Communities

Communitiesof of
Maspeth and
Maspeth Elmhurst
and Together
Elmhurst Together

COMET
COMET N E W S L E T T E/RFALL
NEWSLETTER / FA L L 2019
2019

The Maspeth Memorial Day Parade

Upper Left: First Presbyterian Church of Newtown from Queens Boulevard, Elmhurst
Upper Right: Victorious America Memorial, 65th Place & Laurel Hill Boulevard, Woodside
Lower Left: Maspeth Memorial Plaza & Maspeth Federal Savings Bank on 69th & Grand Avenue, Maspeth
Lower Right: Grand Slope Park from Grand & Kneeland Avenues, Elmhurst
If you see something, say something! If you see something, send something.
Counter Terrorism Hotline Go to the APP Store, type in "see send".
If you see something, say something! If you see something, say something!
1-888-692-7233 or 1-888-NY-SAFE You can attach photos or send information.
Counter Terrorism Hotline Go to the APP Store, type in “see send”.
1-888-692-7233 or1-888-NY-SAFE You can attach photos or send information.
 The Maspeth Memorial Maspeth Federal Savings Bank
Day Parade Concerts

We had a picture-perfect day for the Maspeth Memorial Day Parade this
year, the sun was shining, and the turnout was great. We want to thank
the United Veterans & Fraternal Organizations of Maspeth for their hard
work and dedication in making this parade a success. We also thank the Maspeth Federal held a series of concerts for adults as well as movie
many organizations that took part in the march. nights for the kids. The Duprees drew a large crowd and some folks even
braved the stormy weather to see the Elton John Concert. We thank the
bank for helping to make our community a great place to live!

The Third Annual Reading of The

Declaration of Independence
We would like to thank
Assemblyman Brian Barnwell
for hosting the third annual
reading of The Declaration
of Independence at Maspeth
Memorial Square. The event
drew a sizeable crowd and
considering the hot weather
and the fact that the event is
held on the most popular vacation week of the year, the turnout was
downright impressive. More important than the crowd size is that the
event is specifically organized to pay tribute to the founding document
of our great nation. We would also like to thank the military veterans
and the ROTC cadets who attended, performed, and spoke at the event.
It’s always heartening to see members of the community reading
excerpts from the Declaration of Independence. More than a few of
those reading the excerpts were brand new American citizens who were
not born in the United States but obviously happy to be here.
The Grand Avenue Street Fair
We had beautiful weather
on June 9th for the Grand
Avenue Street Fair in
Maspeth where everybody
had a great time. We would
like to thank The Maspeth
Chamber of Commerce,
Lions Club and Kiwanis Club
for organizing and hosting
the event.
Update on The Holiday Inn Express
As most of us know, The
Department of Homeless
Services (DHS) has been renting
rooms at The Holiday Inn
Express for homeless men since
late 2016. The DHS has also
contracted Acacia Network to
manage the homeless residents
and provide security. This
situation prompted the property
owner (KCM Realty Company)
to sue the hotel owner (New Ram Realty/Harshad Patel) for violating the
terms of the lease. The lease states that the hotel is for commercial use
only and cannot be used as a residential property. Last May, the New
York Supreme Court ruled against New Ram Realty stating that the terms
of the lease were indeed violated. Moreover, the court also ruled that
New Rahm Realty was in violation of the NYC Zoning Code.
The Holiday Inn Express, located at 59-40 55th Road, is in a manufacturing
zone. Hotels are permitted to operate in manufacturing zones but the
guests can only reside in the hotels for short-stays which is defined as
less than thirty days. The DHS residents at this hotel stay for an average
of 195 days per individual in clear violation of both the lease agreement
and the NYC Zoning Code. The court has ordered that the plaintiff KCM
Realty is entitled to exercise its remedies under the lease and that the
motion for summary judgment on the third cause of action is granted on
the issue of liability.
In summary, this means that New Ram Realty cannot enter into a
contract with DHS to establish a permanent homeless shelter on this
property because such a contract would be in violation of the lease
agreement with KCM Realty and the NYC Zoning Code. Since this was a
private sector business dispute, we have no way of knowing how KCM
Realty will exercise its remedies for New Ram Realty’s contract violation.

Pg. 2 Fall 2019 COMET

 Homeless Concerns on LIE
Overpass at Mazeau Street
In early June, we received
calls from nearby residents
alerting us to55th
the Avenue
fact that
a homeless couple with
a pit bull set up a small
encampment on one of
the levels leading up to
the pedestrian overpass
near Mazeau Street. We
were told the dog became
extremely aggressive when folks tried to walk across the bridge, most
likely because he was trying to protect his owners.
Captain Perry, Commanding Officer of the 104th Precinct, spoke to the
couple to see if they would be willing to move to another location since
it was actively used by pedestrians. They agreed. Several days later we
heard the pit bull was adopted by a neighbor. This came as great news
because there was also a concern the dog wasn’t getting enough water
during the hot weather. The couple soon moved back to the footbridge
without the dog.
Our NCO Officers Shoy and Nisbett
visited the couple in mid-July with
an organization called Breaking
Ground. This organization helps
people get shelter and assists
them in getting back on their feet.
In the meantime, we reached
out to the 104th Precinct and the
offices of Assemblyman Barnwell
and Councilman Holden to ask
for assistance in cleaning up the
trash that was accumulating on
the bridge as well as feces on
the overpass. As we send this
newsletter to be printed, nearby
residents haven’t seen the couple
in a while.
On August 26th, Assemblyman Barnwell's office stated, "I'm happy to
inform you that the individuals that were living on the Mazeau Street
overpass have accepted help from DHS (Department of Homeless
Services) and have left the area. The entire site has been cleaned by the
NYS DOT.
Proposing a Green Street on
85th Street Adjacent to the LIRR
In past issues of our COMET newsletter, we discussed actions taken
by the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) that have been detrimental to the
quality of life for Elmhurst residents living near the tracks. Elmhurst
resident Ed Misiura has been at the forefront of this issue since it began
in 2017. Ed has suggested utilizing the NYC Greenstreet Program to
create a visually pleasing fence and sidewalk along this stretch of 85th
Street. This would essentially mean
replacing the existing fence with a
taller, green barred fence. There are
two reasons to replace the existing
fence. The first reason being that
the existing barrier it is not very
attractive; it looks more like a wall
than a fence and has no aesthetic
charm whatsoever. Secondly,
because the existing fence looks like a blank wall on fairly remote
stretch of road it’s an irresistible canvas for graffiti vandals. Ed has been
painting over graffiti on this fence since it’s been built and, if not for his
effort, we’d be seeing a fence covered with graffiti. A taller barred fence
with space between the bars would not only be more visually pleasing
it would deny a canvas for graffiti vandals. We should also propose
installing some sort of Green Street improvement at the dead end on
55th Avenue near the foot bridge. This area could easily be transformed
into an idyllic section of the community that people would enjoy walking
through. Improved lighting and perhaps cameras would deter crime and
vandalism in the area.
The Long Island Railroad cut down most of the trees on its property
along 85th Street from 57th Avenue to 55th Avenue back in 2017. While
we acknowledge the
railroad’s right to remove
trees on its property, we
also believe it should
bear responsibility for
the impact these actions
have had on nearby
residents. The trees and
shrubs that existed acted
as a sound barrier to the noise of the passing trains. In addition to
removing the vegetation, the railroad crews sprayed a toxic weed killer
throughout the area that some residents believe is harmful to pets and
people with health issues. Finally, after the trees were removed the
railroad constructed the fence that stands there now, a drab, spartan
a barrier that attracts graffiti and may even encroach on city property.
Ed has been documenting each action and has been in contact with the
office of Councilman Dromm, the NYC Department of Transportation
and COMET. According to Mr. Misiura, the new fence was built further
away from the railroad tracks than the original fence and it raises the
question if it was indeed built beyond the LIRR property line. There is
a gate allowing access to the railroad tracks on 85th Street where the
LIRR sloppily scrawled “No Parking” on the curb
in front of a semi curb-cut. The curb-cut is taking
away residential parking and, as far as we know,
no permit has been issued for it. The "No Parking"
sign painted on the sidewalk was removed after
Councilman Dromm visited the site last year but
has been painted back since then.
At this point we really don’t know if the LIRR is
encroaching on city property but it’s unlikely the
fence will be moved closer to the tracks because
moving the fence would leave the utility towers
supporting high voltage cables open to the public.
COMET Fall 2019 Pg. 3
There is also the question as to whether or not the LIRR can use “eminent plans going forward. We’ll keep you updated on our progress. We will
domain” in the interest of public safety, even if they are encroaching on continue to work with Councilman Dromm regarding these suggestions.
city property.
Elmhurst’s Grand Slope Park
Needs Repairs
When you look at the
photo, you’ll immediately
recognize the property
but we’re curious as to
how many folks knew
The “No Parking” spray painted on the curb near the gate is another this is actually a park with
matter. It isn’t clear as to whether the LIRR has aquired a permit to a name. To be honest,
prevent parking in front of the gate but Councilman Dromm’s office is we didn’t know it had a
following up. We will continue to investigate and report on these issues name either. This park was
as facts come to light. brought to our attention
by COMET member Paul Hogan who lived in Elmhurst growing up and
Proposal to Repair the Steps on who still likes to walk through Elmhurst on his way home.

the 55th Avenue Footbridge

The 55th Avenue footbridge over
the Long Island Railroad could use a
makeover. The steps are old, have
uneven step heights and need to be
replaced. Councilman Dromm and
Senator Stavisky met with COMET
on site several years ago and we
focused on the immediate concerns
that needed to be addressed. Instead
of replacing the entire bridge at a
huge cost, we asked them to consider
replacing the steps and banisters.
Paul noticed a couple of small repairs that could possibly be done and
said, “The concrete stairs that connect Grand Avenue to Kneeland
Avenue at Grand Slope Park need to be repaired. These steps have
always been a wonderful aspect of our community. Not only do they
provide access from Grand Avenue to Kneeland Avenue and the valley,
they also add character to the neighborhood giving it a “small town” feel.
Unfortunately, the concrete steps are cracked and the some of the hand
rail bases are no longer cemented into the ground”. Paul reached out
to Qibin Ye at Councilman Dromm’s office and she promptly submitted
a repair request to NYC Parks Department. They’ll update us as soon as
they receive a response. We’re hoping the steps can be repaired at some
point over the next year.

Councilman Dromm’s office recently

reached out to NYC Department
of Transportation (NYC DOT) and was told that DOT’s Bridges Unit did
conduct repairs to a portion of the bridge which were flagged. The
flagged repairs included concrete work, repairing a hole in the fence and
repainting of the railings. The agency has reached out to their Bridge
Unit to see when this location is scheduled to have the graffiti addressed.
They have also requested an update on when this bridge is projected to
be fully reconstructed.

As long as we’re looking to improve

this section of Elmhurst we may as
well propose setting up a Greenstreet
fence and trees at the dead end of
55th Avenue leading to the footbridge
from Haspel Street. This dead-end
street and 85th Street on the other
side of the bridge could look so much
better if the Greenstreet program were
implemented. Unfortunately, illegal
dumping has been a problem in this area
for decades. The area is remote so it’s
an attractive dumping site. This needs
to be factored into any improvement

Pg. 4 Fall 2019 COMET

 Queens Boulevard were forced to close because the new bike lanes were
The Saga of the placed where customers would park their cars to shop. Another factor
that must be considered is that very few people travel by bicycle in the
"Mystery Boulder" Continiues winter months or in stormy weather at any time of the year. So from
this perspective the designated bike lanes benefit a minority of the city’s
population for six months per year while inconveniencing a majority of
non-cycling New Yorkers all year.
New York has always been a densely populated city and traffic congestion
has been an ongoing issue for its elected officials. In an effort to reduce
congestion city planners are trying to discourage car ownership and
reduce vehicular traffic by creating safe lanes for cyclists and making
more bicycles available to the public. The theory is these measures will
It’s debatable how long this boulder has been sitting on 84th Street encourage more people to choose travelling via bicycle than by car or
across from St. Adalbert but we all agree it needs to go. Councilman public transportation. We’ll see if this theory plays out. Full disclosure:
Dromm’s office and COMET has reached out to NYC DOT several times the author of this article lives in the Maspeth area and is both a cyclist
over the past year but no action has been taken. We’ll continue to follow up. and a motorist.
We’d love to hear any ideas on how to move it to a more suitable
location!!
$30M in Funding for PS9
New Bike Lanes on Grand Avenue
You may have noticed that there are now bike lanes on Grand Avenue
from Elmhurst to Maspeth. While many see protected bike lanes as a
positive development, others see this as an unnecessary inconvenience.
There are legitimate arguments on both sides of the lane. On certain
thoroughfares bike lanes are great because they clearly indicate which
lanes are designated for cyclists and motorists. Basically, wide streets
that can easily accommodate bikers and motorists are the best roadways
for designated bike lanes. For example, the bike lanes on 69th Street
from the Queens Midtown Expressway to Metropolitan Avenue work
well for both motorists and cyclists whereas the bike lanes on 69th
Street crossing Grand Avenue and the Long Island Expressway may as
We were pleased to hear that PS 9, which is a school for 100 children
well not exist. Busy intersections and areas with heavy vehicular traffic
with severe disabilities, will see improvements. Funding in the amount of
are not safe areas for cyclists with or without the bike lanes. Designated
$14 million dollars was allocated for restoring the outside of the building
bike lanes are a benefit to both cyclists and motorists if done sensibly.
with small repairs being done inside. Thanks to Councilman Holden
The bike lanes on Grand Avenue will probably be beneficial in some calling attention to much-needed interior work, another $16 million will
areas such as in Elmhurst but in the busier sections of Maspeth they’ll be allocated to install an elevator, allow for wheelchair accessibility and
probably have no impact at all. improvements to the gymnasium.

The down side of bike lanes is that they often disproportionately impact
cyclists and non-cyclists. New York City has never been safe for cyclists
and probably never will be. For this reason, many city residents will
not ride a bicycle here, and understandably so. There are also many
city residents that cannot ride bicycles because they aren’t physically
fit enough or don’t know how. So, since most New Yorkers do not ride
bicycles in the city it could be argued that more people are negatively
impacted by bike lanes than benefit from them. Several businesses on

COMET Fall 2019 Pg. 5

 Utility Pole Concerns A Message From
104th Precinct NCO Sector C
My name is PO Ebonie Nisbett and I work with PO Deighton Shoy. We
are Neighborhood Coordination Officers assigned to Maspeth and have
been working in the community as neighborhood officers for the past
10 months. During our time on patrol we have been getting to know the
different neighborhood concerns and realized there was a need for a
closer relationship with the community and the 104th Precinct in order
to work as a team to address problems.

Deighton and I will continue to take the initiative to identify problems

For the past couple of years, we have been expressing concern about the
leaning utility poles throughout our neighborhoods. We have no doubt
that in a severe storm some poles will fall taking out electric, cable and
damaging property. We have no definitive answer as to who owns them
or who is responsible for maintaining them. The pole on 64th Street at
Flushing Avenue was tilted and now it looks like it’s cracking. Some of
the utility poles along Calamus Avenue are not only leaning, but still
haven’t been taken off the private property of residents.
Another Street Cave-in
by reaching out to residents, business owners and Community Partners.
Our mission is to continue to connect, protect, reduce crime, address
quality of life concerns and promote trust within the neighborhood of
Maspeth. Please feel free to reach out to us with any concerns.
104th Precinct
Neighborhood Officers
PO Ebonie Nisbett - Ebonie.nisbett@nypd.org and
PO Deighton Shoy - Deighton.shoy@nypd.org

108th Precinct Neighborhood Officers

PO Richard Kaplan - Richard.kaplan@nypd.org and
PO Juan Moscosco - juan.moscosco@nypd.org

110th Precinct Neighborhood Officers

PO Donald Lee - Donald.lee@nypd.org and
Block Captain Howard Moskowitz reported a street cave-n on Ireland
PO Kelsey Cunningham - Kelsey.cunningham@nypd.org
Street during the summer. Councilman Dromm’s office is following up
with the Department of Environmental Protection to determine what
caused the cave-in and take appropriate action.

Don’t Kill the Snakes!

The DeKay’s brown snake has been spotted
in Elmhurst. They are not poisonous and
are good for the environment. They can be
found in diverse habitats, including forests,
wetlands and even urban areas. They spend
much of their time under logs, rocks, leaves
and other material. They feed mostly on
slugs, snails and earthworms. Description: A
small, keel-scaled snake (9.0 to 13.0 inches
in length) with variable coloration.

Electronics Recycling

Pg. 6 Fall 2019 COMET

 Report Plane Noise
WebTrak website http://www.panynj.gov/airports/webtrak.html every Friday. WebTrak
system allows the public to track flights and view noise readings at noise monitoring sites.
The same site can be used to file noise complaints. Noise complaints can also be filed via
their toll-free phone number (1-800-225-1071). All noise complaints received are logged
in to a database and monthly statistical reports are prepared and shared with the FAA and
other stakeholders.

C.O.M.E.T. Meetings
Check our website at www.cometcivic.com
Newsletter Committee
Mike Fordunski, Richie Polgar, Christina Wilkinson, Paul Hogan, Lucille Winsko, Geraldine Walsh, Howard Moskowitz, Roe Daraio,
Maspeth Press

Special Thank You

This newsletter is made possible by funding from Council Members Daniel Dromm, Jimmy Van Bramer & Robert Holden through
the Department of Youth & Community Development

Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together

We need
your support
to continue
COMET NEWSLETTER / FALL 2019

our efforts in
the community.
Support your community!
COMET Dues for 2020 $10.00
Checks or money orders please

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COMET Fall 2019 Pg. 7
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COMET
Upcoming Events - Mark Your Calendar
September 7th, 11:00 AM, 9/11 Memorial Ceremony, 69th/Grand

September 15th, 11:00 am-4:00 PM, Smile on Maspeth Day Carnival

September 28th, 1:00-4:00 PM, Maspeth Federal parking lot VIN Etch, register

cell phones/bikes, etc.; recycle, shred, pet adoption & pumpkin patch for the kids.
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