Woodside crap developer seeks variance extension

From Sunnyside Post:

Developers who had a Woodside Avenue project approved against the community’s wishes several years ago are now asking for help to push back their construction deadline.

The Board of Standards and Appeals gave the go-ahead to a development company to construct a seven-story, 27-unit apartment complex at 64-01 Woodside Ave. in 2011, overcoming the objections of Community Board 2 and Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer.

Joe Conley, who was chairman of Community Board 2 at the time, said that a one-family house was torn down in order for the seven-story development to proceed.

Last week, a representative for the developer went before CB 2’s Land Use Committee and said the builder ran out of time completing the project and is seeking the approval of the BSA to grant it an extension so it could get a certificate of occupancy.

The Board was not sympathetic given the project’s storied history.

It actually was a warehouse-turned-church that was torn down. This crap sits right on top of what may be the historic Shaw Hotel, which surprisingly has been renovated and not demolished.

Response received from CB2

08-31-15 CB 2 to JOR Response to Email Request by Queens Post

CB2 finally replied to John O'Reilly, and you can read the whole exchange and his response over at Sunnyside Post:

Is CB2 violating the law?

This guy seems to think so. Read the whole sordid tale and let me know what you think.

Sunnyside Yards: Katz wants it built

From LIC Post:

Queens Borough President Melinda Katz has been a strong advocate for decking over the Sunnyside Yard for months—despite the cool reception it has received from western Queens leaders.

Katz began advocating for developing the yards in September, when she announced that they have the “potential for extraordinary development.”

Katz plays an important role in what ultimately happens to the Yards since the area would need to be rezoned before construction could begin. The community board and the borough president would get to weigh in on a rezoning—before it is shuffled along to the City Planning Commission for review and then the city council.

At the council level, Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer would have the ultimate say.

In September, Katz released a 138-page strategic policy statement where she said that the “partial or complete decking of the Sunnyside Rail Yards has the potential for extraordinary development.” She added that it is the largest parcel of ‘vacant’ land remaining in the city.

At the October community board meeting, Queens residents became more aware of Katz’ position when former CB2 chairman Joe Conley said that he had been in discussions with her about building over the Yards. He then called on the board to write a letter to Katz calling for a feasibility study.

While many members of the board were caught off guard by Conley’s request, they were eventually swayed by him and voted in favor of sending Katz the letter.

Conley was then subject to heavy criticism for requesting the letter.

Joe Conley is retiring from CB2

From Sunnyside Post:

Joe Conley, the long-serving Community Board 2 chair, is stepping down.

Multiple sources said that Conley, who has been chair for over 25 years, will be making the announcement tonight when Community Board 2 has its full monthly meeting.

Conley’s departure from the community board will result in the biggest shake up the board has seen in nearly 30 years. For the past decade, the same leadership structure has been in place: Conley as chairman; Steve Cooper, first vice chairman; Patrick O’Brien, second vice chairman; Lisa Deller, secretary, and Diane Ballek, treasurer.

The new chair will take the helm at a time when there are many ongoing issues. There is the ongoing debate about backyard seating in Long Island City, the construction of affordable housing, continued development and the possible construction over the Sunnyside Yards.

Van Bramer doesn't want Sunnyside Yards decked over

From Sunnyside Post:

Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer said today that he is firmly opposed to building over the Sunnyside Yards.

Van Bramer made the statement in response to Community Board 2 Chairman Joe Conley’s call last Thursday for a study to determine whether it would be feasible to build over a section of the yards, which consists of acres of land covered by railroad tracks.

Conley said at the monthly Community Board 2 meeting that the Sunnyside Yards could be used to build more affordable housing.

Van Bramer said the community is not calling for the development of the Sunnyside Yards. He said people are more concerned about school overcrowding, transportation issues and other problems that actually stem from development.

“My office is in the business of receiving hundreds of letters and speaking to people about important issues all the time,” Van Bramer said. “Not one person has come to me and said ‘you should deck over the Sunnyside Yards and build housing.”

Several Community Board 2 members said after last Thursday’s meeting that they were caught by surprise by Conley’s request.

“I’m opposed to the concept of decking [building] over the Sunnyside Yards,” Van Bramer said. “The idea gets floated whenever there is an economic boom…but I think it would be bad for the surrounding community.”

Van Bramer, as councilman, has a big role to play in terms of land use decisions such as these. All significant zoning changes go through the city council and it is typically the elected official in a given district that makes the call.

Van Bramer said that he too is in favor of affordable housing.

However, he said, “Density is appropriate in some places and not others. I, for one, believe Sunnyside and Astoria are great low-density neighborhoods that should remain so.”

Good for him! But the translation is: "Hey, I live over there."

More Sunnyside Railyard development talk

From the Queens Courier:

The space above the Sunnyside Yards railroad complex could contain a hospital, affordable housing buildings, a school, a public space or some combination of those to form a new community.

At this point, Community Board 2 isn’t sure what could be built, but members approved urging Borough President Melinda Katz to begin a feasibility study regarding “decking,” or building a platform above the railroad tracks, in a public meeting Thursday — a plan that has long been floated around by top city officials.


Board chair Joseph Conley brought the matter up in the meeting for a vote, even though he wasn’t sure how much square footage of space the area would create and couldn’t pinpoint future challenges.

However, he suggested the project would cover just the Long Island City end of the yards — the southwest portion from about Jackson Avenue and 21st Street eastward to either the Thomson Avenue or Queens Boulevard walk-overs.

Some members complained that creating more housing in the area would increase the need for public services and infrastructure.

But Conley reasoned that it would be good to explore the ability to use the space, especially for affordable housing, as land prices continue to shoot upward in nearby communities such as Long Island City.

CB2 wants to limit filming permits

From DNA Info:

Queens Community Board 2 wants the city to cut the number of film and television shoots approved for the neighborhood, which they say has become a too-popular backdrop for production crews in recent years — to the inconvenience of residents.

"We are inundated," CB2 chairman Joe Conley said.

Neighbors and local businesses have complained about the proliferation of film crews blocking stores and taking up precious parking spaces.

"We suffered through the hurricane, businesses are coming back from that. We've had a terrible winter with snow and now we have weekends without the No. 7 train," Conley said at CB2's monthly board meeting Thursday night.

"How much more is that community supposed to endure?"

Shows including "The Blacklist," "Blue Bloods," "The Good Wife," "Person of Interest" and "Black Box," have all filmed in the area, according to Conley, who said there was even a day last year when five separate shoots were taking place in the neighborhood at once.

Push to ban Sunnyside food carts

From DNA Info:

Joe Conley, chairman of Community Board 2, said he asked the DOT on behalf of the board to install barriers that would prevent food carts and street vendors from conducting their business near the 46th Street, 40th Street and 33rd Street stations.

He also asked the agency to beautify these areas and improve the "pedestrian experience" including adding green space, art work and more lighting, he said.

A DOT spokeswoman said in an e-mail that the department looked at the location and determined that barriers were not appropriate for this area. But Conley is holding out hope for other improvements.

According to Conley, street vendors other than the food carts have been coming to Sunnyside in the afternoon to hawk goods such as DVDs, usually on 46th Street between Queens Boulevard and Greenpoint Avenue — on small tables or sheets directly on the street.

“It just looks terrible,” he said.

A few days ago, Conley called police, who made the street vendors leave, he said.

One of the fruit stands located directly under the elevated 46th Street station has become particularly contentious with a vendor who has two big carts that "look like a store," locals say.