Battle Begins For Woodside Elementary School

A closed Woodside appliance store has become the center of a tug-of-war between the sites owner and the Board of Education.
Eyeing some relief for the citys most crowded school district.
The Board of Education is considering building a 650-seat elementary school at the site of the former Stevens TV Store at 50-20 Queens Blvd.
The store owners have expressed no interest in selling their property, recently signing a 30-year lease with PC Richard and Sons, who plan on renovating and reopening the store in October.
For their part, board officials insist that they have not decided whether to proceed on obtaining the site. Under the law of eminent domain, the School Construction Authority could move to condemn the site, and pay the owner a fair market value. "Stevens has been part of the community for 50 years," said Howard Weiss, attorney for the Stevens family. "For them to come in and steamroll us using the law of imminent domain would be a horrendous mistake."
Board of Education spokeswoman Margie Feinberg says that the process is still in its early stages, and although there is no guarantee that the SCA is interested in the site, construction would require approval from the mayor and city council.
Members of Community Board 2, along with Weiss and SCA officials spoke on the issue at a March 2 meeting. However, Weiss says that the SCA was not prepared to answer questions on the sites potential impact on traffic, parking, and the environment. "Its inexcusable that they had no answers to these questions," said Weiss.
The Stevens family hired their own environmental consultant, Ethan Eldon, who spoke at the meeting. Eldon testified that construction of the school could have an irreparable effect on Queens Boulevard traffic, and that the substantial noise from the Roosevelt Avenue subway station could be a problem for students. He also stressed that there are two active businesses licensed to serve alcohol less than 200 feet from the site.
The topic was later tabled, until the SCA could formulate its own environmental impact study. The community board will have 45 days to make their recommendation, but their decision is not binding. School Board 24 will hold a community meeting on March 9 at their district office.
"This is basically a horrendous site for a school," said Weiss. "The Stevens family is not ready to give up without a fight. If we have to, well see them in the courtroom."