FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM SEPTEMBER 27, 2018 • THE QUEENS COURIER 3
Rendering by Valentino Pompeo Architect P.C.
241-15 Northern Blvd.
Douglaston could soon
have two new senior
housing buildings rising
near Northern Blvd.
BY JENNA BAGCAL
jbagcal@qns.com/ @jenna_bagcal
Two developers presented their plans on
Tuesday night for two Douglaston developments
that will include dozens of apartments for
senior citizens.
Th e proposed developments, located at 43-80
Douglaston Pkwy. and 241-15 Northern Blvd.
in Douglaston, were outlined to members of
the Community Board 11 Douglaston Zoning
Committee at their monthly meeting on Sept.
25.
Developers 241-15 Northern Boulevard, LLC
and North Shore Realty Group plan to create
one residential and one mixed-use building, with
housing units available for adults ages 55 and
older. Aff ordable housing for seniors will also be
included, with the developers defi ning “aff ordable”
as costing 80 percent of the area median
income (AMI).
For 43-80 Douglaston Pkwy., builders aim
to construct an eight-story apartment building
with 24 units — 10 market rate units and 14
aff ordable units for seniors 62 and older. Th ere
will be 19 parking spaces available for residents
and the entire property is slated to be 51,128
square feet. Th e area in question would be
rezoned from an R1-2 district to an R6A district.
Developers plan for 241-15 Northern Blvd. to
be a fi ve-story, mixed-use building that would
be rezoned from an R6A district to a C1-2. Fift ynine
dwelling units will be made available for
adults 55 and older. Th irty-nine of the proposed
units will be sold at market rate, while the other
20 units will be made aff ordable for seniors.
Additionally, 12,678 square feet will be set aside
for commercial use, which the building developers
said could be a medical facility or exercise
studio.
Approximately 89 parking spaces will be available
to building residents.
Committee members expressed concerns
about having suffi cient parking spaces for residents
of these buildings, saying that the number
of spaces would not be enough for residents and
others who live and work in the area. But developers
said that they would add spaces as advised
by the committee.
Th e zoning committees recommendations will
be presented at the Community Board 11 public
meeting this Monday, Oct. 1, at 7:30 p.m. Th e
meeting will be held at M.S. 158, located at 46-35
Oceania St. in Bayside.
Whitestone resident working on book exchange at local park
BY JENNA BAGCAL
jbagcal@qns.com/ @jenna_bagcal
One Whitestone resident wants to
incorporate reading and the great outdoors
to give back to his community.
Since July, Jonathan Salazar had
been working with local community
groups and the New York City
Parks Department to bring a Little
Free Library book exchange to Francis
Lewis Park — and now his plan is
coming into fruition.
Th e NYU student recalls the summer
day when he observed the scene
at his local park and thought that
it would be “a great place to read a
book.” He had heard of the Little Free
Library organization and knew that the
park was the perfect location to bring
an outdoor library to the community.
“I’ve been thinking of fun, meaningful
ways to give back to my community
and I stumbled on this organization
called Little Free Library,” said Salazar.
“Little Free Library is a nonprofi t organization
that inspires a love of reading,
builds community and sparks creativity
by fostering neighborhood book
exchanges around the world.”
According to the organization’s website,
there are currently 75,000 Little
Free Libraries set up in 88 countries
around the world. Th e libraries were
created in 2009 by Wisconsin-native
Todd Bol. Th e one-room schoolhouse
shaped bookshelves were built as a
tribute to his mother, a schoolteacher
who loved to read.
Salazar described the system for
the library as one where anyone can
“take a book then return a book.” He
added that the books that are returned
can be diff erent from the ones that
were taken off the shelves.
His plan for the Francis Lewis Park
library is to build two bookshelves
that can house approximately 40 to 50
books each. Th e shelves will include
a hook where patrons can hook their
dogs while browsing for something to
read and a motion sensor light for use
at night. Th e library will not have specifi
c hours and will be open when the
park is open.
Alfredo Centola, president of the We
Love Whitestone Civic Association,
said that Salazar approached him
with the idea a few months ago and
described it as “an incredible opportunity
for the community, for members
of all diff erent age groups.”
In the meetings between Salazar and
We Love Whitestone, Centola said
that the biggest issue that came up was
funding — it takes $1,000 to operate a
Photo courtesy of Jonathan Salazar
Little Free Library. He reached out to
the community on behalf of the library
and said they received over $800 in
donations on the association’s website.
“Th e outpouring of support from
the community is always tremendous,”
Centola said.
As the library’s steward, Salazar
said that he plans to visit the site every
other week to ensure that there is no
vandalism and the operation is running
smoothly. If the necessary $1,000
of funding comes in, he aims for the
library to be up and running by the end
of October 2018.
“Reading at a late age in my life has
changed my mindset and my ability
to become the best version of myself
and I wanted to share that opportunity
with kids, families and adults in my
community,” said Salazar.
To donate to the Little Free Library
Fund, visit the WeLoveWhitestone.
com/donate and write “Little Library”
in the special instructions section.
‘Modern’ Mexican restaurant & ‘agaveria’ set to open in Bayside
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
rpozarycki@qns.com
@robbpoz
A new eatery off ering a modern spin
on traditional Mexican fare — and specializing
in tequila and other agave spirits
— is the newest entry on Bayside’s
restaurant row.
Spanglish NYC will make its bow later
this year at 40-04 Bell Blvd., the former
home of Sabor Guarani, a Latin fusion
restaurant and bar. Posters about the
new eatery were seen on Sept. 20 covering
the windows of the eatery as work
continues.
Chef David Arias, the force behind
Spanglish NYC, features prominently
on the posters as the establishment’s
“celebrity chef.” Th e Queens resident
and native of Bolivia got his start in the
business as a dishwasher at a restaurant,
according to his biography on
Harri, a social network for the restaurant
industry.
Arias wound up meeting Richard
Farnabe, a former chef at Michelinstarred
restaurants such as Jean-Georges
and Restaurant Daniel, who became his
mentor in the kitchen. Arias took on
a full-time job in the restaurant industry
while also attending the French
Culinary Institute in Manhattan.
Spanglish NYC, a modern Mexican restaurant, is soon coming to the former Sabor Guarani
restaurant on Bell Boulevard in Bayside.
In 2006, Arias joined Abboccato
Italian Kitchen near Carnegie Hall,
which closed in 2016. He later helped
open Oceana Poke, a seafood restaurant
in Manhattan, then joined Fine &
Rare restaurant and bar in Chelsea as
its executive chef.
Spanglish NYC has just six posts on
its Instagram page, but they each off er
clues as to what diners can expect once
it opens — from chile poblano peppers
roasting over an open fl ame to a photogenic
Photo: Robert Pozarycki/THE COURIER
plate of lobster with snow peas
and greens.
More than just a modern Mexican
restaurant, Spanglish NYC will also
serve as an “agaveria” featuring “the
largest list for mezcal and tequila in
Queens.” Both spirits are made with
agave root grown and produced in
Mexico.
For more information, check out
Spanglish NYC’s Instagram page, instagram.
com/spanglish_nyc.
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