdiness and other mischief.” “This is a vital step in preserving residents’ quality of life and maintaining the needed level of neighborhood safety,” said State Sen. Joseph Addabbo. “I will continue to fight to keep our homes and streets a safe haven when it comes to the Knockdown Center as well as any other establishment threatening our way of life. I look forward to an open dialogue regarding the future of this site.” “The residents of Ridgewood and Maspeth deserve to have their questions answered and their concerns addressed before the Knockdown Center is ever granted a liquor license, and I thank the SLA for preserving the community’s quality of life with this decision,” added State Sen. Michael Gianaris. “I am pleased by the State Liquor Authority’s decision to deny the Knockdown Center its liquor license,” said Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, who called it “a great victory for our community and the many groups ... who expressed serious concerns about this establishment.” Through a statement from her spokesperson, Javier Lacayo, City Council Member Elizabeth Crowley indicated that she “continues to support the Knockdown Center as a cultural institution.” “She believes that it is the responsibility of the State Liquor Authority to decide whether or not to issue a liquor license, and defers to their judgment,” Lacayo added. Crowley took flak from community activists in recent months for supporting the Knockdown Center. In previous appearances, she indicated the facility has the potential to serve as an economic engine for the community. Unconvinced by changes Responding to a mandate from Rosen, Flynn submitted follow-up testimony to the SLA last week regarding security protocols and changes designed to allay community concerns. Along with reducing the maximum occupancy to 3,100, Flynn wrote the Knockdown Center secured the services of Citadel Security Agency to provide security at its large events. Management also pledged to inform the 104th Precinct well in advance of large gatherings planned for the facility. Responding to concerns about the lack of public transportation in the area, Flynn said the Knockdown Center would provide shuttle service to the nearest subway station—the Jefferson Street stop on the L line in Bushwick, located nearly a mile from the Maspeth location. Notices would be posted on the Knockdown Center’s website advising patrons of the shuttle and to take Flushing Avenue and other commercial streets if they wished to walk to the Jefferson Street station. He also mentioned the Knockdown Center is served by five nearby bus lines. Regarding noise concerns, Flynn indicated the Knockdown Center— which is surrounded by walls up to 16’-high made of brick and/or corrugated steel—would sufficiently contain the noise and not cause inconvenience to residents in the surrounding area. “The applicant premise has presented documentation that the premise can be operated without causing any disruption to the community,” Flynn wrote. “The opposition is solely based on unsubstantiated belief that something may go wrong.” In their joint response to the SLA, Wilkinson, Holden and Daraio charged reducing the Knockdown Center’s maximum occupancy “would not make this venue any less detrimental to our neighborhood.” They cited, as one example, a recent lecture which drew a crowd of 750 to the Knockdown Center—but caused a late-night traffic jam on a nearby street. They also pointed out the Knockdown Center’s temporary place of assembly permit for the M.I.A. concerts lists a maximum capacity of 3,500, inconsistent with the number the Knockdown Center provided to the SLA. A local resident, they claimed, reported seeing many taxis doubleparked along the roadway with horns blaring. Wilkinson, Holden and Daraio also rejected Flynn’s claims about public transportation availability, as two of the five local bus lines (the B38 and B57) serving the area do not operate overnight. Other buses operate on sporadic schedules from every 20 minutes to every half-hour. The civic activists also said the Knockdown Center’s exterior walls would not be enough to contain noise and that the security plan was “inadequate,” as the facility would still need to rely on local police for traffic and crowd control at big events. “All of the issues of concern should have been worked out long before this point,” they wrote. “It is clear by their method of operation and the information they submitted with their petition that they do not understand our area and do not care to.” ADVERTISE With The Times Newsweekly! Call 1-718-821-7500
RT05082014
To see the actual publication please follow the link above