3 of 989 DOCUMENTS
Daily News (New York)
March 20, 2013 Wednesday
SPORTS FINAL REPLATE EDITION
Roosevelt revival Plan unveiled to improve quality of life on gritty avenue
BYLINE: BY CLARE TRAPASSO NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
SECTION: QUEENS NEWS; Pg. 36
LENGTH: 388 words
A MAJOR Queens thoroughfare that has long been plagued by prostitution, crime and garbage is getting a makeover.
City Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras unveiled a comprehensive “New Deal” plan on Tuesday to transform gritty and congested Roosevelt Ave., which runs under an expanse of the elevated 7 train, into a more businesses- and pedestrian-friendly corridor.
“Our community deserves better,” said Ferreras (D-East Elmhurst). “If we’re able to improve the quality of life, that’s how we’re going to be able to squeeze out the crime.”
Under the plan, the Roosevelt Ave. corridor, which stretches from 82nd St. to 114th St. in Corona and Elmhurst, is receiving additional garbage bins and more than double the number of sanitation pickups. It will also soon have new lighting and video cameras installed to dissuade would-be criminals.
A pedestrian plaza, complete with tables and chairs, was also created over the summer at Roosevelt Ave. and 103rd St. Cultural events are held there in the warm weather.
“It made the community brighter,” Ferreras said of the area once known for prostitution, overflowing garbage cans and illegal vendors. “We wanted to make a difference in the quality of life.”
Seth Bornstein, executive director of the Queens Economic Development Corp., which helped to create the plaza, said it “creates a little downtown hub.”
“When there are more people shopping, there’s less crime,” he said. “If you keep an area clean and safe, the undesirables don’t want to be there.”
Local landlord David Rosero, who owns property along Roosevelt Ave., said the improvements will help combat the glut of illegal street vendors and sex workers in the neighborhood.
“The property values, the quality of life will improve,” he said.
Fellow Roosevelt Ave. landlord Ralph Aeillo said he was excited about all of the changes – in particular a rezoning to make it easier for merchants to upgrade their businesses.
After a 2006 fire wiped out eight of Aeillo’s storefronts on Roosevelt Ave., he struggled to get permits to rebuild.
“There were problems here,” said Aeillo, whose site is now under construction.
Queens Borough President Helen Marshall said she’s pleased by the transformation she’s seeing in an area once “in bad shape.”
“This place is really coming up,” Marshall said. “It’s coming up beautifully.”
ctrapasso@nydailynews.com
LOAD-DATE: March 20, 2013
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
GRAPHIC: Queens Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras discusses a plan to revive the Roosevelt Ave. corridor. Anthony DelMundo
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
Copyright 2013 Daily News, L.P.
