Gives CB 6 Overview Of Attraction
Representatives from the Ozone Park “racino” visited Board 6 at its Wednesday, Apr. 11 meeting at the Kew Gardens Community Center to update the crowd on the status of the gaming and racing facility.
Michelle Stoddart and Patrick Jenkins of Resorts World New York came to the meeting at District Manager Frank Gulluscio’s invitation to address the advisory body.
The first portion of Resorts Opened in October, with the full resort opening last December, Stoddart stated.
“We want all of Queens to be seen as a destination,” said Stoddart, nothing that besides the “racino,” Resorts World also has restaurants, a food court, and the largest event space in Queens.
So far, the resort has brought $105 million to state coffers.
“We’ve been trying to be very good neighbors and go out into the community,” she added, noting that Genting New York, the site’s operator, has been attending meetings of local community boards and civic groups.
“We hope the future of the racino and its property here in Queens is bright,” said Stoddart.
Jenkins claimed that while 1,500 jobs have been filled up, more will be available. Residents who are interested can visit www.rwnewyork.com. Over 70 percent of the company’s employees are from the borough.
Businesses can also sign up as vendors that can work with Resorts World.
Changes at Queens Blvd.
Board 6 voted to endorse planned traffic improvements to the intersection of Queens Boulevard and 71st Street/Continental Avenue.
The improvements proposed by the city Department of Transportation include increasing the size of traffic islands along Queens Boulevard and adding extra striping.
Board 6 endorsed the plan with the condition that it would not interfere with a beautification effort being advanced by City Council Member Karen Koslowitz.
Also in the works are improvements to Jewel Avenue and the Grand Central Parkway, although Board 6 is waiting to hear from neighboring Board 8.
Finally, Board 6 decided not to vote on a proposed change to traffic flow at Union Turnpike and Austin Street.
“I’m adamantly against it,” said Koslowitz, claiming that the changes would result in Forest Hills residents having to detour to Kew Gardens to maneuver throughout the area.
“That is not what we want to do,” said the lawmaker. “I want to come up with a better plan.”
112th Precinct update
Capt. Ralph Forgione, the executive officer of the 112th Precinct, announced that the precinct came in first in Patrol Borough Queens North and third in the city last year when it comes to traffic, with 150 fewer pedestrians hit so far this year, 350 fewer accidents and 115 motorcycles seized for driving without a license.
“That is incredible,” he said.
So far this year, 27 motorcycles have been taken. “They’re very hard to take but when I do take them, you lost them for a month, a month and a half,” said Forgione.
Forgione noted that before a seized cycle is returned to the owner, they are forced to obtain a license, which is intended to help both the driver and the community.
“Now they know how to properly operate a motorcycle,” he said.
Crime in the precinct is very slightly up this year, with grand larcenies the primary reason for the rise, the captain stated.
Votes
Board 6 also approved the renewal of a 10-year variance to an apartment house at 104-40 Queens Blvd. that will allow it to operate a garage.
According to Planning/Zoning Committee Chairperson Steven Goldberg, the original variance was granted in 1965 and allows for “transient parking.”
The variance expired in 2010 but the new ownership of the apartment building missed the deadline and returned to Board 6 to renew the variance.
Board 6 postponed another variance proposal for 65-39 102nd St. that would convert a building under construction from a mixed-use facility to a four-story community facility.
Clean heat initiative
Bethany Bowyer of the Mayor’s Office detailed the city’s NYC Clean Heat program.
According to Bowyer, the city is moving to convert buildings throughout the city-including 121 in Board 6-to phase out the use of #6 heating oil by 2015 as part of a PlaNYC goal to make the city’s air quality the cleanest of any major city.
Currently, there are three grades of oil being sold for commercial heating use. Bowyer showed vials of the three types: #6, which she said had a “tar-like” viscosity; #4 oil, which was “a little less thick,” and #2 oil, which is even cleaner, and can even be combined with biofuels.
The city is now requiring buildings renewing their heating permits to switch from #6 to #4 oil. By 2030, the city hopes most buildings will use something cleaner than that.
“Breathing in this heavy heating oil can result in over 3,000 deaths, 2,000 hospitalizations and 6,000 ER visits annually,” said Bowyer.
To help landlords, the city is working with banks to offer financing to help convert buildings to the use of cleaner oils.
So far, 22 buildings in Board 6 have converted, and 30 more are looking to do so, according to Bowyer, who noted that all the buildings using #6 oil are residential apartment buildings.
Liquor licenses
Board 6 voted to approve new liquor licenses for Keuka Café, at 112-04 Queens Blvd. in Forest Hills, and Tuscan Hills, at 115-20 Queens Blvd. in Forest Hills.
The advisory body also voted to renew licenses for Midorimatsu, at 111-16 Queens Blvd. in Forest Hills; Corfu Grill, at 70-17 Austin St. in Forest Hills; Sveta’s House, at 92- 60/62 Queens Blvd. in Forest Hills; Thai Pot, at 103-70 Queens Blvd. in Forest Hills; Continental Luncheonette, at 104-03 Metropolitan Ave. in Forest Hills; and Danny Brown Wine Bar, at 104-02 Metropolitan Ave. in Forest Hills.
Board 6 will next meet on Wednesday, May 13 at the Kew Gardens Community Center, located at 80-02 Kew Gardens Rd.
