By Alexander Dworkowitz
A College Point construction equipment company planning to expand its facility earned the support of Community Board 7 this week.
The board, which covers Flushing, Whitestone, College Point and Bay Terrace, voted unanimously to back the plans of Zano Industries at 130-20 20th Ave. in the College Point Corporate Park.
Zano rents, sells and repairs construction equipment. The company plans to build an 8,000-square-foot warehouse on a neighboring piece of property.
“They need to purchase the adjacent land as a means of insuring its growth,” said Eugene Kelty, chair of the community board.
The company has 20 employees and hopes to double that number once the warehouse is built. Zano would like to begin construction this summer and open the new facility in the spring of 2004.
While the board generally was in favor of the plan, some questioned the expansion of businesses along 20th Avenue, a road plagued by traffic and one of the only streets that leads to the heart of College Point.
CB 7 member Nicholas Miglino suggested an amendment to the application asking Zano to promise its trucks would not travel on 20th Avenue east of the Whitestone Expressway.
“It's kind of a reminder,” he said.
Others, however, said the amendment was unnecessary since it is already illegal for trucks destined for the corporate park to travel on 20th Avenue on the east side of the highway.
“It's just like coming out against crime and in favor of motherhood,” said CB 7 member Victor Ross.
Melanie Lenz, an assistant vice president for the city Economic Development Corp., said she would send out letters to the tenants of the corporate park reminding them of traffic regulations and then Miglino withdrew his proposed amendment.
The EDC, which has the final say on Zano's proposal, is expected to approve it.
The board also backed the plans of New York Hospital Medical Center Queens to expand its offices across the street from its main building.
The hospital currently uses the first floors of 56-14 Main St., 56-24 Main St., 56-26 Main St. and 56-44 Main St. The board voted unanimously to allow the hospital to use the second floor of those buildings for offices as well with the stipulation that no changes would be made to the exterior of the buildings.
The board also voted to extend a permit for an amusement arcade at 31-07 Downing St.
Reach reporter Alexander Dworkowitz by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 718 229-0300, Ext. 141.
