4 THE QUEENS COURIER • NOVEMBER 29, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Jamaica club
loses liquor
license over
shootings
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
edavenport@qns.com / @QNS
A string of shootings and
a recent history of violence
prompted the State Liquor
Authority (SLA) to suspend a
Jamaica bar’s liquor license.
On Nov. 20, the SLA issued
and emergency suspension of
the liquor license at Jouvay Inc.,
located at 147-02 Liberty Ave.
Eff ective immediately, no alcohol
can be bought or consumed
on the premises.
“Th e increasing violence and
disorder at the bar, including
another shooting just last
week, clearly shows the licensee
is unable or unwilling to run
a safe, lawful establishment,”
said Counsel to the Authority
Christopher R. Riano.
According to the NYPD,
Jouvay has “become a burden
on police resources,” racking up
90 calls to 911 between Jan. 1,
2017, to present, including serious,
violent incidents.
During one particular incident
on June 11, a bystander
outside of the bar was shot
nine times before climbing into
his car and driving two blocks
before crashing. Th e victim
was rushed to Jamaica Hospital
Medical Center, where he was
pronounced dead.
On Oct. 20, police arrested a
bouncer at the bar who allegedly
shot a teenager in the thigh
directly outside of the club.
Th e most recent incident took
place on Nov. 11. Th e NYPD
responded to a 911 call regarding
shots fi red near Jouvay. Upon
their arrival, offi cers heard three
additional gunshots and saw a
large crowd of patrons fi ghting
in the street directly in from
of the bar. Video surveillance
obtained by the NYPD showed a
large group of patrons fi ghting in
front of the bar and quickly dispersing
when shots were fi red.
On Nov. 16, the SLA charged
Jouvay with three violations,
including operating a disorderly
premise, sustaining a continuing
pattern of noise, misconduct
and disorder, and for becoming
a focal point for police attention.
The SLA had previously
charged Jouvay with nine violations
on Oct. 31, including
employing unlicensed bouncers,
operating a disorderly premise
related to the shooting on Oct.
20, failure to maintain books and
records and for becoming a focal
point for police attention.
More cash for NE Qns. trash pickups
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@cnglocal.com
Councilman Barry Grodenchik
announced last week a $20,000 increase in
funds for extra trash collection pickup days
along the most heavily traffi cked locations
in the 23rd Council District.
Th e Bayside-based lawmaker made the
announcement Nov. 21 saying that the
upgraded service provided by the New
York City Department of Sanitation will
include increased corner basket collection
on commercial and residential corridors,
in addition to extra attention and resources
focused on problem areas.
Th e increased pickup began in July with
City Council member’s allocating the additional
funds secured in this year’s budget,
Grodenchik said.
According to Grodenchik, constituents
have requested more pickup service due
to overfl owing bins or have not been taken
away.
Th e Department of Sanitation is providing
more frequent collection at the locations
listed below.
Collection schedule includes:
• Marathon Parkway, Little Neck (Northern
Boulevard to 61st Avenue)
• Nassau Boulevard, Little Neck (Little Neck
Parkway to Horace Harding Expressway)
• Horace Harding Expressway, Little
Neck/Douglaston (Marathon Parkway to
Douglaston Parkway)
• Springfi eld Boulevard, Oakland Gardens
and Hollis Hills (Jamaica Avenue to
Francis Lewis Boulevard)
• Francis Lewis Boulevard, Hollis Hills
(Hollis Avenue to Jamaica Avenue)
• Union Turnpike, Jamaica and Fresh
Meadows (Utopia Parkway to Francis
Lewis Boulevard)
• Cloverdale Boulevard, Oakland Gardens
(Hoxie Drive to 56th Avenue)
• 56th Avenue, Oakland Gardens
(Springfi eld Boulevard to Cloverdale
Boulevard)
• Springfi eld Boulevard, Bayside (Horace
Harding Expressway to 56th Avenue)
• Springfi eld Boulevard, Bayside and Hollis
Hills (Horace Harding Expressway to
86th Avenue)
• Horace Harding Expressway, Bayside
(220th Street to 224th Street)
• Horace Harding Expressway, Bayside
(Springfi eld Boulevard to Bell Boulevard)
• Bell Boulevard, Oakland Gardens (73rd
Avenue to 75th Place)
• 73rd Avenue, Oakland Gardens (Bell
Boulevard to 214th Place)
• Union Turnpike, Oakland Gardens
(Springfi eld Boulevard to Clearview
Expressway)
• Douglaston Parkway, Douglaston (61st
Avenue to 65th Avenue)
Pickup days are Tuesdays, Th ursdays and
Fridays within Queens Community District
8; Tuesdays, Th ursdays and Saturdays within
Community District 11; and Mondays,
Wednesdays and Saturdays within
Community District 13.
Second rally against College Point shelter set for Sun.
BY JENNA BAGCAL
jbagcal@qns.com/ @jenna_bagcal
College Point and Whitestone residents
will hold a second rally this weekend
to convince the city and Department
of Homeless Services (DHS) to reconsider
their decision to build a men’s homeless
shelter in the neighborhood.
Members of community Facebook groups
have been spreading the word about the
upcoming protest which is set for Sunday,
Dec. 2, at noon.
Residents were encouraged on Nov. 25 to
hand out fl iers to neighbors, which advertised
the shelter rally as well as the monthly
College Point Civic meeting on Wednesday
night, Nov. 28, at 7 p.m., where more information
would be shared.
“College Point & Whitestone are joining
forces to protest against this shelter that was
not even discussed with our local leaders!!!”
read the fl ier.
“Please continue to spread the word of
the coming homeless shelter,” wrote Rex
Lam in the College Point Facebook group.
“During the fl yer hand out today, I came
across many who were unaware but very
concerned. If you can reach 5 people and
they each reach 5, the word will spread.”
Elected offi cials also continued to vehemently
speak out against the transitional
shelter which DHS confi rmed will house
200 men who are from College Point.
Councilman Paul Vallone issued a written
statement on Nov. 28 charging that
the “Administration’s failure” in dealing
with homelessness in the city “should not
allow one corrupt owner to sell out College
Point.”
“Establishing a 200-bed men’s homeless
shelter along 20th Avenue would be misguided
and irresponsible,” said Vallone.
“A facility of this nature, serving the city’s
most vulnerable populations, should
be positioned in a location that has the
appropriate infrastructure, transportation
options and medical facilities, and not in
a neighborhood that is already overburdened
with municipal services.”
Dozens came together for the Oct. 29
rally organized by the councilman and a
petition created by Vallone on Nov. 16 has
garnered nearly 2,500 signatures.
Assemblyman Daniel Rosenthal also
issued a statement confi rming that on Nov.
8, the Department of Buildings conducted
a formal audit of 127-03 20th Ave. at his
request. Rosenthal asked for the audit back
on Oct. 23 aft er his offi ce examined permits
that David Levitan, co-owner of real estate
company Liberty One Group, had fi led
which “indicated renovation for a shelter
type facility, while the occupancy certifi cate
and plan details used language that suggested
commercial use.”
Paperwork from the audit showed “intent
to use the space as a storage facility” according
to Rosenthal’s offi ce, but it also showed
plans for an offi ce space, laundry rooms
and bathrooms.
Th e audit also found that some of the
proposals went against the currently zoned
Use Group 16 and O.G. S-2 storage facility
code, including conference rooms, offi ce
space and the proposed number of bathrooms
and laundry facilities.
DHS confi rmed that the homeless shelter
could be up and running as early as
September 2019.
Photo by Jenna Bagcal/THE COURIER
Location for planned College Point homeless shelter
at 127-02 20th Ave.
Photo courtesy of Grodenchik’s offi ce
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