By Nathan Duke
A vocal crowd of more than 40 Jamaica Estates residents joined City Councilman Tony Avella (D-Bayside) Saturday to protest St. John's University's unpopular plan to construct a six-story dormitory in the middle of a residential neighborhood on Henley Road.
Community activists said the dorm would destroy the neighborhood's quality of life and accused the Rev. Donald Harrington, St. John's president, of ignoring resident complaints about the project. The dorm is as-of-right, meaning its classification as a community facility allows the developer to build a taller, denser structure than the area's R5 zoning would typically allow.
“Once the project was in place was when they broke the news to us,” said Maria Collier, of the Concerned Residents of Jamaica Estates. “And [St. John's] did not give the community the chance to speak about it. Now they are angry that we're not embracing it. They want to shove it down our throats and for us to be happy about it.”
A spokesman for St. John's said the college would not comment on the protest.
In a statement last fall, the university said the dorm, at 172-14 Henley Road, is expected to be ready in August 2009. According to city Department of Buildings records, the structure will be 62 feet tall with 66 units that will house 485 students. Residents said they were told by the city that the dorm, under a mile from the college's Utopia Parkway campus, would have 50 parking spots and include valet parking.
Residents said workers at the project's site have been continuously removing groundwater to lay down the dorm's foundation and then dumping the water into local sewers. They said the water keeps coming back up from the sewers.
“Our sewer line is not big enough to accommodate the dorm,” resident Shakti Chris said. “This whole project is so detrimental to our lives.”
Avella said he proposed legislation last fall that would limit the types of buildings that could qualify as community facilities and enforce height restrictions for facilities constructed in residential zones.
“A dorm is a residence, so why should it not be subject to all the same rules that apply for other homes in this city?” he said. “Residents shouldn't be pushed out of their neighborhood just because St. John's wants to expand.”
Philip Ross, of the Concerned Residents, said neighbors from the block would attend St. John's graduation in mid-May and carry signs to protest the dorm.
“Let Father Harrington hear our voice when we go to his house,” Ross said.
Reach reporter Nathan Duke by e-mail at nduke@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
