18 The Queens Courier • OCTOBER 17, 2013 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com Plaza coming to Ozone Park BY MAGIE HAYES [email protected] Ozone Park is officially getting a new pedestrian plaza after the go-ahead vote from Community Boards (CB) 9 and 10. The Department of Transportation (DOT) has long advocated for a plaza at the intersection of Liberty Avenue and 101st Avenue near Drew Street, just on the Brooklyn-Queens border, a site the DOT said is under-utilized and in need of more open space. CB 9 was initially hesitant because the plaza will close the Drew Street through-way from 101st Avenue to Liberty Avenue and will change both streets from two-way to one-way, said District Manager Mary Ann Carey. However, the DOT addressed all of the board’s concerns and 39 voted in favor, one voted no and one abstained at October’s meeting. CB 9 Chair Jim Coccovillo said the DOT made a great presentation and adequately addressed public safety and traffic questions. He said construction will start within the next week or two. “It’s something the DOT would like to see happen right away because it’s something they’ve been working on for so long,” he said. THE COURIER/Photo by Liam La Guerre The Woodhaven-Richmond Hill Senior Center has found a temporary location, while its original was declared unsafe after an adjacent building collapsed. SENIOR SHUFFLE BY LIAM LA GUERE [email protected] The Woodhaven-Richmond Hill Senior Center has found a temporary location after the building was damaged, but leaders still say there’s no place like home. The center, which is operated by Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens, recently moved to the American Legion Post 118 at 89-02 91st Street after a building adjacent to the center’s location on Jamaica Avenue collapsed, damaging the roof and kitchen. “We were concerned about the winter months with the snow and rain,” said Judith Kleve, vice president of Older Adult Services at Catholic Charities. “We are very relieved that the American Legion opened their doors to us.” The center, which is funded by the city’s Department for the Aging, has more than 200 seniors enrolled and about 70 visit daily. The staff prepares free meals every day and organizes exercise programs, including yoga and dancing, and educational lectures on topics such as arthritis and diabetes. During the temporary move the center is providing shuttles from the original location. Despite joy for the temporary site, seniors want to return to the old building soon, because the American Legion building is too small, according to Kleve. But first, owners of the collapsed building, 78-19 Jamaica Avenue LLC, must fix it or the seniors can’t return. “The situation is only going to get worst with the rain and snow coming,” State Senator Joe Addabbo said. “We need to get the owner to start fixing it now.” The politician is working with other leaders to put pressure on the owners to repair the property. Addabbo met with officials from the Department of Buildings (DOB) this week to discuss the collapsed building, which has about a dozen violations and $11,000 in fines, according to the DOB. The members of the center are hoping they can move back by next year. “The seniors were very happy to know that the senior center was still open and that they had a safe site,” Kleve said. “But they still want to go home.” The owners of 78-19 Jamaica Avenue LLC could not be reached for comment. st of the 2013 THE QUEENS QueensCourier.com Place Job 54983 PAUTH Queens Courier 4.313” x 5.6875” 10.11.13 p 2 THE PORT AUTHORITY OF NEW YORK & NEW JERSEY NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY and REQUEST FOR COMMENT and NOTICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING Revised Draft Environmental Assessment Runway 4L/22R Improvements Project John F. Kennedy International Airport, Jamaica, New York In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), notice is hereby given that copies of a Revised Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Runway 4L/22R Improvements Project at John F. Kennedy International Airport are available for public review and at the following locations: The Port Authority of NY & NJ The Port Authority of NY & NJ John F. Kennedy International Airport Aviation Department General Manager’s Office Aviation Technical Services Building 14, 2nd Floor 225 Park Avenue South, 9th Floor Jamaica, NY 11430 New York, NY 10003 Attn: Jerry Spampanato Attn: Edward Knoesel Hours: 08:00 am to 04:00 pm Hours: 09:00 am to 05:00 pm The Revised Draft EA document for this project will be available at these locations until November 18, 2013. In addition, a copy of this document may be viewed online at: http://www.panynj.gov/about/pdf/JFK-Runway-4L-22R-EA.pdf The EA responds to all of the requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for preparation of an Environmental Assessment under NEPA and also documents compliance with Federal Executive Order 11988, Floodplain Management. In accordance with NEPA, The Port Authority is inviting the Public to submit, in writing, comments on the Revised Draft Environmental Assessment prepared for the Runway 4L/22R Improvements Project at John F. Kennedy International Airport. This EA is a revision of the Draft EA that initially advertised for public comment in May, 2012. The Port Authority is accepting comment on this Revised Draft EA document until the official comment period for this document closes on November 18, 2013. Comments must be received by close of business on November 18, 2013 in order to be considered. Comments on this EA should be sent to: The Port Authority of NY & NJ, 225 Park Avenue South, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10003, Attn: Edward Knoesel. In addition, comments may be emailed to [email protected] with the subject heading “JFK RWY 4L-22R EA COMMENT.” If you have any questions on this notice please contact Edward Knoesel at address above. PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING The Port Authority will hold a public information meeting to highlight modifications in the revised EA document. The meeting will be held on October 24 at St. Peter’s Church at 7:30 p.m. in collaboration with Eastern Queens Alliance. The church is located at 224-04 147th Avenue, Queens, New York 11413.
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