The site’s R-5 zoning allows the dorm to be built as of right as a community facility, making the resistance an uphill battle.
In late December, however, the Department of Environmental Protection asked the Building Department to consider putting a stop work order on the project because of inadequate sewer capacity in the area.
Developer David Belt, managing partner of H2H Residences LLC, said his engineers have analyzed the sewers from the site south to Jamaica Avenue, at the DEP’s request.
They found sewers in the immediate area to be sufficient, but concluded there would be a sewage overload south of Hillside Avenue.
They attributed this to the recent Jamaica up-zoning and said the dorm would simply add to a problem that would need fixing anyway. H2H has agreed to share responsibility and “participate” in any solution to the problem, although Belt does not know what that will entail.
State Sen. Frank Padavan of Bellerose, who has been leading the community in fighting the dorm plan, said the DEP told him last week it would be necessary to replace a stretch of the sewer line underneath 172nd Street, between Hillside Avenue and 89th Avenue.
Such a project would be expensive and disruptive to the community. In addition to having to dig up the street to install the larger sewer pipes, at least 30 homes along the way would have to be temporarily disconnected from the sewer system, Padavan said. The DEP is still reviewing the developer’s addition to its proposal.
Padavan, sees this latest development as another blow to the university’s and developer’s credibility.
“Their engineers lied,” he said. “They said there was never any problem. Now there is and they have to deal with it.”
Belt disputes this, pointing out that it was H2H’s engineers who performed the study and concluded that construction would be necessary.
One reason for the controversy is the relationship between the university and the community. St. John’s has been accused by Padavan and local residents of being deceitful and deliberately misleading.
The project was first announced at a community dialogue meeting in September, even though the plans had been submitted to the Department of Buildings in April and approved in June. Locals were not buying the school’s claim that it could not have announced it earlier, because the lease was not signed until Aug. 7.
“It’s very typical of what they’ve done consistently since the beginning. It’s all done in secrecy up until the last minute,” said Kevin Forrestal, president of the Hillcrest Estates Civic Association.
Belt expressed his regret over how the situation was handled. “If I knew then what I know now, then I would have gone to the community.” He added that his firm was in negotiations with several other institutions and had strict confidentiality agreements with all of them.
He acknowledged that he greatly misjudged the community’s response and expressed a desire to work together more.
“I’ve never met with Senator Padavan,” he said. “I’d like to meet with him and other officials, rather than having separate meetings with the DEP.”
Other changes to the proposal announced Tuesday include the addition of nine water tanks. The neighborhood does not have a storm drain, so all rainwater must be kept on-site and allowed to absorb into the ground through dry wells.
The original plan had two tanks and was approved by the buildings department. Belt said adding the new tanks is a sign of his willingness to “go above and beyond” and help prevent flooding in the neighborhood. The adjusted proposal will be refiled with the city soon.
Parking is one issue that was not thoroughly addressed. From the beginning, residents have been concerned about the addition of more than 400 new people to the area, many of whom will likely have cars. Belt and university officials were not able to offer any plan should demand exceed the 80 underground parking spaces included in the proposal.
Thomas Lawrence, vice president of St. John’s Department of Public Safety, theorized that the school could allow students to park on campus overnight and take a shuttle bus between campus and the dorm, a half mile away, but said plans had not gotten that far.
Padavan said that from his perspective the community dialogue meeting, which followed the press briefing, produced no progress. Repeating the position he has taken from the beginning, he said, “They don’t care about the impact on the surrounding community.”
The new dorm is set to open in fall 2009.
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