2008 Woodie Awards
New dorms set to open in summer of '09
Aliza Moorji, Staff Writer
Issue date: 3/5/08Section: News
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During the conference, the presentation stated that the goals for the residency include "quality residences, safe housing and being a respectful neighbor."
St. John's promised "affordable quality housing for St. John's students… safety and security and a facility conforming with all city zoning regulations."
The Henley Road dormitory is planned to be 64-feet high, 24-feet more than what the zoning laws allow.
According to a recent article in The Queens Ledger, "The six-story dormitory is allowed to exceed current zoning regulations because it is technically classified as a community facility. The classification, which also applies to structures such as medical facilities and houses of worship, permits greater density and height."
The dormitory will include a mix of architectural styles, according to the presentation. In keeping with regulations, the architecture is planned to have a "design respectful to the neighborhood's context." Features will include sloped roofs, and modern-styled structures using stucco, aluminum and wood sidings.
The presentation went on to note that the building will also include an underground entrance and vehicle parking, which will allow more than 80 parking spots, a 4,000-square-foot landscaped courtyard and two terraces located on each end of the dormitory. A full-time maintenance team will also be employed to keep up with the demands of the building.
As for the security plan, there will be a fence that will cover the circumference of the area, cameras will be placed at all necessary locations and university public safety guards will be present, according to the presentation.
However, the current concern is the area's sewer system. According to a recent article in The Queens Ledger, a local protest group, Concerned Residents of Jamaica Estates, "have been trying to raise money for an independent engineering study, which would look into the development site and analyze whether local utilities, especially water and sewer services, can handle the new construction."
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shakti Chris
posted 3/06/08 @ 2:42 AM NA
Be very careful of using the word "safe." There is nothing safe about this proposed dormitory. The construction of this dorm didn't go through any of the proper safety and regulatory checks, and that is why, through Senator Padavan's hard efforts there has now been issues addressing the sewer situation and the fact that the site needs 9!!! dry wells instead of the two proposed by the negligence of the "self-certified" engineer that the developers used for this project. (Continued…)
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