BY SASHA AUSTRIE



The incessant pounding of construction machinery demolishing an 88-year-old building could be heard on avenues and streets leading away from 94-01 Sutphin Blvd, but neighbors don’t mind the noise or the tremors the construction brings. They eagerly await its outcome.

In three years, a 929,000-square-foot, 13-story building will rise from the rubble. There will be three floors of retail and 10 floors of wholesale, which will focus mainly on electronics.

Patrick Rodgers, a resident of 95th Avenue for approximately 30 years, said he first heard of the new addition to the neighborhood at a meeting held at the local community center.

“I think it is very good for the area,” Rodgers said. “It will bring work to the area.”

The $260 million project, which is part of the rezoning of a 368-block swath of downtown Jamaica, is scheduled to bring 3,000 jobs to the vicinity.

“This project is an excellent example of what was envisioned by the Jamaica Plan Rezoning,” New York City Economic Development Corporation President Robert Lieber said. “In addition to bringing an attractive international wholesale merchandise mart to Jamaica, it will also offer a home to local and national retailers and restaurants.”

Merkel Properties, owned by Rita Stark, and JFK Center Associates have been in talks with regards to the property for more than a year. A 99-year lease was signed by JFK to rent the property in June 2006. The business venture is sponsored by Jamaica Capital Corporation, a foreign business corporation involved in the development of the project.

The Techno Mart, which will be dubbed JFK Corporate Square, will be located opposite the AirTrain. The project will be a joint venture by development consortium, which includes JFK Center Associates, LLC; Kingsbridge-Jamaica Co., HRH AC Development Group and Prime Construction Co. Ltd.

“This international center is the first component of the airport village development we are facilitating for AirTrain’s environs,” Greater Jamaica Development Corporation President Carlisle Towery said.

The Techno Mart is modeled on Prime’s East Techno Mart in Seoul, South Korea. It will stand on the grounds of the demolished meatpacking plant, which has been vacant for more than 40 years. The demolition of the plant comes with the assistance of a $4 million loan from the New York City Economic Development Corporation.

Demolition completion is slated for December and construction is scheduled for the third quarter of 2008. During the demolition a two-alarm fire resulted in a stop work order in September. The order was lifted Oct.1.

JCC and JFK entered into an agreement that outlines the design of and restricts certain businesses from operating inside JFK Corporate Square.

The agreement reads in part, “JFK shall not enter into leases with retail subtenants that are not generally recognized by the shopping center industry as first class retail tenants engaged in high quality merchandise…” The list of unacceptable tenants includes Dollar/99 cents stores, sellers of pornographic material, independent non-national cell phone and independent electronic retailers.

Celerino Valencia of El Sol de Mexico Deli Grocery on Sutphin Boulevard said the Techno Mart would bring in more customers.

“It is a positive thing,” Valencia said. “It brings in more jobs.”

Jose Pedras owner of Sutphin Boulevard Liquors and Wines agreed with Valencia.

“It is okay,” Pedras said. “More people are going to come.”

 

BY SASHA AUSTRIE



The street leading up to Barney Sabella’s home is flooded. A virtual river caked with mud filled the potholes on First Street in Rosedale Monday morning. The stagnant water was the result of Friday’s rainfall.

“The water stays there until it is evaporated by the sun,” neighbor George Moschatos said.

Residents of First Street said they have suffered with flooding for decades because of rising tides. Sabella said recent heavy rainfall has just compounded the problem.

Including First Street, City Comptroller William Thompson and U.S. Rep Gregory Meeks (D-Jamaica) visited sites damaged by torrential rainfall in an Aug. 8 downpour.

Sabella and other neighbors said they’ve observed children wading through chest-high water to get home from school. They also said children could not play outdoors because they would come home covered in mud.

Meeks said the conditions people were forced to live in where “horrific.”

Meeks and Thompson also visited the Greater Allen Senior Citizen Housing in Jamaica.

According to Site Manager Alicia White, the Aug. 8 storm brought eight feet of water into the basement of 107-37 166th St. Jamaica. The 110 unit facility was without elevator service for more than two months. It was recently repaired and orange flyers were posted on the elevator doors pronouncing “Finally.”

The remnants of the flood are still visible. Loose wires hang precariously from the basement ceiling. Washers and dryers had to be replaced, which White said can’t be used by the tenants because the loose wires pose a danger. The community room stands bare. When the water rushed into the basement it “knocked out the boilers and blew door off the basement,” White said. She estimates repairs at approximately a quarter of a million dollars.

Meeks and Thompson urged people affected by the storm to file for FEMA and city funds to replace destroyed property.

“Even if you don’t think you are eligible for a claim, file,” Meeks said.

The deadline for aid from FEMA was extended from Oct. 30 to Nov. 16. A spokeswoman for FEMA said the deadline was extended because they were residents who had not registered or applied for FEMA funding. Residents affected by the storm can also file for city aid with the comptrollers office. The deadline to file for city funding is Nov.8 and for the Small Business Association is Oct.30.

According to FEMA’s spokeswoman, the most someone can receive for damaged property is $28,200.

FEMA facilitates the allocating of funds to homeowners and renters. Business owners can apply for loans with SBA. According to SBA’s Communications Specialist Michael Peacock, SBA gives loans out to homeowners, businesses, and non profit agencies. He said since the storm the agency has approved $1.7 million in loans.

Sabella and his neighbors were overwhelmed with the response from Thompson and Meeks. He said he had no idea that funds were available “for people like us.”

“I never knew there was a funding for us,” Sabella said. He added that all they want on First Street is for the road to be raised.

“We are not looking for a miracle,” Sabella said. “Everybody in the neighborhood is willing to help, but we just need the help from you guys.”

Sabella wasn’t the only person who was unaware of the funds. Meeks asked a tenant on the first floor of the senior citizen housing facility whether or not she filed a claim, she promptly answered, “file to whom?”