Full Gospel Church Expansion Turned Down By C.B. 7 Elects New Officers

Headed by pastor Nam Soo Kim, the Full Gospel Church is affiliated with the Pentecostal Church. Most members are of Korean descent.
When the church purchased the premises in 1992, a variance was granted by the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) to use portions of the building for religious purposes. At that time, the BSA overrode C.B. 7s objections to the new uses of the building.
Located in the heart of the College Point Corporate Park, the premises, unused for many years, were originally constructed as a hotel to serve patrons in which the busy area which was zoned primarily as a manufacturing district.
In 1998, over C.B. 7s opposition, the BSA granted church members a zone variance which permitted their use of the hotel cellar, its first four floors, and penthouse, for various church functions.
At a preliminary hearing last month, Sheldon Lobell, attorney for the church, told the College Point Task Force members that the purpose of the alteration and expansion was to provide a more comfortable spiritual meeting, and to encourage community association with the church. The structure, he said, more resembled an office building rather than a house of God. However, the Task Force unanimously rejected the zone variance application and recommended that the C.B. 7 membership turn it down, as well.
Two key College Point civic groups have spoken out against the proposed changes:
Sabina Cardali, president of the College Point Civic Taxpayers Association, pointed out that "The main function of the College Point Corporate Park was to obtain businesses and employment for the College Point area. This project was not designed for any religious institutions."
She was joined by Fred Mazzarello, president of the College Point Board of Trade, who said that the hotel was built as a business-oriented facility and its character should not be changed.
Both stressed that their objections were not aimed at any religious institutions, but rather to maintain the business/industrial nature of the corporate park.
At the meetings end, C.B. 7 members voted for the following new officers: Eugene Kelty, chairperson; Robert LoPinto, 1st vice chairperson; James Crisafulli, 2nd vice chairperson; Frank Macchio, 3rd vice chairperson; Joseph Governale, 4th vice chairperson/secretary.