From the Queens Courier:
In response to a Flushing group’s demand for more public space, the city is considering a pedestrian plaza for Leonard Square.
Between all of the construction and rush hour traffic, residents and local politicians say there are too few places for people to just stop and take a break.
The Korean association applied to the Department of Transportation’s plaza program. The department will make a decision early next month, according to a spokesman. And if the Flushing square is chosen, city officials would work with local officials and the community to hold public workshops and develop a design.
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Koreans push for Flushing pedestrian plaza
Labels:
Department of Transportation,
Flushing,
koreans,
pedestrians,
plaza
20 comments:
You've got to be kidding me!!
They need one because McDonalds closed down.
Where else can you sit for hours without being considered a loiter.
Because everyone knows we need more pigeon feeders and less streets to move the traffic. That's ridiculous.
No No No No No No!!!!
Pedestrian Plazas are a waste of space, if people NEED a place to go and sit and get fresh air then the politicians should stop destroying our quality of life by over development.
Flushing is a mess full of buildings with rusted balconies, were they meant for fresh air??? or for junk storage.
Stop fixing the symptoms and fix the problem and stop OVER DEVELOPMENT!!!!
Of course the "group" will request a name change for the square and another piece of Flushing history (Leonard died in 1918 while serving in the military in WWI) will be lost.
Just add a few benches.... ?
And now we have come to the part of the sad story of Flushing where the powers that be have decided, "Oh the hell with it, nobody cares anymore. Let's just throw every bad idea we have into this absolute mess of a neighborhood".
At this point I think that Leonard would be quite happy to disassociate his name from what Flushing has become.
That's the triangle in front of the McGoldrick Library (and McDonald's), where Roosevelt Avenue begins. They want to close that (short) block to cars? Parking is already a problem in that area - and if you park in the shopping center lot and are not shopping in one of those stores, you'll get towed.
Have you seen some of the scabby looking characters that hang out there especially after dark? There is shady activity around that convenience store across the street. There is no need for a new pedestrian plaza there. They can hang out at the Paris Baguette coffee shop in Murray Hill Plaza. Mc Donald's was the former hang out with groups nursing a small cup of coffee for over an hour while we were waiting for a table. Maybe a nearby senior center Is needed.
How many more benches can you squeeze into this already well benched former pocket park? It will become a squatters paradise. There is already enough brick paving here to build a small house. Look at Lipmann Plaza in downtown Flushing . There's a nice pedestrian walkway there complete with urine and unfinished take out meals left behind by vagrants and third worlders who care little about sanitation. If the Korean association wants a rest spot let them give out discount vouchers for the local cafe for those who can't afford a latte and red bean bun.
Traffic is bad enough. To close another street is pathetic. Who makes these decisions? Does the community get a voice here?
Koreans want this? What About American Cituzens. What do they want?
What for? they need more space to set up tables to sell socks and knock-off cell phone accessories????
Why is the Korean association making any demands? They don't use English signs on their businesses. What about the American Association? Can we start one of those and make like demands?
"What about the American Association? "
In our current state of society, attitudes like that are considered RACIST.
But, all immigrants are allowed their "Associations" since they are minorities and are immune to such profiling.
They used to camp in McDonalds for hours before the store closed down.
They will make the new plaza theirs too !
There seem to be ongoing problems between McDonald's in the Flushing area and elderly Korean customers.
The department that decides whether this will happen or not is following. Please write to them or email if you are opposed to this plaza.
EMILY WEIDENHOF
NYC PLAZA PROGRAM DIRECTOR
NYC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORATION
55 WATER STREET, 6TH FL
NEW YORK, NY 10041
Tel: (212) 839-4325
Email: plazas@dot.nyc.gov
At least the protesters signs where in English !
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