Civic Will Challenge Proposed Building Along Douglaston Parkway

The Douglaston Civic Association’s members vowed during a meeting last night to fight the proposed development of a six-story building with 27 units along the Douglaston Parkway.

Eliott Socci, the civic’s president, said there is currently an empty building at the site along the parkway between 43rd and 44th avenues.

The developer plans to create 27 units in a six-story building at the site that would include a dentist’s office on its first floor.

“It’s the way they want to build it that’s a problem,” Socci said. “They want to rezone the area, so they can build a six-story building as-of-right. The Board of Standards and Appeals did not grant a variance, but if it comes down in scope, it might get one.”

State Sen. Tony Avella, D-Bayside, who attended the civic’s meeting last night at The Community Church of Douglaston, said he would help to “fight tooth and nail” against the development.

“If we don’t fight every single battle, that’s a signal to the developers that this is a weak community,” he said. “Then, they’ll swoop in and put in application after application.”

Another key issue for civic members was the opening date of the long-awaited Fairway Market at the Douglaston Shopping Plaza.

“From what I hear, they do not have all the permits they need,” Socci said. “But they guarantee they will open the store. They’ve signed a lease – they can’t just walk away.”

Avella said he had recently heard that the store would debut in November.

Ann Jawin, president of the Doug Bay Manor Civic Association, and several other members of her civic group turned out to the meeting to voice their objections about the green market that is expected to open next month near Douglaston’s Long Island Rail Road station.

“By the time we’d heard about this, it was already done,” she said of the market’s proposal. “It was brought up by a small group that made requests and decisions for the community on their own. The community board voted for it and I believe they were misinformed.”

But Jawin said she was pleased about two recent concessions: trucks parking on the other side of the LIRR's tracks after dropping off goods and the Community Church of Douglaston agreeing to allow the market’s patrons to park in its lot.

“I think it’s a wonderful idea for the community,” Avella said of the green market. “But it’s not fair that one part of the community has to bear the brunt.”

The market would operate Sundays from 8 .m. to 3 p.m. on July 10 through November 20. It would be run by GrowNYC, a city nonprofit that also operates the massive market at Union Square.

A total nine vendors would set up shop in the LIRR’s traffic circle at 235th Street and 41st Avenue. Visitors would be able to purchase meats, vegetables, fruits, cheese and a variety of other goods.

On May 2, CB 11 voted 31-7 in favor of a street permit for the market.

Doug Bay Civic members have said they are concerned whether the market would create additional traffic and parking problems in the community. Jawin said she believes the market could pose problems for emergency vehicles that need to enter the neighborhood.

But Mike Hurwitz, director of GrowNYC’s markets, said the city’s police and fire departments would not sign off on the market unless it allowed for the vehicles to enter the community.

He also said the vendors would be responsible for cleaning up after themselves.  

Douglas Montgomery, who floated the idea of the market a few years ago, said he believed it would be a "fantastic addition" to the neighborhood.

"It is sad that there are people out there who will fight any change or improvement to the Douglaston community," he said. "I believe the upcoming farmer's market will become a major factor in reviving the downtown village area."