Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Park vs. parking lot in Douglaston

From the Times Ledger:

The Doug-Bay Manor Civic Association met last Thursday evening to discuss a problem it thought had been set to rest years ago.

At issue is a plot of land adjacent to St. Sarkis Church that most members of the civic want turned into a public park or at the very least a nice home in character with the close-knit Douglaston neighborhood it is a part of.

Avella, who also attended the meeting, opposes the parking lot and made suggestions about what the group should do in order to prevent one from being built.

“Once the [Bloomberg] administration certifies it, they’re going to try to ram it through. You’ve got to kill it before it gets to that point,” he cautioned.

For several years, the civic and elected officials were successful in preventing the city from selling the land to the church, which wants to make it into a parking lot.

Several members of the civic were concerned that if the church acquires the land, it will build a day-care facility or other building there, which they are even more opposed to than the construction of a parking lot.

Halloran’s compromise plan would make allowances to prevent that from happening. He proposed that the church install a parking lot with some green space, that there be a binding covenant that would bar the land from being changed into a building and that there should be financial penalties, payable to the civic or Community Board 11, so the community can sue the church if it decides to construct a building on the land.

Neither the city, church nor the civic has agreed to that compromise and the civic’s chairwoman, Ann Jawin, repeatedly insisted the land should be used for a park since the community has no parkland other than a playground that is closed on weekends.


Why the opposition to creating a park on land that is already city owned? It shouldn't be that big of a deal. So much for the "green mayor" who wants to build parks everywhere. And Halloran - please grow a pair.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Isn't that in the wetlands, a place no one was supposed have built in, ever?

They only started building there (including that church) in the early 80's. Why was that allowed?

I would love to hear the story behind those "permits" !!!

Anonymous said...

"And Halloran - please grow a pair."

Since Halloran has already been labeled a heathen and/or pagan, he probably doesn't want to be seen as overtly hostile to a project that a church wants. Hence his compromise.

Anonymous said...

I'm getting a little tired of these have-it-all Dougl-ASS-ton brats wanting their butts kissed time after time!

They've got their historic district, multi million dollar homes, superb zoning...in short...just about everything every other nabe in Queens is lacking.

So this time take a dose of reality...it's good for the soul.

After all...one little parking lot won't kill you.

Be thankful for what you've got.

Take a look at what's happening in downtown Flushing for a startling contrast to your good life.

You Dougs have got it made in the shade!

Yet you want even more.
Take some lumps with the rest of us.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous #3:

That's such an unreasonable thing to say. According to your theory, because their neighborhood is already nice, they shouldn't be so greedy as to keep it that way. And a parking lot on your street makes it look like crap. So what gives?

Sounds like someone is jealous..

georgetheatheist said...

Build them a public park and bus the kids in from South Jamaica for picnics and softball.

ConcernedQNZ said...

How about the DMA makes the park on Knollwood Ave "public" and takes down the private park signs and then we can discuss giving these people another park.

They're rich over there... I thought the rich get everything they want in their nice little R1-1 and R1-2 zoned area

(I think that's the zoning at least)

Anonymous said...

"that there be a binding covenant that would bar the land from being changed into a building and that there should be financial penalties, payable to the civic or Community Board 11, so the community can sue the church if it decides to construct a building on the land."

This being Queens, it is taken for granted that the church may decide to and be allowed to build there down the road, even if there is a binding covenant forbidding it.

Anonymous said...

Avella needs a job.

Anonymous said...

A mosque should be built there. Douglaston needs more diversity.

Anonymous said...

"They only started building there (including that church) in the early 80's. Why was that allowed?"

Not sure about the church but most of the homes in the area were built in the late 50's and early 60's.

Anonymous said...

"That's such an unreasonable thing to say. According to your theory, because their neighborhood is already nice, they shouldn't be so greedy as to keep it that way. And a parking lot on your street makes it look like crap. So what gives?"

Thank you! That is exactly what I was thinking.

Anonymous said...

There were some homes bulit down there before but in the '80s they extended the development, including this church much further west into the marshes.

With all the wetland protection laws it's hard to understand why that was allowed.

Ant said...

the church is a block away from any wetlands, there's a school-yard-to-playground the was constructed last year half a block away on the same side of the street as the church which is NOT closed on weekends (the kindergarten play area may be) and the city-owned lot is only 57' wide. There are two larger, privately owned lots on the other side of the city's that can be developed at any time, as well as one directly across the street from the church.

just a few reasons this is all very ridiculous.

Anonymous said...

Halloran is as corrupt as Padavan.

Padavan is the leader of overdelopment in Eastern Queens.

35 years of that dirtbag Padavan. Cant wait for Tony to kick his ass.

Anonymous said...

The only reason the church is a block away from wetlands is because the wetlands were filled in to allow the development that has taken place there.

No one ever builds houses in swamps, they drain them and cover them with landfill first. The whole low lying area north and west of the LIRR station were wetlands that were filled in over the past few decades.



How they got away with doing that is beyond me.

Queens Crapper said...

I used to take the LIRR through there and it was all wetland. Then one day they started pouring foundations. I didn't understand it either. The result?

Crap.

Anonymous said...

I ain't at all jealous "Prima douche bag".

I live near Douglaston Parkway in The Hills and my home was just assessed at $750,000.

But I believe those Doug Manor types have already got too much at the expense of other have-not nabes in Queens.

Where do you live in Flushing?

You sound more like the jealous wannabee to me.

By the way, didn't I spot you at the Reception House for candidates night and at a Bowne Park Broadway/Flushing landmarks rally...loud voice with long blond- streaked hair?

Perhaps I'm wrong about you and thus will be the first to admit it and apologize most humbly.

But...maybe I overheard you at Bowne that Sunday morning quoting something that you'd previously posted on Queens Crap to a friend when you were still posting as "Italian girl"?

Ya never know who's listening to what.

Mum's the word when in public dearie.

Anonymous said...

LOL-

Anonymous blogger Crapper tells someone to grow balls.

Queens Crapper said...

Ha ha! Halloran's people know who I am. I helped him win.