Creedmoor expands facility

The Queens Village Complex of Creedmoor Psychiatric Center will be moving its location upon the completion of a $66.5 million renovation project scheduled to begin in June or July of this year.
The 12-acre facility located on Hillside Avenue will be moving north to a 26 acre property off of Union Turnpike, which will house one- and two-story residential buildings and administrative offices. Creedmoor Queens Village Complex is currently equipped with 220 beds and is the home to adults who suffer from a wide range of mental illnesses or developmental disabilities.
According to Richard Hellenbrecht, chairman of Community Board 13, the new buildings will have a more family-oriented, residential feel. Creedmoor residents are now being housed in the decrepit 70-year-old facility that resembles more of an institution than a residential community.
“The design will reduce the number of consumers in the center to 120 but it will be a significant improvement in the quality of the living area,” added Hellenbrecht. “They are moving very aggressively and work should be completed some time next year.”
After the project is complete, residents will be moved into the new buildings and residents of another mental health facility in Howard Beach will inhabit the old building for a period of 2 to 3 years while their facility undergo renovations as well. The new facility, owned by Bernard Fineson Developmental Disabilities Services, will fall under the jurisdiction of the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Development Disabilities.
In 2010 the old facility will be completely obsolete and most likely be demolished leaving various development possibilities for an area in R3-2 zoning.
“The neighborhood is already very overcrowded,” said Hellenbrecht. “This leaves open the possibility of a developer to maximize the land for housing purposes or maybe even stores.”
Parking is already an issue in the community and a huge population surge could potentially add to an overcrowding problem in the surrounding schools.
Hellenbrecht said that the community is behind the project but would like to remain included in development plans for the vacated land in the future.
“The community knows the neighborhood much better than any developer so we want to know their intentions as soon as possible.”