By Alexander Dworkowitz
In a plan aimed at reducing water pollution, the city will split the 77-acre former Flushing Airport site into wetlands and land set aside for development, officials announced last week.
The city Economic Development Corp. is moving forward with a project to construct and restore 33 acres of wetlands at the southern portion of the site, behind The New York Times printing facility. The northern 20 acres will become part of the College Point Corporate Park, while the remaining acreage will be used as a buffer zone between the areas, said EDC spokeswoman Janel Patterson.
The $4.3 million project is part of a larger $26.7 million state and federal plan to improve water quality in Long Island Sound. Via storm sewers, pollutants sometimes flow from the site into Flushing Bay, which feeds into the sound, Patterson said. The wetlands will absorb some of the storm water, reducing the amount of pollutants that head into the bay, Patterson said.
Flushing Airport has been used as a dumping ground in recent years, and in August 2002 mosquitoes infected with the West Nile virus were found at the site.
Although the details of the plan were being finalized, it includes removal of debris, hardened surfaces such as runways and the demolition of buildings. The city will also install water-control devices and plant vegetation.
“This important initiative will transform a deteriorated urban environment into a functional wetland ecosystem,” said EDC President Andrew Alper in a news release.
Work is expected to start in the fall and will last 12 to 18 months.
The plan, however, could have repercussions for residents of College Point.
Although Flushing Airport closed in 1984, the site still has “air exclusion,” meaning that planes landing at LaGuardia Airport cannot fly directly over the site.
Many community leaders have called for a blimp port at the site, which would keep the air exclusion intact.
With the blimp port now apparently out of the question, more planes could eventually fly over College Point.
Fred Mazzarello, president of the College Point Board of Trade, said he thought the Flushing Airport site would lose the air exclusion.
“Eventually that stuff is going to happen,” he said.
Mazzarello, however, was more concerned about possible plans for development of the 20 acres of the northern portion of the site, which sits just south of 20th Avenue.
At present 20th Avenue in College Point is one of the largest shopping destinations in the borough; it is home to Target, BJ's Wholesale Club, Circuit City and Toys 'R' Us, among other stores. Shoppers see the area as a convenient location since the stores sit just off the Whitestone Expressway.
Residents of College Point, however, have complained the traffic from the stores clog up one of the few roads that lead to the center of the neighborhood.
“The developer's traffic plan was very flawed,” Mazzarello said. “It's a total disaster.”
The northern portion of the site is zoned for industry, but Mazzarello worried that developers would apply for variances to build more big-box retailers.
Mazzarello suggested a driving range or a miniature golf course for the site.
“We need some more family recreation around here.”
Reach reporter Alexander Dworkowitz by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 1-718 229-0300, Ext. 141.
