On Tuesday, June 16, residents gathered at the Belle Harbor Yacht Club for the last Belle Harbor Property Owners Association (BHPOA) meeting before a summer hiatus. With updates from Episcopal Health Services (EHS) on their new cancer center, the Department of Transportation (DOT) talking about road conditions and more, it was an informational sendoff for the summer.
BHPOA President Paul King provided some updates in a lightning round. He announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is still working on a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a project that will include installing ADA ramps on Beach 131st, 135th, 142nd and 147th, plus finally removing the old wooden jetty sticks. Ciara Donley of Councilwoman Joann Ariola’s office added that this RFP will include sand replenishment from Beach 145th to Beach 149th Street. “I’m hoping work starts in the fall,” King said.
King recently reached out to zoning expert, Paul Graziano, to inquire about updates on the lawsuits against City of Yes and the housing charter amendments. The organizations that sued lost the original lawsuit, but appeals have been filed. The case for the charter ballot proposal will be in September while the one on City of Yes will be in December.
The BHPOA is hosting a garden and flower contest for Belle Harbor homes. Anyone can be nominated and there will be winners in five categories. King also encouraged people to consider painting their fire hydrants red, white and blue for America 250, as Councilwoman Joann Ariola recently spearheaded a project to give out paint supplies and rules for people to do it within District 32.
Next was an update from EHS on their new and improved comprehensive cancer center in the new Walsh Ambulatory Pavilion (19-20 Brookhaven Ave.). Chief of Hematology/Oncology, Dr. Marc Warshawsky, Chief of Radiation Oncology, Dr. Mark Ashamalla, and Senior Director of Oncology Services, Annu Kapoor, RN, were on hand to provide information.
Dr. Warshawsky explained that the entire third floor of the building, which looks much like an IKEA, is for medical oncology, surgical oncology and radiation. They are able to treat about 30 different types of cancer with options like surgery, chemo, radiation and immunotherapies in a beautiful, new, clean space with friendly staff. “We can pretty much treat every single cancer all under one roof,” Dr. Warshawsky said, adding that places like Memorial Sloan Kettering require going to different locations for treatments.
Dr. Ashamalla explained that they have the same linear accelerator machine for radiation therapy that other facilities offer, and they offer the same protocols as other facilities, since cancer treatment is tightly regulated, making EHS an ideal choice for treatments without having to leave the peninsula. They also have onboard imaging, which can track and target tumors with precision. “We offer the gold standard according to national guidelines here at EHS,” Dr. Ashamalla said. “We hope you’ll utilize our services if needed.” The team added that the facility has plenty of free parking for patients and their families.
Next, Donley of Councilwoman Ariola’s office provided further updates. She said the councilwoman is currently attending executive budget city council hearings and has been working with the council speaker to hold the city more accountable for funding not moving quick enough. Ariola recently invited the Parks, DOT, DEP and Fire commissioners to Rockaway to look at specific issues. The Parks commissioner will review the Army Corps’ upcoming RFP to make sure it includes jetty removal, ADA crossovers and sand replenishment for Neponsit. The DOT commissioner looked at the parking sign issues on Shore Front Parkway and road conditions on Rockaway Beach Boulevard. The DEP commissioner investigated the smell at the wastewater treatment plant and flooding issues in Belle Harbor. The Fire commissioner toured three Rockaway firehouses in deplorable condition. Ariola will continue working with them to see improvements through.
Next up, Emmanuel Evans, Queens borough planner for DOT, provided some road updates, He said a case has been opened for repairs on Rockaway Beach Blvd. and said there is a good chance that the area will be placed on the resurfacing schedule for next year. He said DOT typically tries not to do resurfacing during the summer, as to not disrupt the beach season. Once it’s finished, Evans said it could last for about 25 years. He then explained the difference between potholes and cave-ins (sinkholes). “Potholes, you can see the bottom. Cave-ins, you can’t,” he said, adding that folks should continue to add traffic cones to holes that they see to alert drivers of the hazard. He also addressed issues with streetlights, saying DOT often has to respond several times to fix issues, as they can be attributed to different problems with the pole, the bulb or what’s underneath, which sometimes entails help from PSEG.
Donley chimed in that Ariola’s office works closely with Evans and she reminded folks to file a 311 report when they see a light or pothole issue, especially with photos, and then forward that complaint to Ariola’s office to follow up.
In questions, someone referred to a cave-in on Beach 130th Street, that has become a bigger problem over the years. A 311 report has been filed. Evans said once that happens, a DOT inspector comes out to see how close it is to utilities, to determine which agency should address it. He said sometimes these issues can take up to a year to address, but said since a team has responded to investigate, they’re likely at the stage of getting ready to make repairs.
Asked about the timeline to fix potholes, Evans said they’re usually filled in within a week, but that has not been the case this season because the number of potholes across the city is excessive. The asphalt trucks fill holes along the way as they make their way to the peninsula. Evans said they should be filled within 30 days, but sometimes they require being filled multiple times, such as one on State Road in Breezy Point, which has been filled three times recently. He encouraged folks to take photos and continue to submit 311 reports.
A few folks expressed frustrations over things like excessive speed and red-light cameras collecting ticket money in the area, while work remains undone on the streets. Transparency was requested regarding where that funding goes, as well as statistics on traffic accidents in areas where cameras have been placed. Evans said the Department of Finance handles the funding, which goes into a general pot, but he may be able to find out more specifics about where that funding goes. As for statistics, he referred neighbors to the Vision Zero website, where that information can be found. Asked if there can be more transparency about when stop signs and speed bumps are coming to an area, as they seem to pop up without notice, Evans said those notifications are given to Community Board 14, which is responsible for sharing that information.
Someone brought up the new intersection at Edgemere Avenue, which now has sharp 90 degree turns and a stoplight, causing traffic to be backed up, whereas the old layout provided a smooth transition. Evans explained that sometimes things are done differently to accommodate not only street traffic, but pedestrian traffic, and that design was done to make crossing the road easier for pedestrians, as the area will soon be developed. However, Evans shared empathy for the frustration over traffic being slowed down.
One upcoming change Evans announced is a project planned around Waterside School at Beach 110th and Rockaway Beach Blvd. DOT plans to eliminate the slip lane on Beach 110th Street as parents have been using it to make a dangerous U-turn on Beach 110th when dropping off and picking up kids from school.
