Saturday, November 26, 2016

Smaller parking lot breaks ground at Borough Hall

From the Queens Tribune:

After a long delay, frustrated commuters to Borough Hall finally have an end in sight. The $8.5 million project will be finished in fall 2017.

“I’m pleased to break ground on this municipal lot, which will provide Queens residents a new sustainable space to access Queens Borough Hall and other government buildings nearby, such as the post office and Queens County Criminal Court,” said Department of Design and Construction (DDC) Commissioner Feniosky Peña-Mora. “In support of Mayor de Blasio’s vision for a healthy city, the lot is planned to be bicycle friendly and will feature ample green space once completed.”

“The long-awaited, new municipal parking lot at Queens Borough Hall will alleviate current parking and traffic issues in the neighborhood and allow for more efficient processing of government business, while also offering numerous modern amenities, including charging stations for electric vehicles,” said Borough President Melinda Katz.

The crumbling garage was demolished this past July. Sharon Lee, a spokesperson for Katz, stated that there will be an “at grade (flat, not elevated) street-level municipal parking lot.”

The project was initially slated to be finished last fall, but had been extended for one year in October 2015.

The parking garage, which had approximately 500 spaces, was shut down in September 2014 after the city engineers realized it was too dangerous to keep open. The lot was mainly used by jurors and employees who needed all-day parking, a need the city has yet to fill.

The new parking lot will have spaces for 302 automobiles. The location of the lot is conducive to streamlined pedestrian access to Queens Borough Hall and the Helen Marshall Cultural Center, another DDC project, which was ceremonially opened in September. The municipal lot will also be the new home of over 120 species of plants and trees, bringing greenery for residents and employees to enjoy when they come to Borough Hall.

11 comments:

JQ LLC said...

Let's give all of them balloons.

As a habitual bike commuter I think it's messed up that over 200 spaces had to be sacrificed for another park that will, because of it's location and because it's Queens, be neglected and under-maintained, with bike lanes that will barely be used just as the new bike lanes on Queens Blvd. The charging stations might be the only positive aspect but I don't see many drivers using electric cars or hybrids in our beloved borough.

Well, it's something nice to look at for the time being. But I don't know how many more parks this city needs with the lack of available and affordable dwellings for the working poor and the dwindling middle class. But that's what the hotels and the parks are for.

Anonymous said...

And just who will maintain this " green" parking lot? It will be turned into a dumping ground as the "greenery" dies off from lack of attention.

Joe Moretti said...

Just more examples of a completely dysfunctional system at play in Queens. A park that is out of the way for most, will more than likely NOT be maintained and be a place for homeless.

The thinking by this corrupt city is more than astonishing.

Anonymous said...

Better reread the article,they are not creating a park they are making a parking lot.
I still can't figure out though how a one level parking lot will provide enough parking spaces that the multi level one did.Parking is needed in this area.

Anonymous said...

That’s progress. City has a parking lot doesn’t maintain it, tears it down lets the property sit dormant for 2 plus years then decides to rebuild a parking lot with 200 less badly needed parking spaces with green areas. Who is going to maintain this parking lot when it is completed sometime in the future. As for the green areas, what are the plans for maintaining that. Will there be a gardener employed or will the area just deteriorate to overgrown weeds.

(sarc) said...

TWO HUNDRED LESS parking spots translates to "bicycle friendly".

If you like your bicycle lanes you can keep your bicycle lanes.

Otherwise move to a free State...

Anonymous said...

Parking will not be needed in the near future. The new world government will not allow the sheeple to drive themselves. Self driving cars will be the future and car ownership will be a thing of the past like the horse and buggy.

Anonymous said...

Now....how do we get rid of those hack civil service employesees, like Orving Poi, who have been using the system at borough hall as a parking lot for their career advancement.
Hmmmmm, too many crooks parking their butts at the center of corruption in Queens.

Anonymous said...

Oops...correction Irving Poi, the Boro prez's right hand hack.
He's been around since Shulman, Marshal and now alley Katz.
His is a permanent civil service employee's job.
Thanks to Shulman who made that position so.

Anonymous said...

On paper this is a public parking lot. In reality it will be 100% filled with placard-holding vehicles, when those vehicles are not clogging up the surrounding streets.

Gary W said...

Wow, just wow! An old soviet bloc country wouldn't have a gov't this inept. 200 less spaces so they can virtue signal, and pat themselves on the back for being "green".

Counting the days till I can say "I used to live in Queens"