By Kathianne Boniello
In the face of an uncertain economic future the Bayside Business Association moved forward with plans to renovate Bell Boulevard this week by presenting early designs for the street’s new look to area civic leaders.
Last year the Bayside Business Association got a $500,000 grant from state Sen. Frank Padavan (R-Bellerose) to revamp Bell Boulevard from Northern Boulevard to 35th Avenue with brick sidewalks, benches, new lighting, angled parking and other amenities.
At a Tuesday night meeting in Bayside Manhattan architect William Kuhl and his staff displayed early drawings of the proposed “Bell Boulevard Streetscape,” as the project is being called.
But civic leaders criticized the plan as useless without additional parking in the area and questioned the business association’s ability to pay for the plans.
The Sept. 11 terrorist attack severely damaged the city budget and caused cutbacks to government agencies and nonprofits alike. Many arts and community groups may not benefit from city or state funding as they had in the past and some have been forced to cut staff.
With the dwindling economy in mind, Bayside Business Association Co-president Judy Limpert said the group is seeking to pay for additional stages of the Bell Boulevard renovation itself.
Limpert said the group hopes to establish a Business Improvement District, or BID, for the renovation area that would not only help pay for the construction but would fund the maintenance and sanitation of the area as well.
Frank Skala, president of the East Bayside Homeowners Association and a longtime critic of the Bayside Business Association, called the proposal “absolutely impossible.” Other civic representatives questioned why the plans ignore southern Bayside and the safety of angled parking on the boulevard.
When Mandingo Tshaka, president of the Bayside Clear-Spring Council, asked why Bell Boulevard south of Northern Boulevard was not included in the plans, Limpert cited a lack of funding.
“We would be very happy to take that route at a future date, depending on funding,” she said. “Right now we have barely enough to get us from Northern to 35th Avenue.”
The preliminary renderings for the work include redesigned curbs in some spots, angle parking on Bell Boulevard to replace the current parallel parking and signs welcoming people to the business area of the community. If the face-lift is approved by the city under the current plans, Kuhl said about 85 parking spaces would be added to Bell Boulevard.
Kuhl said the proposed design would “help create a character and identity for Bell Boulevard.”
Reach reporter Kathianne Boniello by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 146.
