Bloomberg Visits Bowne Park Civic

At last week’s meeting of the Bowne Park Civic Association, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, eager to garner the approval of potential voters, quipped that anyone with a problem should call him at home.
“His response [to the community] was good,” said John Procida, one of the founders of the Bowne Park Civic Association and a former president. “His logic was really good.”
While no one took his offer serously, many took the opportunity of his presence to voice major concerns, the most pressing being the so-called “McMansions” — multiple-family dwellings that have been springing up throughout northeast Queens.
“They are a big problem,” said Wanda Beck Antosh, vice president of the Civic Association. “The mayor seemed responsive to the issues,” she continued. “I thought the issues were addressed properly and answered properly.”
In response, Bloomberg pledged his “commitment to fight overdevelopment.” He cited the fact that Bayside Hills has already been rezoned and said that the Bowne Park area was on the list. “City Planning is looking forward to working with community leaders to maintain the character and integrity of the neighborhood,” Bloomberg continued.
Satisfied with the results of the meeting, Antosh told The Queens Courier, “I have received compliments from the mayor’s office that the meeting was run well.”
toni@queenscourier.com