New Apartments For Seniors To Open In May Or June
BY THOMAS COGAN

The Community Board 1 cabinet meeting for March was the first in two months, after the standard February hiatus. On a morning that opened at about 15 degrees, Board 1 District Manager George Delis said, "Normally we don't have a February meeting, so we won't have to meet in cold winter weather." That's the breaks.

The meeting at the commissary of Kaufman Studios, 35th Avenue and 36th Street, had a lot of artistic news, in addition to a report on a new senior residence at 27th Avenue and 14th Street, to be opened in the spring, and a report from the Department of Transportation's representative, who had to handle complaints, too.

Peter Florey, from DNF Development, spoke of senior apartments in a building that has been under construction at 27th Avenue and 14th Street since 2005, and which should be ready for occupancy in May or June. There are 58 one-bedroom units (heat and hot water included) that will be available to persons 62 years of age and older, admission to be conducted by lottery. Monthly rents will run from $600 to $780 at the outset and will be available to those in the $17,000-35,000 range. (When someone asked about Section 8 vouchers for those below the economic line, Florey said that would have to be looked into.) No applications are being accepted as yet, but Delis could anticipate the flood: "Expect 3,000," he said. Rose Marie Poveromo asked about a selection committee, and Florey said it would be made up of local citizens, implying that she might qualify for such a board. He cited as an example of what DNF had already done the 98-unit building opened several years ago on 21st Street and 31st Road, near the Variety Boys & Girls Club.

Fred Lipman from P.S. 1 had some news about that museum of contemporary art. The Museum of Modern Art, with which P.S. 1 is associated, is having the interior of the former schoolhouse on Jackson Avenue made over to give it what Lipman called "museum quality climate control", evidently with MoMA as the model. When the renovation is completed, Lipman said, P.S. 1 will be able to hang or otherwise display many MoMA artworks, whether temporarily transported from the West 53rd Street museum or liberated from the warehouse at 33rd Street and Queens Boulevard that served as a temporary home for MoMA when it was being expanded in 2002-04. Ten years ago, Lipman said, P.S. 1 had a $1.5 million budget and now, after several years of association with MoMA, its budget is $4.9 million. That allows it to put on such exhibitions as the forthcoming "Whack", which Lipman described as a feminist art show, and that is currently running in Los Angeles. George Delis told Lipman that Board 1 had much to do with the coming of P.S. 1, in the 1970s. P.S. 1 is located in what is now Community Board 2's district, but Board 2 was created by City Planning in 1980. Before that, Board 1 extended to Brooklyn, and the matter of creating a new museum in an old schoolhouse was brought before it and gained its approval.

Tara Sansone, from Socrates Sculpture Park, advertised this year's Kite Flying Day, to be held in the park Sunday, April 29. This is an event to which children can bring their kites and let them ride the spring breeze above Socrates. This would be the third annual Kite Flying Day. In 2005, the event drew about 300 people; in 2006, 660. Sansone was confident the event would draw 1,000 this year. She said also that free yoga and dance workshops are to begin Saturday, May 12.

Taryn Drongowski, executive director of the Astoria Performing Arts Center, came to talk about coming events, such as "A Staged Reading" on Thursday, March 29 at 6 p.m., and report that the search for a permanent APAC home continues. City Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. has secured more than $1 million for the group to move the search along. Drongowski said she's open to suggestions about where a new home might be found, saying she's seen possible places but has come to no conclusion. Jerry Walsh, president of the Dutch Kills Civic Association, said the old Long Island City Savings Bank on Queensboro Plaza would be excellent, and a theatrical complex there would contribute to the foreseen renovation of that area. But someone said that the building is in Eric Gioia's council district, and Vallone for his effort is owed such a building in his district. Drongowski said that she's looking for a building large enough to include a 99-seat theatre. Meanwhile, such events as "A Staged Reading" are held where they can be: in this case, I.S. 10, 45-11 31st Ave., where there is no admission charge. The work is written by middle school students and performed by adults, Drongowski said, and has the virtue of imaginative ventures "that nobody would think of past the age of 12."

Cassandra Hartblay spoke in behalf of the Legal Aid Society, Civil Division, which has an office at 120-46 Queens Blvd., across the street from the Criminal Courts building. Dan Ross followed with the Department of Transportation report. It is DOT's responsibility to talk about sidewalk repairs, so Ross was reminding homeowners and businesses of their responsibility to get them repaired. Walsh immediately confronted Ross about sidewalk conditions on 36th Avenue in Dutch Kills and Jimmy Delmoss from the Variety Boys & Girls Club, contributed a complaint about a matter also dear to Walsh's heart: the condition of sidewalks on 38th Avenue, especially near 21st Street, where the new branch of the Queens Borough Public Library should be opened in May. He asked how many cars the auto dealers and repair shops are allowed to park on the sidewalks by their establishments, and Ross answered, "None." Walsh then asked why there are so many parked there anyway. Ross said he "needed specifics," which set Walsh off. He said the blocking is obvious, the effect on the sidewalk is deplorable and the prospect of children headed to the library through such clutter, damage and grease is disgraceful.

George Stamatiades announced that there was $28,000 in the Board 1 budget for maintenance of Athens Square Park at 30th Street and 30th Avenue, thanks to Vallone.