The members of Community Board 5 (CB 5) who unanimously voted (33-0) to adopt the slate of capital projects for the neighborhoods, led by a sewer reconstruction in Glendale, got some good news regarding these projects at the monthly board meeting.
Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley visited the CB 5 meeting on Oct. 11 at Christ the King High School in Middle Village to tell the full board that at least five of their top 10 budget priorities for Fiscal Year 2019 — which slightly differs from the Executive Committee’s recommendations — are fully funded.
Crowley announced that funding for the board’s highest priority, the redesign and reconstruction of the sewer system in portions of the CB 5 area having the worst flooding problems with a focus on the area of Cooper Avenue at 76th Street and along 77th Avenue, is in the city’s 10-year capital plan.
“It’s going to be almost a $43 million project. I warn you, it will be disruptive while the construction happens, but it’s better than getting flooded,” Crowley said. “And that’s what’s been happening to a lot of these homeowners and residents who live in that section of upper Glendale.”
The design and development phase is expected to be complete in time for the 2019-2020 budget, she added.
The reason this sewer project could not be done at the same time as the current sewer projects on Calamus Avenue in Maspeth and Penelope Avenue in Middle Village is because the sewers in Glendale connect to a larger system that flows out into Flushing Bay, while the sewers in Middle Village and Maspeth connect to Newtown Creek.
“All in all, it’s a huge win for Community Board 5 and it’s a huge win for upper Glendale and it will be so for Forest Hills as well,” Crowley said.
The other projects in the board’s top 10 priorities that have funding are the reconstruction of the Glendale Library branch, which is expected to break ground in January 2018; the rehabilitation of portions of Highland Park, of which a series of meetings have already taken place to discuss the $9 million project; new street plantings for the neighborhood; and replacing synthetic turf field and running track at Juniper Valley Park.
Crowley noted that once construction begins on the reconstruction of the softball fields at Frank Principe Park in Maspeth, which is expected to get underway this November, the city can focus on Juniper Valley Park.
“We will be meeting to mull over the design for the track and field, which also includes an extra $300,000 for exercise equipment,” Crowley said. “That was part of a participatory budgeting request.”
The other projects that made the top 10 are reconstruction of deteriorated catch basins; improving pedestrian and vehicular safety in the area of 69th Street and Grand Avenue, and the LIE service roads; evaluating the condition of the structure of the elevated M line; replacing or repowering Stage Zero freight engines; and the reconstruction of Edsall Avenue.
