It took a few months – and multiple agencies – but Senator Joseph Addabbo and his staff successfully addressed a seemingly simple problem – by removing an abandoned boat from Hawtree Basin near Coleman Square.
This simple issue ended up involving six different governmental agencies to examine and resolve. On Tuesday, July 27, a Department of Transportation (DOT) crew removed the motorboat from the basin, with the Senator on the scene to witness the successful lift.
Many issues were involved in taking out the single-engine boat, however.
On March 26, a constituent called Addabbo’s office to report an abandoned boat that could be seen from his house nearby Hawtree Basin in Howard Beach. Addabbo and his staff initially contacted the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to begin the removal process and to discuss possible environmental issues with regards to the boat situation.
The Senator’s office also contacted Frank Carnesi, director of security of the Dockmaster Unit of the City Small Business Services, who assisted in contacting the NYPD Harbor Unit, in order to ascertain who owned the boat. The Harbor Unit visited the site twice to trace the boat’s registration numbers and to make the decision that their harbor boat was unable to remove the abandoned craft due to the shallow water of the basin.
Throughout April and May, Addabbo and the agencies tried to locate the owner, but after numerous attempts, a decision was made that the boat was abandoned and must be removed.
In June, Carnesi referred the Senator’s office to Kevin Finnerty of the City Department of Sanitation, who also visited the site twice to determine the method by which the boat was to be taken out of the basin.
Careful consideration was given to the surrounding fence and concrete wall. Addabbo called upon Joe Raskin and William Matheson of the MTA, who both inspected the situation to confirm that the fence was not the property of the MTA and that New York City had jurisdiction of the area.
Nathan Gray of the DOT worked with the Senator’s office to arrange for the boat’s removal. After coordinating with multiple agencies on the date and equipment needed to address the issue, on July 27 Frank Coniglio of DOT brought his crew to Hawtree Basin and, along with the Department of Sanitation, extracted the abandoned boat and attached motor engine.
“I am grateful to all of the governmental agencies who cooperated with my staff and each other to address this issue of concern for my Howard Beach constituent,” Addabbo said.
