8 The Courier sun • DECEMBER 12, 2013 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com Ribbon cut on new HB senior residence BY MAGIE HAYES mhayes@queenscourier.com Howard Beach welcomed a new residence that the area’s seniors can call home. Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens cut the ribbon to the Peter J. Striano Residence, which offers nearly 100 new affordable-housing units to both seniors and persons with developmental disabilities, on Wednesday, December 4. “Many of the seniors I spoke to were excited about their new location,” said State Senator Joseph Addabbo. “The residents are enjoying all the amenities under one roof, including the relocated Howard Beach Senior Center and a Meals-on-Wheels program, while being close to banks, shopping, health care facilities, public transportation and restaurants.” The Cross Bay Boulevard site is made up primarily of studio and one-bedroom apartments for low-to-moderate income seniors, and also features one-to-two bedroom apartments reserved for the developmentally disabled. The center additionally has a community room, pool table room, art room and community kitchen. Each floor is decorated with a different theme, including the beach and park. “The Peter J. Striano Residence is the kind of transformative project that is key to revitalizing communities and bettering the lives of the most vulnerable,” said Darryl Towns, Commissioner and CEO of New York State Homes and Community Renewal, a partner in the project. The location has on-site social services, disaster case management services, Citymeals-onwheels delivery service and an on-site senior center, available also to the larger Howard Beach community. Total development for the center and its amenities was roughly $31 million, largely funded by federal and state low-income housing tax credits. “Our seniors deserve the opportunity to stay in their own neighborhood and look forward to their golden years knowing that there will be a safe and affordable place they can still call home,” said Councilmember Eric Ulrich. “There is no doubt in my mind that it will have a positive impact on the Howard Beach community for generations to come.” FEMA releases flood insurance rate maps BY MAGIE HAYES mhayes@queenscourier.com Preliminary flood insurance rate maps (FIRMs) were released last week as the next step in FEMA’s coastal Flood Insurance Study. Insurance rates could go up by hundreds of dollars for homeowners in flood-prone areas, specifically those in south Queens who fell victim to Sandy. Maps will go into effect in 2015. A 90-day appeal and comment period will be opened in spring 2014. Those interested will be able to submit comment to the city online. Once the appeal period is over and all issues are resolved, FEMA will issue a Letter of Final Determination (LFD) to the city that will initiate a six-month adoption period, before the maps become effective. The city has also revised building codes to require standards that reflect new and substantially improved structures as detailed in the preliminary FIRMs. FILE PHOTO FEMA is studying flood-prone areas and has released preliminary flood insurance rate maps for property owners in those areas. THE COURIER/Photo by Melissa Chan WHITESTONE WINNERS Lynch family takes top prize in ‘The Great Christmas Light Fight’ BY MELISA CHAN mchan@queenscourier.com The brightest house in Queens outshone three others in the country this week. The Lynch family from Whitestone won ABC’s “The Great Christmas Light Fight” and $50,000 on December 9, beating stiff competition from homes in California, Virginia and Georgia. “I was jumping, screaming. I went crazy,” said Kevin Lynch, 55. “After the show was over, every single one of my neighbors was on the block. People are coming by, honking their horns.” The new reality competition series pits four families against each other nationwide. They each have 20 days to come up with the most elaborate Christmas decoration designs. “For me to do this in three weeks was tough,” said Lynch, a retired New York City firefighter. “It’s like running a marathon.” The father of three covered his home at 166-04 23rd Avenue with a blanket of at least 300,000 lights — all with underground wires, no cords — and more than 100 animatronics. There is even a projected Santa Claus, waving from the second-story window. “I lived on coffee and espresso. I didn’t even eat until 1 o’clock in the morning,” Lynch said. “By 1 o’clock, I was dead. I couldn’t move. I’d pass out, take the kids to school, come back and do lights.” That became the routine from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. for three straight weeks. The over-the-top end result blew away Michael Moloney of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” who judged the competition on use of lights, overall design and Christmas spirit. The display, with its vintage items and “childlike” décor, was “classy” and “magical,” Moloney said. “This whole family clearly has Christmas spirit,” he said. The Lynch family has devoted 17 years to lavishly decorating their home, which was chosen by ABC through an extensive nationwide search, according to the network. “We’re ecstatic. We’re thrilled, shocked,” said wife Tina Lynch. Even before filming the show, the Whitestone light site was a tourist destination and backdrop for wedding pictures, the family said. “People come here from all over and send us Christmas cards with our house in them. It gets crazy here, but it’s all in good faith, all in good fun,” Lynch said. The series continues December 16 and 23 with 16 more competing homes. As for how much it costs to dazzle the nation for a month, Lynch said he would gladly show his electric bill — to anyone willing to pay it.
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