by juan soto
A square dance inaugurated the round pedestrian plaza at the feet of the LIRR train station in downtown Douglaston.
Neighbors gathered at the new north-side station plaza promoted since 2011 by the Douglaston Local Development Corporation and built by the city Department of Transportation.
“This is part of the revitalization of the neighborhood,” said Victor Dradas, architect and Douglaston resident. “This is a tangible spot.”
Dadras, a partner in Dadras Architects, an urban planning consulting firm, was at the official inauguration of the plaza, and said “spaces like this bring people together.”
The plaza is decorated with 16 giant planters, chairs, umbrellas and tables.
“This is wonderful,” said Marva Kalish, of the Douglaston Local Development Corporation. She pointed out that families with kids and neighbors packed the pedestrian plaza during the evening of the inauguration at Douglaston Village Plaza, that included a BBQ, music and square dance.
“It took us more than two years to bring this place to the neighborhood,” said Kalish.
About 2,300 residents commute to work daily in the LIRR, and about 1,000 use the station on weekends.
The area is also home to PS 98. Students and teachers also use the 3,000-square-foot public plaza, which is surrounded by about a dozen local businesses.
The community agreed to keep the plaza open to traffic, so drivers can drop off people at the station and turn around. A plan to eliminate vehicular traffic at the site was strongly opposed by the residents.
“This is what the community did,” said City Councilman Paul Vallone (D-Bayside). “These plazas are very important because they bring people together.”
With the plaza open, now the efforts will turn to the south side of the station and to the MTA’s station house, unmanned since abut 2009.
“Now commuters use the place to be protected themselves from inclement weather,” said Kalish.
The idea is to transform the kiosk into a community center, but it would remain open for riders to take cover during bad weather.
There is a possibility of having a space for a coffee shop and use the structure to hold exhibits by local artists.
“We will set exhibitions and more,” Kalish said. “This will allow to increase the hours the station house is open.”
With the pedestrian plaza open, Douglaston is looking to reinvigorate its downtown.
Douglaston “really needs a vibrant downtown so people can share the community,” state Assemblyman Ed Braunstein (D-Bayside) said. “Douglaston has the potential to benefit from this kind os public space.”
Reach reporter Juan Soto by e-mail at jsoto@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4564.
