After months of deliberation, Community Board 5 (CB 5) voted to recommend denying the Glendale yeshiva’s application for a zoning variance to expand the building during the monthly community board meeting on Wednesday night at Christ the King High School in Middle Village.
The board’s Land Use Committee met last month to hear the yeshiva’s proposal on the need for the school’s expansion from 360 dormitory beds, to 710 beds and the addition of a four-story building on the site located at 74-10 88th St.
Questions over the yeshiva’s original Certificate of Occupancy (O of C) raised community concerns with how the dorms were allowed to be placed in the building, which is in an M1-1 zone, where sleeping accommodations are not permitted.
“The committee felt that really what they’re asking is out of scale with the surrounding buildings, it’s out of character with that small lot,” said Walter Sanchez, chair of CB 5’s Land Use Committee.
“The community is extremely uncomfortable with how this facility was allowed to have dorms/sleeping facilities on their property, which is not zoned to have overnight dorms,” Sanchez continued. “The community board feels the hardship is self-imposed because the owner is choosing to change the type of school from a vocational to a seminary type. The height is not in scale to the surrounding buildings. An increase from 360 to 710 residents adversely affects the water/sewer infrastructure where the zoning permits zero residents.”
The board’s recommendation will be sent to the Borough President’s office before a final recommendation is made to the Board of Standard and Appeals, which has the final decision.
