WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES NOVEMBER 8, 2018 3
Nonprofit looks to build 66 housing units in Glendale
BY MARK HALLUM
MHALLUM@CNGLOCAL.COM
Community Board 5 will hear
arguments on Nov. 14 about a
potential development that aims
to house homeless individuals, seniors
and families from the community who
qualify for low-income housing.
The zoning variance application
focuses on the parcel of land is at 80-
97 Cypress Ave. If the Board of Standards
(BSA) approves the application,
WellLife Network, a UG 3 non-profi t,
will demolish an existing, abandoned
structure to make way for a six-story
building with 66 units which will be
“100% permanently aff ordable,” according
to CB 5.
Gary Giordano, the Board 5 district
manager, said that WellLife’s eff orts to
build at the site go back to 2000, when
they were attempting to build a facility
for 18 psychiatric patients, however a
mixed population makes the project
more feasible.
“The representatives of the WellLife
Network inform us that they’re quite
confi dent that these three diff erent
groups of people can live together in
a safe environment that they provide,”
Giordano said.
Funding for the supportive housing
is coming from the state of New York,
according to Giordano, while the Department
of Housing Preservation and
Development is also involved.
The application calls for 20 units
reserved for homeless or at-risk individuals,
young adults or families with
children where one adult member of
the family has either a mental or physical
disability.
Another 20 units will be set aside
for seniors who are at risk of being
homeless and have disabilities.
The remaining 26 apartments will
be for low-income residents who are
eligible for aff ordable housing.
Plans with the city Department of
Buildings show the structure will rise
57 feet with a community room and a
lounge in the cellar. It will have a 19
space parking lot.
The community in Glendale and Maspeth
has been on high alert aft er concern
that a shelter would be placed at 78-
16 Cooper Ave., but now it is more likely
to become a school aft er negotiations
between Councilman Robert Holden,
city Department of Homeless Services
Commissioner Steve Banks and the
School Construction Authority saw the
location as more suitable for a school.
CEC 24 approved a resolution last
week to voice their support for using
the property to relive overcrowding
in schools in the district.
But fears over Mayor Bill de Blasio’s
Turning of the Tide on Homelessness
plan negatively impacting southwestern
Queens were quickly stoked once
again when Assemblywoman Catherine
Nolan spoke up about PS 9 possibly
being eyed for a shelter, though this
claim has not been confi rmed by the
DHS or the city administration.
Although the 80-97 Cypress Ave. site
does not seem to be a city operation at
this time, Nolan and Assemblyman
Brian Barnwell openly opposed any
additional shelters in Community
Boards 1, 2 and 5 in a recent letter.
Board 5 will consider the input received
at the meeting in formulating
its recommendation for or against
the zoning variance. Regardless of
what the board recommends, the BSA
has the fi nal decision on whether to
approve the application.
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