18 DECEMBER 27, 2018 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
2018 Year in Review
NOVEMBER – DECEMBER
November
COMPILED BY EMILY DAVENPORT
Photo: Jenna Bagcal/RIDGEWOOD TIMES
Shalimar Diner in Rego Park
shuts its doors for good
Aft er 45 years of serving up food for the community, the Shalimar
Diner in Rego Park closed its doors for good on Nov. 25. The Karayiannis
family, who owned the beloved diner, stated that rising
lease costs led to the decision to close down the diner. Co-owner Demi
Karayiannis said that they had been trying to negotiate a lease with the
landlords, but it “didn’t work out.” It was reported that their lease would be
up in November, but they had denied the rumors until just before the diner
closed. The Shalimar Diner was used in Martin Scorsese’s Academy Award
nominated fi lm “The Wolf of Wall Street.” Karayiannis, who said the the
closure was a “forced retirement,” stated that she will use her newfound
free time to spend time with her grandson who was born earlier this year.
At this time, it is unclear what the former site of the Shalimar Diner will
be used for.
Fight over supportive
housing site in Glendale
CPhoto: Google Maps ommunity Board 5 heard 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 at
80-97 Cypress Ave. in Glendale. WellLife Network, a UG 3 non-profi t, hopes
to demolish an abandoned building on the property for the development.
The application called 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; 20 units will be set
aside for seniors who are at risk of being homeless and have disabilities;
and 26 apartments will be for low-income residents who are eligible for
aff ordable housing. The community is on high alert aft er rumors said
that the area was slated to become a homeless shelter. A variance for the
supportive housing project received approval from Community Board 5
at a later meeting in December.
December
COMPILED BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
Cone crackdown in Glendale
The 104th Precinct tackled a common
quality-of-life problem on the streets of
Glendale: drivers leaving utility cones
near the curb to save parking spaces.
The crackdown occurred in the Liberty
Park section of the neighborhood. Deputy
Inspector John Mastronardi, the
precinct’s commander, took to Twitter
to remind drivers that it’s illegal to put
cones or any other obstruction in the
street for any reason. Police vowed to
continue confi scating cones as long as
the problem persists. The eff ort had
the support of City Councilman Robert
Holden, who reminded residents that
they could retrieve the cones from the
precinct as long as they could provide
proof of ownership.
Farewell to
Queens parks
commish in
Midville
Long-time Middle Village resident
Dorothy Lewandowski received a
fond farewell at the Dec. 13 Juniper
Park Civic Association meeting,
as she’s retiring from her post as
Queens commissioner of the city’s
Parks Department. Lewandowski
served the post for the last 14 years
aft er beginning her career with the
Parks Department in 1979. She was
heralded for her eff orts to help keep
Juniper Valley Park beautiful while
also overseeing the construction
of Elmhurst Park on the site of the
former Elmhurst Gas Tanks.
Photo: Mark Hallum/RIDGEWOOD TIMES
Photo via Twitter/@NYPD104Pct
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