By Alexander Dworkowitz
Boker Court, a tiny road just north of 14th Avenue in College Point, is not like most city streets.
The unpaved road is surrounded by trees, partly covered in grass and dominated by an abandoned mansion, rumored to have been both a hotel and a military school. Finding the street is hard enough, which is accessible only by going past the “Dead End” sign on 120th Street.
But the two families who live on Boker Court recently were shocked to learn that, according to the city, their street is not a street at all.
Instead Boker Court is one of several pieces of once-private property in College Point that are slated to be auctioned off by the city.
The auction would allow development of the property, which could block vehicular access to the Shannon family’s two-story home.
“Who’s going to pick up our garbage?” asked Tracy Shannon, who grew up on Boker Court. “How are they going to get in if there’s an emergency?”
Warner Johnston, a spokesman for the city Department of Citywide Administrative Services, said the property was one of several in College Point that had fallen into city control over the last 30 years after the owner had stopped paying taxes on the property.
The sale of properties such as those in College Point is a normal occurrence, with an auction of close to 200 properties citywide taking place twice a year, Johnston said.
“The city is always trying to decrease our portfolio,” Johnston said.
Johnston said the property would not be sold without going through public hearings to hear the community’s sentiments.
So far the community has supported the Boker Court residents. Community Board 7 recommended holding off on selling the property until the situation could be more closely studied. State Sen. Frank Padavan (R-Bellerose) and Councilman Tony Avella (D-Bayside) both have written letters to the city asking that Boker Court not go on the auction block.
After a public hearing at her office, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall recommended the city retain the property, pave it and maintain it as a public street.
The proposed sale of Boker Court would primarily affect the six members of the Shannon household, whose only access to their home is from Boker Court.
The Vanessians, who have the main entrance to their home on 120th Street, would lose access to their garage, which is on Boker Court.
“I bought the house with the main purpose of using the garage,” said Garo Vanessian.
At an April Community Board 7 meeting that focused on the possible auctions of Boker Court and other properties, several members suggested selling the property with the stipulation that only adjacent neighbors could purchase the land.
But Shannon said a developer owned the mansion across the street and could easily outbid her family and the Vanessians with such a stipulation.
Currently, the Shannons receive minimal city services. The city comes to their door to pick up trash, but the street marked by one green sign remains unpaved and does not hold up well in bad weather.
“The mud is horrendous,” said Shannon.
For now, the city has yet to make a decision on the fate of the property. The Board of Standards and Appeals, which has the final say on whether or not Boker Court is put up for auction, was scheduled to hold another hearing Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Shannons and the Vanessians remain stunned by the whole situation.
“I just can’t imagine anyone in their right mind putting the idea on the table,” said Peggy Vanessian.
Reach reporter Alexander Dworkowitz by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 141.
