Dear Meenakshi Srinivasan,
Chair of the Board of Standards and Appeals:
I wish to convey to the strongest extent possible my opposition to the variance sought by Ashkenazy Acquisition Corp. to permit the “Best Buy” consumer electronics chain to take over the space being vacated by Waldbaum’s at the Douglaston Plaza shopping center.
Area civic leaders, community representatives and residents have expressed to me their unequivocal displeasure at the introduction of a massive nationwide electronics store in the second largest building at this complex.
Their sentiment, as is mine, is that this space could be better utilized to fulfill the needs and interests of our community; for instance, by another store that provides vital necessities to the surrounding area, conveniently located at this site, substantially benefiting seniors and others with transportation concerns, serving a much wider base of consumers.
Furthermore, I respectfully request that the Board of Standards and Appeals delay the public hearing on this issue scheduled for May 15, due to the fact elected officials, civic organizations, the Community Board and the community at large just received notification of this application on Monday, May 7. This insufficient notice is an apparent breach of Board requirements and past practices.
Clearly, more time is needed for the community and other affected parties to adequately prepare their case in opposition to this variance, in order to effectively submit for the Board’s consideration testimony and evidence of the profound and deleterious consequences that would result from “Best Buy” operating in Douglaston Plaza.
In view of the above, I ask that you comply with the wishes and best interests of our community by delaying this hearing and ultimately rejecting this unwanted and ill-advised variance application.
I thank you for your attention and await your earliest possible reply.
Frank Padavan
State Senator
Extend the F line subway
Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been talking about plans for the future. Addressing concerns about increased population and increased motor traffic congestion.
I would like to propose a project that addresses both these concerns.
I am 86 years old and I have nothing to gain from this proposal.
My recommendation is that the “F” line of subway system be extended from the present terminal, at 179th Street and Hillside Avenue under Hillside Avenue to just short of Cross Island Parkway.
At this location, Hillside Avenue and the Cross Island Parkway, a large two or three deck parking garage could be built, over the parkway. That facility could cover a bus terminal off Hillside Avenue, providing shelter to passengers from the subway.
The extension of the subway eastward would give impetus to private builders putting up apartments along Hillside Avenue providing living space for many new residents and increased tax revenue for the city.
This project would: Reduce motor traffic through Queens, lessen bus traffic in Queens and provide new apartments and businesses providing tax revenues.
Nickolas Prokos
Flushing
Mixed feelings about Flushing parking
I have mixed feelings about the development of Flushing Commons. The additional parking when the project is completed will be a welcome relief as well as the other development of the site; however, the loss of 1100 spaces during construction creates serious problems for the Flushing downtown community. Where do you park in the interim?
Further, City Councilmember John Liu is completely correct in that “a deal is a deal;” there were other bidders for the project who lost. TDC Development only won because their proposal was better than others submitted. To allow the project to continue with the changes without giving an opportunity for others to re-submit their bids for evaluation is unfair and can subject the city to unfair bidding practices.
The changes proposed by TDC Development amount to the old “bait and switch” or “low-ball” scam which should not be allowed.
John Ngai
Rego Park
Here we go again!
As the warm weather arrives, the greedy oil companies are well aware that we need their gasoline to drive our cars to the beaches, parks, lakes and mountains which give us so much pleasure. Hardworking Americans deserve to travel without worrying about the high cost of gasoline. Oil executives exploit us by hiking up their prohibitive prices even more during the summer months.
Geoff Sundstrom of the Automobile Association of America said, “We have $3.00 a gallon gasoline for the third time in the last three years. Alarm bells ought to be going off in the offices of every member of Congress and among the presidential candidates.”
What is going on? What is the cause of this?
Contempt is the reason a company raises the price of a commodity consumers need without any thought about what they have to endure in order to pay for this product.
Lauren and Bruce Blaustein
Manhattan
Blame city policies for poor air quality
With globing warming and greenhouse gases in the news so much lately, and the quality of air in the city being so poor, tell me why, for instance, we allow bigger and bigger trucks to use our streets?
Why are we busing so many kids to schools so far from their home?
Why are the traffic lights always out of sync?
You end up spending more time stopping for lights and idling than actually moving. Of course, one of the biggest wastes of fuel is stopping for tolls. I know tolls make lots of money for the city. Air quality takes a back seat.
If the city is so concerned about the quality of its air, the best place to start is for the city to examine its own policies that contribute so much to this problem.
William Goldberg
Whitestone
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