A meeting with Councilman Paul Vallone and education officials on Monday couldn’t quell the concerns of Bayside residents still adamantly opposed to a school proposed for the former Bayside Jewish Center.
Vallone was only a few minutes into his introductory remarks when the audience interruptions began. The councilman pointed out that, as the Bayside Jewish Center and the School Construction Authority (SCA) had already entered into a contract, he thought it unlikely that plans for the school would be squashed at this point.
“I’m more of a realist than someone who’s going to stand on the corner and say it’s not going to happen,” Vallone said over the grumbling of audience members.
The councilman added that the situation was delicate and would likely draw criticism from residents no matter which site was chosen, and that he believed the SCA site selection process in general should be changed to increase transparency. Vallone also noted that his constituents in Community Board 11 have often commented about a dire need for school seats in the area.
In a joint letter sent to SCA President and Chief Executive Officer Lorraine Grillo on Tuesday, Congresswoman Grace Meng and Assemblyman Edward Braunstein asked that the SCA rescind its contract with the Bayside Jewish Center due to the lack of support from the Bayside community.
“The process that the School Construction Authority (SCA) uses to purchase property for siting new schools is flawed, and does not offer the residents, the community board, or elected officials any opportunity for input until after the contract negotiations have begun,” read the statement.
State Senator Tony Avella previously opposed the plan, holding opposition rallies outside the center in recent months.
From the Queens Tribune:
Addressing his disgruntled constituents, Vallone argued that the proposed school was a deal between two private parties and that it wasn’t in his power or anybody else’s to stop it.
“We go along with this journey as it happens,” he said, “We can’t stop it.”
Chadney Spencer, who opposed the school, said Vallone had taken a different stance when a high school was proposed in Whitestone.
“You ran around defending Whitestone to get the vote,” he said.
The SCA abandoned plans for the Whitestone site, at 150-33 6th Ave, after Vallone and other community members protested and petitioned.
The Queens Tribune reported in April 2014 that “Vallone personally delivered more than 500 signatures against the plan to [SCA CEO Lorraine] Grillo.”
Vallone said in a statement at the time “I never stopped pushing the SCA to commit to abandoning this plan.”
A Vallone staffer said the Whitestone site had not progressed as far in the sales process at the time that Vallone opposed it, and that Vallone had been acting as a private individual to protest the site, as he was not an elected official at the time. The staffer also said the Whitestone site had been a more inappropriate site than the Bayside one.
Isn't it interesting that this Vallone staffer is anonymous in this story and that he/she doesn't seem to know that Vallone assumed power on January 1, 2014 and the school was nixed April 2014?
31 comments:
Nothing like the intrigues of Stinky to liven one's days.btw, there's a nice lil going out of business/ building for sale Jewish Center @ Parsons + Willets Point.Somebody might want to grab that up before it becomes yet another Korean church.
Addressing his disgruntled constituents, Vallone argued that the proposed school was a deal between two private parties and that it wasn’t in his power or anybody else’s to stop it.
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Same bullshit that the Vallones (and their boy Costa) tells the Astoria community about Old Astoria and the Steinway Mansion.
The people in Whitestone are a bit more sophisticated - the difference between off the boat Greeks and second generation Greek-Americans.
Vallone's staff is young, inexperienced and a little naive. They drank the kool-aid too fast, that's why there's a lot of blunders coming out of that office. In all fairness, no one else believes Stinky's lies so I'm sure it's difficult to get experienced, knowledgeable staff.
“When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators.” – P.J. O’Rourke
costa and teh vallones hate each other
The problem is that the community does not agree what else to construct as a replacement of the Synagogue. Did any other buyer step up?
Isn't Vallone lying, once again. He has the power in the city council to stop this school.
Why, then, is he claiming impotence in being able to stop this unwanted school?
Could it be because he is getting a fat kickback from the builders that the SCA select?
Oops.....excuse me.....they are called campaign contributions.....just like the ones Don Paulo has received from other developers.
Well, what can you expect from a developers' lobbyist.
As far as that Whitestone school....if Vallone were for it , his mobster goombah residents would have put out a hit on him...being of Sicilian ancestry or not.
Anonymous said...
Addressing his disgruntled constituents, Vallone argued that the proposed school was a deal between two private parties and that it wasn’t in his power or anybody else’s to stop it.
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Your Councilman has spoken "it's not in his power" so you know what you do? Call Tony Avella. Listening to the people in his community and doing everything he can to help them is in Tony's power.
The stinky cheese stands alone.
the anonymous staffer was likely jonathan szott
"The problem is that the community does not agree what else to construct as a replacement of the Synagogue. Did any other buyer step up?"
Anyone not lying to themselves know that the only group that steps up to non-residential real estate projects in the area are Koreans. I guess they're not interested since that location isn't as good as other areas on Northern Blvd. The real estate values in the area are just to high for any small business to afford the necessary rent, hence, only the prime commercial areas get investments.
Anonymous said...
Isn't Vallone lying, once again. He has the power in the city council to stop this school.
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Of course he doesn't. He's not going to.be able to convince enough members to vote against a school. No school in the history of the nyc council has been voted against, not happening.
Still don't under why these bayside idiots are up in arms over a school... Would they rather a homless shelter or 30 new two family homes?
"No school in the history of the nyc council has been voted against, not happening."
Actually, yes they have been voted against, and if the council member had done his job to begin with, it wouldn't have been purchased by SCA in the first place.
I sold a house half a block from the synagogue several years ago for 950k
I'm sure the area will fall with the traffic and student causing property damage for fun just look what goes on at bayside has at 315 everyday also look for Clearview garden coops prices to collapse
Can anyone say FIRE SALE JUST REDUCED MAKE OFFER PLEASE!!
ONE LAST THING YOU ELECTED VALONE SO PULL YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS
ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES
costa and teh vallones hate each other
Costa is a creation of the Vallones - he sold his soul to them to get in - when he had enough probably to do it on his on.
Yeah, why are people so horrified by the idea of a new school? It just means your kids will have less of a transit to school. Given the insane hours public schools have now, a school that's a 5 minute walk instead of a 30 minute bus ride translates as 20 minutes more sleep for a generation of chronically overworked, underrested students.
And what's the alternative? More houses? That also seems to piss everyone off. Leave it abandoned and weed covered? The article right before this is decrying an abandoned site.
What does the neighborhood want to do with this location?
Which school was voted down in Council crapper? Care to provide source?
I didn't even know the council votes on school sitings.
"Yeah, why are people so horrified by the idea of a new school? It just means your kids will have less of a transit to school. Given the insane hours public schools have now, a school that's a 5 minute walk instead of a 30 minute bus ride translates as 20 minutes more sleep for a generation of chronically overworked, underrested students."
You must not have been paying attention this past decade or so because high schools are open to kids across the city, there are no more zoned schools. You can live across the street from it and not be accepted.
Unless it's a magnet school, why would you want to send your kid across the city instead of across the street?
"Which school was voted down in Council crapper? Care to provide source?"
Oh pardon me, I was going to cite the school in the Bronx that was contaminated, but it turns out that the local council member actually twisted the administration's arm to stop before the vote was taken. Knowing the local council member was opposed and that the council votes with the council member 90% of the time on land use issues, the city instead withdrew the plan. A talented council member can accomplish that. Too bad Bayside has Paul Vallone instead.
It will get bull dozed and developed before you know it...
Can you say McMansion?
Do you want to "supersize" the gaudy, shiny, stainless fence?
"why would you want to send your kid across the city instead of across the street?"
Maybe you live in a bad neighborhood and this being a new school feel that your kid would get a better education there. Then the kids who do live across the street from it won't get in. Ask the people that live near the Maspeth High School what happened to them. Kids from Corona got in and Maspeth kids have to settle for Cleveland or Newtown.
"look for Clearview garden coops prices to collapse"
Why ? Cleaview Gardens is not close to the Area but Bay Terrace is...
@Crappy
Yep. Called social engineering.
“When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators.” – P.J. O’Rourke
Pretty much!
Vote the guy out pronto.
Also we need laws in addition to term limits.
City politics is not a family business.
Or at least shouldn't be.
The houses that would be most affected are those lovely Treasure Island homes that are right in this area. No one has mentioned them, plus quite a number of 2 family and small one family homes right in this area. I'd like to ask Vallone who he actually represents, since it's not the good people of this neighborhood; he's an abject liar if he actually stated that this school is a deal between 2 private parties. That makes no sense whatsoever!! The proposed school is very much a public entity. This is a deal between a municipality and a private party, and that's the problem right there. Obviously Vallone has some kind of personal interest, possibly in the private party. He appears to view this great neighborhood as part of his fiefdom.
Let him stand alone scratching his ass at the polls wondering why he lost the next primary.
Yes....you can do it. Vote the ego maniacal entitled arrogant bastard out!
@Crappy: Where can I read more about what happened in Maspeth? Google isn't turning up anything.
Here you go Not enough room for Maspeth kids
Thank you for the link Crappy.
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