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Dear Residents of Sunnyside, Woodside & beyond,
There is an alarming proposal in the works that seeks to turn the historic corner lot at 39th Avenue and 50th Street into an out-of-place, post-modern housing development. This corner lot falls within the Sunnyside Gardens historic district and therefore all development proposals must be approved by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC). As a smokescreen, the developers are also proposing to move a 1931 aluminum house onto the lot.
We are a group of concerned residents opposing this development. The manner in which this proposal is being rushed through without sufficient public notice is indicative of the developers' not having our community's best interest at heart. This development proposal runs contrary to the community's aim of preserving the corner lot from succumbing to over-development.
Our group has other ideas for this historic open space -- namely the transformation of it into a truly public community garden and green common, while preserving its existing structures and trees. Most of the parks in Sunnyside now are either concrete playgrounds serving primarily school children, exclusive gardens or private parks charging membership dues. We want to change this.
The development proposal is completely wrong for the historic district, and it's completely wrong for our community. But the Landmarks Law gives every one of us the right to voice our choice for our future, and we need everyone to exercise that right.
Right now there are 3 things you can do to help:
1. Please “Reply” to this e-mail to say you oppose this development.
2. There will be an unveiling of this development proposal this week at Community Board 2's Land Use committee meeting. If a lot of us show up and demonstrate our disapproval of the proposal, the harder it will be for the development to win the support it needs. This is not a public hearing and we may not get to speak, but a lot of disappointed faces in the audience will help convey our message.
The meeting is Wednesday, June 19 at 7 pm at the address below:
Community Board 2 office
43-22 50th St. off Roosevelt Ave., 2nd floor.
(Note - this is NOT at Sunnyside Community Services)
Worse still the LPC public hearing, may be scheduled for July 9. This gives us little time to organize our opposition so we want the hearing delayed.
3. Call and e-mail Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer’s staff to ask them to do everything in their power to delay the LPC's public hearing. Please leave a voicemail if there is no pick up.
Nick Gulotta, staff preservationist:
NGulotta@council.nyc.gov
718-383-9566, ext.5
Yours,
Cautley Garden
cautleygarden@gmail.com
https://sites.google.com/site/cautleygarden/
Jimmy Van Bramer has a "staff preservationist?" Well, excuse me!
12 comments:
First of all, let me say that I am opposed to the development of this lot as depicted in the rendering. It doesn't belong in Sunnyside Gardens and would look grossly out of place from day 1. It's also the kind of modern architecture that needs constant TLC to keep it from looking like public housing.
But please, when you try to hide or obfuscate within your argument all it does it weaken your argument.
"Most of the parks in Sunnyside now are either concrete playgrounds serving primarily school children, exclusive gardens or private parks charging membership dues. We want to change this."
All of those backyard gardens in Sunnyside Gardens are technically open to the public and are therefore public parks. They are NOT exclusive. Any resident who puts a lock on a gate accessing them or who attempts to restrict access is really breaking the law. This was the intention from the very beginning. It is historically accurate.
Please refrain from stretching the truth when making your case. Thank you.
"All of those backyard gardens in Sunnyside Gardens are technically open to the public and are therefore public parks."
Absolutely false. The backyard gardens are backyards that border a common area to be used by other residents of that block only. I'm not sure where you are getting your information from.
Should be interesting to see what pro-development Van Bramer will do - stop this because its his back yard, or sit it out as Mr City Council Culture Chair did for 5 Pointz.
Wait till Vallone gets in as beep.
Vallone will be no worse than Manes or Shulman as beep.
Unless Avella gets elected beep, it will be business as usual like it's been for about 100 years at borough hall.
Who needs construction workers?
http://www.microhousenw.com/designs_plan.php?plan_id=47
i agree this is a bad plan and will do what i can to stop it. i agree this should be a park or community garden. i also agree that Van Bramer personally killed 5 Pointz. i tried so many times to reach out to him and his staff about that building and saving facade and urban art, but was always rebuffed. i tried getting landmarks commission to save it to no avail. not sure what VB is thinking. this present development and other similarly one-sided plans are bad for the future. thoughtful urban planning (like sunnyside gardens itself) is what makes great places... not fleeting, profit-driven developments. if VB screws this up he will lose my vote for sure... but i'll have to forgive him for 5 Pointz first.
"not sure what VB is thinking."
1. career advancement.
2. b/s the constituents so they remain in the dark.
next question.
Vallone will be no worse than Manes or Shulman as beep.
Well folks, that says it all about Queens.
Someone might be no worse than Manes or Shulman so whatcha b*tchen about?
Now read that previous sentence real slow and thoughtfully. Now do it again. and again .....
Christine Quinn, speaker of the city council and candidate for mayor, was a guest at the June meeting of the Dutch Kills Civic Association. She was introduced by an old friend and currently one of her leading campaign supporters Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer.
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so why doesn't someone from Sunnyside take our little pistol to task for supporting that hussy?
Stunts like this is why this woman would get elected.
And I am sure that everyone sat there looking happy that someone has noticed them and noticed that George and Jimmy are smiling at her so concluded she must be someone good for them.
Let the Sunnyside Historic district bear the brunt of what goes on weekly in Flushing.
A taste of ugliness plopped down in the midst of their little green oasis won't hurt these privileged folk much.
I don't think Van Bramer actually has a staff preservationist. I actually called and spoke to him and he is a Community "Liaison." Polite guy. He is involved as a dedicated staff member to this community issue. BTW, he told me that Van Bramer came out against the project.
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