Community Corner

Future Of Leviton Site Still Unclear, Even After Meeting With Developer

Owner Steel Equities says search for tenants ongoing; environmental testing and weatherproofing underway at eight acre property

Community leaders left a meeting with the new owners of the on Wednesday with promises of being kept in the loop as to future plans for the site — but with little else.

"I told them that if they planned to be a good neighbor, we'll be your best friend," Community Board 11 chairman Jerry Iannece said of his meeting with developer Steel Equities at Queens Borough Hall. "If you don't, we'll be your worst nightmare."

Community representatives at the meeting included Iannece, CB11 district manager Susan Seinfeld and Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, who expressed concerns in regards to the future of the eight-acre site on Little Neck Parkway to Steel Equities president Joseph Lostritto, who was also present.

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However, in the absence of a tenant signing a lease for the property, the conversation yesterday was largely free of specifics, according to community representatives at the meeting. 

"They could only tell us what they've done already," Seinfeld said of Steel Equities.

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Based in Bethpage-L.I., the real estate investment company's portfolio of properties includes the Bethpage Business Park, built on 120 acres formerly belonging to aerospace giant Northrup Grumman.

Tenants of Steel Equities-owned properties include Cablevision, FedEx and medical offices.

For residents like Judy Cohen, president of the North Hills Estates Civic association, one major concern was traffic to and from the property.

"When you're talking about trucks going back and forth, that's one thing," Cohen said. "But if we're talking about trucks idling around clock, that is not acceptable."

Other issues brought up by community leaders at the meeting covered concerns about the old-growth trees on the property, security at the location and ongoing environmental testing.

Workers recently removed underground fuel tanks from the manufacturing site. Other projects included weatherproofing former Leviton structures, which may be eventually demolished or remodeling to fit the needs of future tenants.

Responding to concern regarding major changes to the site, Iannece said he was optimistic that Steel Equities Lostritto — a Douglaston native and graduate of nearby St. Francis Prep — would keep his promise to leave the property better than the way he found it. 

"He seemed to understand that this is a beautiful community and that we want to keep it that way," Iannece said of Lostritto.


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