BENSONHURST'S PREMIER NEWS BLOG

After two months of discussion at Community Board 11 meetings, the NYPD is cracking down on illegal parking of commercial vehicles on residential streets in Bensonhurst.

Community Board 11 Chairperson Bill Guarinello and District Manager Elias-Pavia told boardmembers last week that police towed four illegally parked trucks from residential streets during Thanksgiving week, and another four the following week.

The crackdown follows a board resolution last month, calling for New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly to direct the department to increase enforcement against trucks who parked overnight on neighborhood’ streets.

“It spoils the neighborhood,” Guarinello said.

Department of Transportation regulations state that commercial vehicles cannot park on residential streets between the hours of 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. A violation of this rule may result in a $65 ticket for the vehicle owner – but for commercial truckers, the penalty is small enough to be ignored.

“It’s not the price of doing business,” Guarinello said. He noted that enforcement actions will continue into the foreseeable future.

Leaders hope that frequent monitoring of illegal commercial vehicle parking will mitigate this quality of life matter in the community.

Superstorm Sandy may have spared most Bensonhurst residents and businesses, but recovery was still center stage at Community Board 11′s December 13 meeting.

In the wake of the storm, rebuilding the sea wall and protecting homeowners from toxic mold growth are top priorities for local leaders.

Assemblyman Peter Abbate called for a quick rehabilitation of the Caesar’s Bay bulkhead and the Shore Parkway Greenway sea wall. The greenway is of particular importance, as it serves as a line of defense for the Belt Parkway, Southern Brooklyn’s principal artery. According to District Manager Marnee Elias-Pavia and Chairman William Guarinello, the effects of another storm could wipe out the roadway.

“The Belt Parkway is a vital link in our community,” Abbate added, noting that rebuilding the lost seawall at Caesar’s Bay is an important precaution.

There have been a few cases of mold in Bensonhurst homes after the hurricane, the Board noted. Community members are encouraged to check their homes for mold and hire licensed contractors for removal. Homeowners should not attempt to remove the mold itself, as it requires specialized equipment to protect from inhaling the toxic spores.

Also, on Monday, the City Council voted to postpone property taxes for local home owners, according to Councilman Vincent Gentile’s representatives. There will be a three-month grace period for owners, which should help the community in the Bensonhurst post-Sandy rebuilding effort.

Toys’R'Us set up a tent storefront to continue sales throughout the holiday season.

Some neighborhood retailers are still struggling to catch up post-Hurricane Sandy. After getting hit hard by the storm more than a month ago, merchants from Caesar’s Bay are focusing on a resilient recovery effort. Bensonhurst’s leaders are looking to help them get back on their feet.

Community Board 11 Chairperson Bill Guarinello and District Manager Marnee Elias-Pavia said the Caesar’s Bay stores have a strong hold in the economic standing of Bensonhurst.

While inland stores like Best Buy were not badly damaged by the hurricane, merchants located closer to the shore, like Babies’R'Us and Kohl’s, have struggled to fully reopen. Helping these retailers regain stability is vital to the success of this neighborhood, board leaders explained. Otherwise, Guarinello said, “Our local economy is likely to suffer.”

But simultaneously, Guarinello said that a more direct line of communication is needed with retailers. He added that merchants need to speak with the Community Board and explain what kind of aid they need most.

“If they want help, they’ve got to let us know,” he said.

Once they establish the best way to assist the area, Gaurinello said that Board leaders’ first step would be to contact the government and request more immediate relief assistance. “We can ask them to give these guys some priority,” he said.

Comparing this neighborhood to Coney Island and Sea Gate, Guarinello explained that, “Bensonhurst did not take a major hit. We had some flooding. Very little power outages.”

But, Guarinello said that Caesar’s Bay suffered badly, adding that the effects of Sandy on this shopping area will likely outlive this holiday season and carry over into 2013. “[Caesar’s Bay stores] took a hard hit. Our shoreline has been collapsing. We’re going to try to be helpful.”

Toys”R”Us has set up a temporary tent to vend some of their merchandise during the holidays.

On Saturday, November 17, the Toys”R”Us location at Caesar’s Bay opened its doors for the first time since Hurricane Sandy struck. After more than three weeks of cleanup following the storm, the retailer is back and ready for business.

The only thing that’s changed is the store’s location.

Instead of its usual waterfront building, Toys”R”Us has been separated into two parts. The electronics, bicycles, movies, sports equipment and video games are now located a little further away in the shopping center, at the former location of Spirit Halloween store, at 8975 Bay Parkway. Other items will temporarily be located in a tent directly outside the Toys”R”Us store.

And while they couldn’t say much else, managers reassured Bensonhurst locals that Toys”R”Us will be open to meet demand this holiday season.

Find out what other store managers of Caesar’s Bay businesses are saying, and why leaders say you should support them through the holidays.

With commercial vehicle parking on residential streets growing as a quality of life issue in Bensonhurst, Community Board 11 leaders have decided to take action.

Community Board 11 Chairperson Bill Guarinello and District Manager Marnee Elias-Pavia, have sent a resolution to New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly asking for more police enforcement overnight. They hope that frequent monitoring of this illegal parking will help mitigate this problem.

“Parking is difficult enough for residents in our community without all of the box trucks, buses and vans, which are registered as passenger vehicles but meet the definition of a commercial vehicle as defined by law, that park overnight,” Elias-Pavia wrote in the resolution.

According to the Department of Transportation, commercial vehicles cannot park on residential streets between the hours of 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. A violation of this rule may result in a $65 ticket for the vehicle-owner.

Still, Elias-Pavia said that the number of commercial vehicles bending this rule in Bensonhurst is only getting greater. With this community becoming a “pilot project” for traffic enforcement, she hopes that this can change.

“We need consistent enforcement,” Elias-Pavia said. “Parking in Bensonhurst is difficult enough. We need to address this quality of life issue.”

See a copy of the letter to the NYPD after the jump.

Community Board 11 leaders have denied a recommendation for the One World Alcohol and Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Center on McDonald Avenue.

According to District Manager Marnee Elias-Pavia, the board found that the application for a recommendation differed from the initial agreement made with One World leaders.

One World, a medical group, had discussed plans to open the facility earlier this fall. Community Board 11 Chairperson, Bill Guarinello, stressed at October’s board meeting that this center would be open for counseling only. He said that there would not be any drugs distributed in or out of the facility. Elias-Pavia added that, as per their discussion, there would be no patients living at the center, and that they would instead be receiving treatment on an out-patient basis.

But upon further review, board leaders learned that previously incarcerated, mentally-ill, substance-addicted young adults would be going in and out of the center, facts that were hidden from the board upon their initial meeting.

At November’s board meeting, Elias-Pavia and Guarinello stated that they would not be giving a recommendation to the center.

“I don’t think this is what fits in our neighborhood,” Elias-Pavia said. Those present at the board meeting agreed.

Representatives from One World Inc. could not be reached immediately for comment.

November’s Community Board 11 meeting focused on three main points: the gas crisis, the N train, and the continuing Hurricane relief effort.

Assemblyman Peter Abbate, Councilman David Greenfield and Councilman Vincent Gentile all attended Thursday’s meeting at the Bensonhurst Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare to give their thoughts on these key issues.

The Gas Crisis

The odd/even rationing system went into effect on Friday. Abbate, Greenfield, and Gentile all said that they fought to get the rationing system in our community. Doing so, they said, would help to shorten the gas lines in Brooklyn.

Why did the lines get so bad in New York to begin with? It’s something Councilman Greenfield attributed to “panic buying.” He explained that residents would go out to gas stations and refuel when they still had more than half a tank of gas left. Many would fill multiple containers as a precaution. But Abbate stressed the hazard of keeping full gasoline containers in the garage or basement.

“It’s very dangerous,” Abbate said. He urged the public to hold off on usual gas purchases and to fill up limitedly, at least while the community gets back on track.

The N Train

At Thursday’s meeting, there was no straight-forward answer about when the train service would be fully restored. According to Abbate, “It was a serious blow we took in the neighborhood.”

But, as of this week, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that the MTA restored service to the stretch of the N line service along the Sea Beach Line in Brooklyn.

And while Community Board 11 Chairperson, Bill Guarinello said that the MTA did a “Herculean job” with restoring service in the neighborhood, he also said that the community still needs answers.

“The general public has to get better information,” Guarinello said, regarding the time-frame with subway construction and tunnel repairs.

Councilman Gentile added, “All we’re asking for is honesty. We just need better info all around.”

The Hurricane-Relief Effort in Bensonhurst

Though Hurricane Sandy ripped through New York a little more than two weeks ago, many neighborhoods are still continuing to feel the aftershock today.

The general statement from the Board was that we, as a community, were “very, very lucky.” Comparing us to Staten Island, Gentile added, “We’ve been spared.”

Still, these leaders are unhappy with the lack of communication between the government and New York locals.

“There was a lack of planning in New York,” Greenfield said. “The pressure really needs to be put on the federal government. Obama needs to help New York State.”

What should we, as a community do, moving forward?

“I think we need to do two things now – demand action from our leaders and hold people accountable,” Greenfield said.

Gentile added that we should continue to give back to those who were struck hardest by the storm.

Anyone who still wants to donate is encouraged to contact Councilman Gentile’s office directly at (718) 748-5200. The most needed provisions are blankets, pajamas, winter coats, baby supplies, and new (still packaged) underwear.

Other Announcements

There have been a few cases of looting around the 86th Street and Caesar’s Bay area. Officers from the 62nd Precinct suggest steering clear of the area in the evenings, particularly for night jogging, for the time being.

On Thursday, there will be a Participatory Board Meeting at P.S. 205, 6701 20th Avenue, at 7 p.m. With one million dollars to split between Brooklyn communities, Councilman Greenfield, who is spearheading the effort, said, “Every neighborhood is guaranteed a project.” He invites Bensonhurst locals to get involved. “You’re making a difference,” he said.

The community Greenmarket ends November 18th. Councilman Gentile wanted to thank Bensonhurst for bringing one of his “biggest dreams to life.”

The burden of nighttime parking in Bensonhurst may soon be eased, as community leaders pursue a plan to give commercial vehicles the boot from residential on-street parking spaces.

Community Board 11 Chairperson Bill Guarinello is spearheading an effort to get rid of the commercial vehicles, which take up residential spaces despite city laws meant to prevent them from doing so.

“There seems to be explosion of commercial vehicles,” Guarinello said. “It starts to make the neighborhood look like a parking lot.”

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According to Community Board 11 officials, One World, a medical group, may be opening a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in the neighborhood.

District Manager Marnee Elias-Pavia and Chairman Bill Guarinello said they were blindsided by the news, according to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

The community leaders were invited to a meeting with the medical group in order to talk about the plan. The meeting would a preliminary discussion as the board members don’t have much information to go on yet.

“We don’t have a location,” Guarinello told board members during their monthly meeting.

The board members have decided to wait until they have all of the information before they make any decisions concerning the development. Questions remain as to whether or not this would be an-inpatient center, how many patients would be treated and so on.

Guarinello has stated that locals may not approve of a rehab center in their neighborhood.

“People are probably going to go crazy,” he said.

Further, the opinions of the board may not even affect the development if the rehab center obtains the right zoning permits.

“I don’t know of we have a legal right to fight it,” Elias-Pavia told the other board members.

What do you think, is a local rehab center an issue for the community?

Community Board 11 will hold its next general meeting September 12, 7:30 p.m. at the Bensonhurst Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare,1740 84th Street between Bay16th Street and New Utrecht Avenue.

The meeting is open to the public. To learn more, call (718) 266-8800, email info@brooklyncb11.org, visit them on Facebook, or go to www.brooklyncb11.org.