To The Editor (Queens Gazette):The installation of a major 225,000 square-foot Federal Express trucking facility on land located in Western Astoria flies in the face of all logic. Riding on the reputation of a 2006 blackout and a proposed 18 percent rate increase, we now see Con Edison at its very worst when it refuses to sell the land that the facility would occupy to, perhaps, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.
The Coalition for a Better Astoria, a diverse group that represents a broad cross-section of Astoria and Long Island City residents and business owners, of which I am a proud member, prefers to have a choice whether we want the constant rumbling congestion of hundreds of pollution-spewing 18-wheeled tractor trailer trucks, rather than a lush, green area of parkland.
What makes the current plan so offensive is that the addition of a massive FedEx trucking facility in Western Queens would further exacerbate the environmental conditions of neighborhoods that already contain approximately 80 percent of the city's power plants, where jets land and take off from nearby LaGuardia Airport, and where its inhabitants suffer from the highest asthma and respiratory illness rates of the entire city.
Con Edison must do the right thing by not transferring the property to the current developer, Steel Equities, until such time the developer finds a more responsible use of the property that will consider a green approach while helping to relieve the already traffic-choked streets of Astoria and Long Island City.
Francis J. Balducci
Coalition for a Better Astoria
19 comments:
what makes MrBalducci even imagine that this site would be developed as a park ?
area in question was even at one time,literally a dump.
we've dealt with high volume,diesel traffic in the past,when we had factories and warehouses back there.
Many left and weren't replaced.
Let fed-ex in.
FedEx? How about a supermarket like Whole Foods, or even Stop & Shop or Pathmark instead? This area clearly lacks for a low-cost source of quality foods, and the residents would benefit far more from having one of those rather than FedEx. Have FedEx build somewhere in Nassau County instead.
There's already a FedEx facility in Nassau County and also on the BQE in Astoria.
As we all struggle to define and maintain our fair republic, the realm of public discourse always as room for humor.
Let us peak into the community's blog and catch an intimate glimpse of the people as they stuggle to define and discuss the issues.
Taken from astorians.com, of course!
http://www.astorians.com/community/index.php?topic=12034.0
Ease of FedEx delivery a major factor?!?!?!?
Naw, don't be a trouble maker. Its all that traffic, good god, that traffic.
One truck every ten minutes will not only upset the piece and quiet of all the pigeons, but introduce truck traffic to northern Astoria!
Hell one or two might get lost and wonder two or three blocks away!
Hell one or two might get lost and wonder two or three blocks away!
Send a tow truck after them! He'll bring 'em home!
Yes, that photo is clearly a residential area. Schools, churches, hospitals .... woops, don't want to say hospitals.
Who is Francis Balducci, and why should we care?
What is his postion on overdevelopment, absentee landlords, lack of hospital beds, lack of school desks, grafitti, poor sanitation, 99 cent stores, etc etc etc
What the hell is wrong with those people?
Worried about jogging as they lose their waterfront.
Are they for real?
To two of the bloggers who mentioned me by name: "Who is Francis Balducci?" What makes him "imagine the site would be developed as a park?" Well, regarding who I am, do a little research. (Hint: Facebook.) Besides, who cares who I am. Secondly, I said that "perhaps" the property could be offered to the Parks Department--it's a suggestion that a few people have been talking about. The city has the technology to clean the area effectively. Regarding whether or not you should care is entirely up to you--I know that's quite obvious, but I don't mind reminding people.
P.S.: I am speaking on behalf of myself and not on behalf of the Coalition for a Better Astoria.
Well, Francis, thanks for finding uses for my taxpayer money so the 'city can clean up the site easily' - while you are at it, maybe you can help the city find the funds to pick up my sticking garbage that the rats are crawling all over or clean my streets that look like a pig sty.
Don't get me wrong. My kids might not have school desks, and the emergency room at the local hospital is a horror show, and they closed a firehouse just a few blocks from my house because they don't have money.
But I am not against parks. But don't you think that the money can be used to fix up current parks? I mean really, do you want my kids playing in that toxic dirt next to a sewage plant?
Now what about all that traffic that is going through the residental streets - the google image shows an industrial area. When pressed for details, you guys seem to sound like the Republicans running for office - talking about how the trucks will interfer with your jogging blocks away from the site, anything, the clouds in the sky.
You get wild-eyed when pressed for details on this 'problem.' You know as well as everyone else that with the massive development in Astoria, this one site would be will have a trivial impact on traffic - something your clique around Ditmars seems to airily ignore.
Waterfront access? Nice idea. How about the rest of the community. Now you guys change the subject every time its brough up.
Would you like to comment on why the Ditmars clique may want the rest of Astoria to support them (with our tax dollars), then you coyly change the subject on watefront access for the rest of Astoria when we bring it up?
I just think the Ditmars clique is full of bullshit, always complaining about stupid things like tennis bubbles and the like while you change the subject on the very real problems that a declining community is experiencing.
Again, who are you, and why should anyone care what you say?
Where is Vallone on waterfront parks and the traffic problems from overdevelopment?
Certainly this group raised valid issues on both these topics.
This is an excellent opportunity for him and the leadership of Astoria to apply those issues for the rest of the community.
You are right.
We don't care about Astoria south of Astoria Blvd and there is nothing you can do about it.
Everyone knows the only nice area is off Ditmars.
Whoever you are, you are exactly correct: Who am I and why should anyone care what I have to say? I'm just an ordinary Astoria resident who decided to put up a message on behalf of an organization. I hope I didn't anger too many people.
I do not have the power to determine where taxmoney goes and where it doesn't go; I believe a majority of the residents should decide--if, at the very least, a democracy still exists in our community.
I cannot apologize for exercising my right to free speech, but I can apologize if my words disturbed anyone in any way.
I won't comment on this blog any longer. And, again, I am speaking on behalf of myself and not on behalf of any organization.
Whatever the outcome of this matter, I hope such an outcome adequately reflects the wishes of a majority of Astoria and Long Island City residents and business owners.
Best of luck everyone!
That community of Astoria certainly comes up with some interesting 'community activists'
Remember CHOKE, the 'green' organization. Did it have anyone with envirnmental credentials?
Naw, why do they need to waste time with that? Did not a certain power generating body give them a (ahem) six figure grant?
"I won't comment on this blog any longer."
'nuff said. The machine told him to turn off the switch and not answer the tuff questins.
The more attention they get to examining their stand (traffic! yes a truck every five minutes)(public access! yes if you like toxins and sewage), the more loopy they sound.
If you have the machine and the media behind you, you are no longer needed to waste time being accessible to your fellow citizens. You already know what's best for them, so it's really no longer needed for them to participate.
Like the folks in Hunters Point, if you have access to their taxes, you really have no use for them, certainly, not to elevate them as a debate partner.
Exhibit A folks of the machine.
Keep Mr. Balducci in the debate. Put an empty chair on the stage.
After all, if he wants to use our taxes, he should be accountable to the people.
Mr Francis Balducci has delusions of grandeur. Sounds like he is running ..the question is where and for what purpose?
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