26 The Courier sun • october 17, 2013 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com ROOM TO LEARN BY LIAM LA GUERE [email protected] A new $20 million extension to P.S./I.S. 87 in Middle Village was unveiled in a ribbon cutting grand opening ceremony on Tuesday, October 15. Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley, officials from the Department of Education and parents were in attendance at the event to celebrate the new addition, which will add 120 seats in four classrooms, a new gym with basketball courts, a new main office, an elevator and various bathrooms. “It was always frustrating having so little space to move around in. This took a toll on all of us,” said 8th grader Julian Kilichowski, the student government chair. “The new generations of Middle Village students will enjoy the beautiful new space that we have been THE COURIER/Photo by Liam La Guerre The view of the reservoir’s second basin from a newly paved pathway. Reservoir resurrected BY LIAM LA GUERE [email protected] The Ridgewood Reservoir has been resurrected. THE COURIER/Photo by Liam La Guerre granted.” A new $20 million extension to P.S./I.S. 87 in Middle Village was unveiled this week. A crowd of politicians, civic leaders and members of the community oversaw the reservoir’s grand opening on Tuesday, October 15, which heralded the completion of phase one of the site’s revitalization plan. The nearly $7 million renovation included construction of new fencing, lighting, repaving of pathways and the addition of a handicap-accessible ramp. “This is a historic spot for Queens and more importantly the Ridgewood community,” said Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley. “It’s a natural resource that many didn’t know about because it wasn’t accessible. Now it’s more accessible.” The reservoir, situated near the Brooklyn- Queens border in Highland Park, was used to supply water to Brooklyn starting in the 1850s. Three basins make up the more than 50-acre space, which was officially decommissioned in 1990, according to the Parks Department. The plan to revitalize the reservoir started in a few years ago as a part of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s PlaNYC initiative. Representatives from the Department of Parks and Recreation presented three concepts of a master plan for the reservoir at a public meeting hosted by the Park Services Committee of Community Board (CB) 5 on June 27. The presentation showed dramatic changes to the reservoir to allow more people to enjoy the green space. In the first concept plan presented, the public will only have access to the third basin, while the other basins will be locked and opened only for maintenance. There will be stone paths weaved through basin three and the gatehouse between basins one and two will be restored and turned into a ranger station. There will also be viewing platforms around basin two, where a large pool of water currently sits. The second plan includes all modifications from the first, but adds access to the first basin. A rock climbing wall and a meadow area will be placed in basin three, a boardwalk in basin one and a boat dock in the second basin. The final concept features the most access. This plan will contain all the mark-ups of the first two plans, plus baseball fields, a comfort station and a waterworks-themed adventure playground in the third basin. Despite the ideas to renovate the reservoir, many people in community are opposed to a complete transformation of the site. “What we see as wetland portions, we’d like them to be preserved that way,” said Vincent Arcuri Jr., chair of Community Board 5. There is no money allocated to the master plan as yet and current ideas have to be reviewed and presented to the community board again. EXIT STAGE LEFT RIDGEWOOD THEATRE SET FOR RESIDENTS, RETAIL BY LIAM LA GUERE [email protected] It’s a wrap for the Ridgewood Theatre. Bushburg Properties LLC, which bought the near century-old landmarked building earlier this year, has applied to the Department of Buildings to convert the upper floors of the existing structure to 40 units for residential use and the first floor for retail space. The filing came to the dismay of many residents, including members of Community Board 5 (CB5), which recently met with Bushburg to express that the neighborhood wanted to see the building used for entertainment again. “We want some kind of commercial use and preferably some kind of entertainment venue, because that’s what brings other people,” said Ted Renz, executive director of the Myrtle Avenue Business Improvement District and a member of CB5. The Ridgewood Theatre has served generations of moviegoers in the community since it opened in 1916. The theatre closed in 2008 after ticket sales went south. The building’s exterior was landmarked in 2010, meaning that the owners are limited to modifying the interior. A Bushburg official estimated that after the application process the construction to convert the building will take from 18 to 30 months. The structure will not be expanded and the owners have not decided if the apartments will serve low-income residents. In the application to the city’s buildings department, Bushburg left the first floor open for retail use. The group has met with some potential businesses, but has not finalized anything and is open to feedback from the community. “We’re open for suggestions. We are trying to accommodate the community with the first floor,” said Israel Hirsch, a Bushburg partner. “We’re not looking to maximize the dollar value we do want to give something back to the community.” THE COURIER/Photo by Liam La Guerre The Ridgewood Theatre will be converted to apartments and one floor of retail space.
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