FedEx Plans Get Cool Reception

Photos Carol Marino Borough President Helen Marshall addresses Federal Express and Steel Equities representatives at the UCCA "State of the Community" meeting. Riker's Island, LaGuardia Airport, and the Westway Motel were all on the agenda, and that was just the warm-up at the United Community Civic Association meeting on Thursday, February 21.

"This long-suffering community's most immediate concern is Con Ed's proposed sale of 21 acres of vacant land and its effect on this community's quality of life," said United Community Civic Association (UCCA) President Rose Marie Poveromo.

So far this year, the usual "State of..." addresses have occurred. The nation, the state of the state, the city, and the borough have all been given and received. No less comprehensive and certainly just as important to the people of Western Queens was UCCA's "State of the Community" meeting last week, its first of 2008.

FedEx Ground, the small-package ground delivery unit of FedEx Corporation, is proposing to move some of its New York area operations by the summer of 2010 to a 21.5-acre site in Astoria currently owned by Con Edison. FedEx says the facility would add 146 pick-up and delivery vans and 55 tractortrailers daily to local traffic by 2013.

Kevin Kelly of Lathers Union, Local 46, reminds FedEx executives of the importance of employing union workers in constructing the proposed facility. "Although UCCA is totally against any entity adding to our already poisoned environment, facts are needed," said Poveromo.

According to the proposal, Steel Equities, a Bethpage, Long Islandbased commercial real estate developer, is to purchase the land from Con Ed and build a 225,265-square foot facility which would then be leased to FedEx for 20 years with options. The estimated investment is $150 million for the land and construction and another $35 million for material handling equipment.

"We are not Con Ed," said Joseph Lostritto, president of Steel Equities. "We are here to earn your trust and respect."

But the overflow crowd of residents gathered at Augustana Lutheran Church in Astoria Heights, was not receptive. "We don't want this," someone shouted.

Lostritto acknowledged the community's main concerns of noise, traffic and pollution. "We know that, we understand that," he said. "We can't change the past (with Con Ed), but we can control the future."

"Traffic is the most significant issue," said Jim Maxwell, director of real estate for FedEx. Maxwell then tried to emphasize the positive. "We do bring jobs," he said, explaining FedEx would spend $25 million annually on wages, salaries and payments in the area.

After a FedEx representative said the facility would not bring any significant impact to traffic and parking or air quality and noise based on environmental studies, Poveromo responded, "You guys are bringing over 200 trucks and trailers a day. That's a terrible impact."

"I can't tell you that we don't have trucks that need to get out in the a.m. to the BQE," said a FedEx representative in charge of New York operations. "What I can tell you is we run a very tight operation."

FedEx currently has facilities in Maspeth, Woodside and Lawrence, Long Island. FedEx drivers are independent contractors that own their trucks but keep them at the FedEx facility.

Borough President Helen Marshall, Assemblymember Michael Gianaris and City Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. were all in attendance.

"I think (the proposal) needs a lot more observation," Marshall said. "This is a big load for a community to take."

"I oppose this," said Gianaris. "The PSC (Public Service Commission) has not yet approved this, it's not a done deal and we will continue to fight this."

"It's not a done deal," agreed Vallone, explaining that Con Ed tried to use permission given years ago by PSC to sell the land. "We opposed that [the new sale] and PSC will review it. We still have a chance."