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8 THE QUEENS COURIER • SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM Long Island City reps celebrate Hunters Point Library opening BY MAX PARROTT mparrott@schnepsmedia.com @QNS Aft er almost two decades aft er its initial conception, the Hunters Point Library has amassed a long list of people who deserved thanks for its existence. So the emcee of the library’s opening ceremony Dennis Walcott had a tall order. Walcott’s tenure as president and CEO of the Queens Public Library only stretches back a quarter of the project’s timeline. “You’ll hear a lot of arc of history conversations — people who have been here many years ago, people who are no longer with us now but who fought hard for this library and people who are currently with us who fought hard,” said Walcott in his opening speech. A crowd of several hundred gathered around the glittering silver exterior to tour the library for the fi rst time on Tuesday aft ernoon. Th e library’s price tag of $41.5 million explains both its architectural allure and the budgetary setbacks which delayed its construction. Now the 82-foot-high concrete prism, dotted with lopsided glass cutouts will provide the Long Island City waterfront with another immediately recognizable landmark. At the grand opening, Mayor de Blasio, local electeds, and other library and city offi cials involved with the project commemorated the many people who jumped in the ring to push the forward project over construction and planning. Th e politicians lining the podium each presented a diff erent snapshot of the challenges facing the project. Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan, who has been in offi ce since 1984, recalled having conversations with fellow parents as the idea for the library was starting to gain steam. It was going to be great to have a new library for their kindergarten-age children to have, she remembered one saying with a laugh. “Even though we didn’t get the benefi t of it, that’s part of the privilege of living in New York City. You don’t just do it for you and your own family, you do it to pass it on to the people who are coming aft er you,” said Nolan. LIC Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, who has been working on this project since he was a staff er at the Queens Public Library, said that library “is the single most important project of my life.” During his time as a librarian, Van Bramer said that he fi rst heard from Fausta Hippolito, a Long Island City mother of two who worked to gather signatures and support for the project when the nearest library was the one inside the CitiBank building. Ippolito was one of a few key players in the library who received tribute from the majority of the speakers over the course of the ceremony. Another popular acknowledgment was Lorraine Grillo, the Department of Design and Construction commissioner. “If you want to get things done, call Lorraine Grillo,” said Nolan. In this case, Grillo helped construct a library that will not only function as storage for its 52,000 books, but a community center and a tourist destination. “Today is of vital importance to the community in that it confi rms the commitment to the continuity of humanity,” said Gary Strong, former president of the Queens Library. With the purchase of glasses, contact lens e l. 2 Boxes of Lenses Frames & Lenses $100OFF DESIGNER FRAMES PLUS FREE 2ND PAIR * $200 minimum purchase on first pair of designer frames. Second pair frame from select group with Must present prior to purchase. Offer valid at this location only. Not valid with any other offers, sales, vision plans or packages. Offer ends 10/31/19 offers, sales, vision plans or packages. Must present prior to purchase. Offer valid at this location only. 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Offer ends 10/31/19 KIDS EYE EXAMS Jamaica landlord fi ned for threatening to call ICE on tenant BY MAX PARROTT mparrott@schnepsmedia.com @QNS A New York City judge recommended on Sept. 12 that a Jamaica-based landlord pay $17,000 to a tenant aft er threatening to call Immigration and Customs and Enforcement on her. Th e New York City Commission on Human Rights (the Commission) brought this discrimination lawsuit on behalf of the tenant Holly Ondaan against her former landlord Dianna Lysius. An administrative judge recommended damages of $12,000 for emotional distress and a civil penalty of $5,000, according to the Offi ce of Administrative Trials and Hearings. Th e commission’s lawyers alleged that Lysius discriminated against Ondaan by sending her a series of text messages calling her an illegal immigrant and threatening to contact ICE aft er Ondaan missed rental payments. Th ey argued this constitutes a violation of City Human Rights Law, which makes it illegal for landlords to discriminate the conditions of housing accommodations based on “alienage or citizenship status.” According to the Wall Street Journal, Lysius claims that she didn’t send the texts and emails to Ondaan. She called the commission’s report “false” and said she plans to appeal the judge’s ruling. Philippe Abner Knab, a lawyer who represented the commission, said that the judgment is the fi rst case of its kind where a landlord was fi ned for threatening to call immigration. According to the commission, they have received 160 inquiries in 2018 related to housing discrimination based on immigration status, national origin and citizenship status — a 7 percent increase from 2017. “Th ere’s cases like this in employer context — an employer using ICE as a threat. But in housing, there’s nothing like this,” Knab told QNS, adding that he didn’t see the recommendation as the beginning of an increase in landlord discrimination suits because of the fear that people without status oft en have about accessing the legal system. After Ondaan moved into the apartment on 148th Street in 2011, for years she paid for part of her housing using rental assistance through the City Human Resources Administration. A conflict began between her and Lysius in October 2017 when she ceased paying rent based on “financial difficulties.” Th e Commission’s lawyers said that Ondaan started complaining to the police about receiving harassing texts and visits from Lysius that fall, but it wasn’t until January 2018 that the landlord began threatening to call ICE. Ondaan printed the text messages from this period and presented them to the court. “I REPORTED YOU TO IMMIGRATION BOO THEY KNOW IM THE LANDLORD TO PROVIDE THEM KEYS COME DIRECTLY TO YOU,” read a text that Ondaan printed out. Th e cap on damages for the penalty for the violation of human rights law is $125,000. While Administrative Law Judge John B. Spooner wrote that he found the Ondaan’s testimony credible and her emotional distress tangible, ultimately he did not fi nd it as severe as several cases that set precedent for this type of award. The recommendation will now go before the Chairperson of the Commission who will ultimately decide whether to accept or modify it. Original image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons A replication of a text that Jamaica landlord Dianna Lysius allegedly sent her tenant in January. Max Parrott/QNS Dennis Walcott emcees the opening of the new Hunters Point Library. /WWW.QNS.COM link link link link