By Tom Momberg
A petition has been circulating in protest of the city School Construction Authority’s purchase of the Bayside Jewish Center for a future high school site, and now with over 3,200 signatures, it is a clear indicator of some strong opposition to the project.
The petition was delivered to and addressed in last week’s Community Board 11 meeting. Copies of the petition were also sent to Borough President Melinda Katz, City Councilman Paul Vallone (D-Bayside), the SCA and state Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside), who introduced legislation last month to change the process for community involvement in the selection of school sites.
Though the petition might be an indicator that much of the Bayside community opposes the project, public input does not have to be considered until the purchase has been finalized and an environmental impact study has been completed, according to the SCA.
The SCA announced it was in the process of finalizing its purchase of the site, 203-05 32nd Ave., in early May, but the purchase still has not been completed . The SCA said the purchase agreement is currently undergoing public review.
Construction of a school on the site a little larger than an acre would create 800 more seats and has been allocated $114 million in the city Department of Education’s proposed five-year capital plan amendment.
The SCA said it would also complete a traffic study alongside the required environmental impact study in response to growing community concern that traffic congestion would increase due to the proposed project’s close proximity to Bayside High School and its athletic fields.
The petition, circulated in part by Friends of Bayside High School, a nonprofit support community for students and alumni of Bayside High, cites poor planning and a possible detraction from the quality of life in calling for a halt to the construction process.
“With proponents hinting they will sneak the project past needed approvals during the summer, these 3,200 voices are just an initial step,” Friends of Bayside High School Vice President Dave Solano said in a statement. “The community is speaking with legal counsel to obtain files under the Freedom of Information Law to determine what is behind this $114 million unwanted project at the expense of our community.”
Reach reporter Tom Momberg by e-mail at tmomb
