APEC's Executive Director Hopes Long-Awaited Upgrade Project Will Begin Soon

Alley Pond Environmental Center’s executive director said she believes a long-awaited upgrade at the Douglaston non-profit could move forward following an upcoming meeting with the city’s Parks Department.  

APEC currently has no start date for a multi-million dollar project to take down its existing building and construct a new facility at the site’s existing parking lot.  

Irene Scheid, APEC’s executive director, said the environmental center is still in the process of getting approval for the project from the departments of City Planning and Design and Construction.  

Scheid said she was told that the project, which has been in the works for several years, could finally move forward following a meeting with the Parks Department on June 25.  

“Hopefully, we’ll have an update,” she said. “I’ve been told that after June 25 we might know something. But I’ve been told that before.”  

The upgrade includes constructing a LEED-certified building that is slightly larger than its existing site, located at 228-06 Northern Blvd. in Douglaston.  

The new facility will be built on APEC’s parking lot, while the existing building will be knocked down to make way for new parking spaces. The upgraded building will include an additional classroom to accommodate more students.  

“In our current facility, we have 10,000 schoolchildren per year on a waiting list,” Scheid said. “Hopefully, with an additional classroom we can get more children in for our programs.”  

APEC’s leaders will wait until the project begins to determine whether the center will hire additional staff members or offer new programs. Scheid said the center plans to remain open throughout the construction of the new building.  

So far, APEC has raised $8 million, which will cover the cost of the new building, through the Queens borough president’s office and the City Council.  

But Scheid said the environmental center still needs a yet-to-be-determined-amount of funds to construct the parking lot as well as connect the new building to its trails, windmill and outdoor classroom.  

APEC raised more than $40,000 during its annual Green Gala in April. The funds will go toward the center’s programs and general operation.