Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Jail owner to residents: let's compromise

Queens homeowners who have been fighting to rid their Springfield Gardens neighborhood of a federal prison could get a break - if they're willing to compromise.

Springfield Gardens homeowners hope to lock out prison

The recent expiration of a contract between the feds and owners of a building at 182-22 150th Ave. may provide an opportunity to finally oust the prison from the residential community.

Officials of The Geo Group, which owns the building, said that if approached, they would consider other uses for the drab 64,000-square-foot facility, which has a dorm layout with 229 beds.

The community has simply never asked, a spokesman said.

"I have not heard of anything that has been broached," said Walter McCaffrey, a former City Councilman and adviser to the company. "We are wide open to that type of discussion with the community. We really are."

Since 1996, residents from nearby blocks have complained and protested against the Queens Private Correction Facility.

I'd like to amend an earlier statement about compromise in western Queens. It apparently extends to Springfield Gardens as well.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey.....maybe SJU can take over the site
to house some of their rowdy "students"
recovering from their weekend "benders"!

What do they call it....off site housing ?

Dorms for delinquent freshmen ?

Anonymous said...

McCafferey - oh yes, the guy that passed legisltation transferring Times Square sleeze --- to his own district.

Every time I take the train and see Scandles, I say to myself 'Welcome to the Walter McCaferey Entertainment District.'

Anonymous said...

Walter is back? Don't these guys ever get real jobs even when they get thrown out of office?

Or, like some chronic condition, they just linger sapping the vigor out of everthing they touch?