By Jeremy Walsh
Even as Astoria residents in a small area known as Norwood Gardens celebrate the pending rezoning of their blocks, they face problems.
Real estate developers continue to buy up to one- and two-family houses in order to build much larger buildings before the rezoning slashes the maximum building height.
About 30 members of the Norwood Gardens Neighborhood Association gathered with City Councilman Peter Vallone (D-Astoria) Saturday morning to protest such a development at 30-88 36th St.
“Now they’re going to get in as much as possible in the old zoning,” said resident Helen Karter, pointing out that a construction fence around the property blocks part of the driveway of the neighboring home.
“In two days, this house was down,” said another neighbor who would identify herself only as Josephine.
Neighbors are now saying workers removed asbestos from the property without the proper permits. No complaints appear to have been lodged with the city Department of Buildings about asbestos or any other situation at the work site.
Vallone said he had written letters to the DOB and the city Department of Environmental Protection asking them to examine the site closely, but warned that the construction plan, which calls for a four-story, eight-family apartment building, is as-of-right.
“The only thing we can do is put pressure on them to work with you guys,” he told neighbors.
Vallone and the neighborhood group put the rezoning wheels in motion about a year ago, pushing for zoning that would allow buildings to be no higher than 30 feet. Currently the zoning allows for buildings up to 13 stories tall — around 130 feet. The process will probably take another year, the councilman said.
“Within that year we have to stay vigilant,” he noted.
Patrick Comaskey, another neighborhood association member, worried that 36th Street would look similar to 38th Street before the rezoning goes through.
“Ten years ago it was all one-family detached houses,” he said. “Now it’s all 10-story apartment buildings.”
If approved, the rezoning of Norwood Gardens, which extends from 35th to 37th street between 30th and 31st avenues, would be the most extensive rezoning of Astoria since 1961, Vallone said.
Reach reporter Jeremy Walsh by e-mail at jewalsh@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 154.
