New life for the Fineson Center

Howard Beach may soon have some new residents.
Late last week, it was announced that Catholic Charities Progress of Peoples Development Corporation has been chosen to buy and develop the three-acre Bernard Fineson Developmental Disabilities Senior Office site into low- and moderate-income senior housing.
Originally constructed as a private hospital in the 1960s, the site, at 155-55 Cross Bay Boulevard, is owned by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY). It is currently in the process of being closed and will be converted into 100 apartment units.
The facility will consist of 32 studio, 52 one-bedroom, and nine two-bedroom apartments, laundry facilities, a community room, resident lounges, and offices. The main entrance will be upgraded and a new entrance will be added from the back parking lot to a proposed senior center. Parking spaces will number 106. The grounds will be landscaped with additional passive recreation areas and raised tenant gardens specifically designed for seniors.
Of the 100 units, according to Catholic Charities, 80 apartments will be reserved for seniors over the age of 60, with a preference for current residents of Community Board 10 applying to 50 percent of these. The remaining 20 units would be set aside for individuals supported by the NYS Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD).
“It is with great pleasure that I congratulate Catholic Charities on being selected to develop this site in Howard Beach,” said Councilmember Eric Ulrich. “It is no secret that southwest Queens is in dire need of quality affordable housing and this project offers a common-sense, tangible solution to this chronic problem. This project will also help to add momentum to other revitalization efforts in the area.”
Under the auspices of Shuman Lichtenstein Claman Efron Architects and Monadnock Construction as the general contractor, construction is expected to take 15 to 18 months.
A Request for Proposals (RFP) to purchase the Fineson site was issued in January. Officially, the Catholic Charities team has received a preliminary designation to develop the site. Details of the sale will now be negotiated with the state and the transaction is expected to close next spring.
“There are still a lot of hoops to jump through,” said Community Board 10 Chair Betty Braton.
The two existing structures on the property occupy 111,000-square-feet, and, until recently, provided residential and program services for 46 individuals, including those diagnosed with autism.
The nearly 50 individuals will continue to receive quality care, according to OMRDD officials, who said that some of the remaining residents are being transitioned into community placement opportunities, while others are being transferred to the main Hillside Campus in Queens Village.
“I’ve been working in the building for 23 years; no one will lose their jobs because we are being relocated,” said Ilene (no last name given), a Developmental Aide from Queens Village. “It will be closer for me because I live in Queens Village; some people from Brooklyn might have to travel farther, but if you have a job, you can’t be unhappy. I just hope it stays affordable for the seniors.”
“Catholic Charities knows that this conversion will help afford many the opportunity to live with dignity and within an integrated community that is supportive, cheerful and filled with opportunities to enjoy their golden years,” said Monsignor Alfred LoPinto, Pastor of St. Helen and Vicar for Human Services of the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens. “We look forward to working with representatives of the state, along with members of the local community, to bring this project to a successful conclusion.”
Area residents and business owners received the news, it seems, with open arms.
“With the economy, affordable housing would be great,” said Gloria Breslin of Howard Beach. “I’d hate to see handicapped people with no place to go. The way things are today, any little bit that could help is good.”
But Martin Auerbach of Howard Beach feels that the people of the community should have more input, especially as to the character of the facility and the type of people moving in.
“I’ve heard from Community Boards but I haven’t heard from Catholic Charities,” he said. “The community should have more input, Catholic Charities should be more forthcoming, it shouldn’t be decided in a back room without the general community being brought in on it.”
Braton, however, told The Courier that Catholic Charities was “one of only two groups to contact us prior to submitting a proposal [to the state].”
Additionally, she said, “As a result of the input [including that of Senator Joseph Addabbo and Assemblymember Audrey Pheffer, Catholic Charities] changed some aspects of the proposal. We [even] facilitated a meeting with the presidents of local civic associations.
“It’s a proposal that makes sense for that facility,” continued Braton. “It will beautify and enhance that facility and will enhance services for seniors that have been underserved. Catholic Charities has a proven track record as a service provider.”