By Michael V. Cusenza

The Dubya is set to return.

It seems that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is poised to dust off the W Train this fall and bring it back to its original Astoria home.

MTA New York City Transit last week proposed to hold a public hearing this spring on restoring the line in Queens and Manhattan in the fall, in order to allow the Q Line to begin serving the Second Avenue Subway between 63rd and 96th streets when it opens later this year.

Adding the W Line to the system will provide more choices to Queens and Manhattan straphangers who use the Broadway NQR lines, the MTA said, as well as allow New York City Transit to prepare for a seamless transition and connection of service between those lines and the Second Avenue Subway.

The proposed service changes would return the W to Ditmars Boulevard and Astoria, where it will operate local service into Manhattan and terminate at Whitehall Street. The line would effectively replace Q service in Queens. The Q Line will temporarily terminate at 57th Street/7th Avenue, but will continue to 96th Street upon completion of the Second Avenue Subway. In addition, N trains will operate express in Manhattan from 34th Street-Herald Square to Canal Street, a change from its current local service in Manhattan. R service would remain unchanged, the agency indicated.

Further details of the proposed service changes:

N Line: Service in Queens and Brooklyn remains the same, but trains operate express in Manhattan on weekdays during peak hours, midday and evenings.

Q Line: Northern terminus temporarily changed to 57th Street/7th Avenue until the Second Avenue Subway opens. At that point, trains will operate from 96th Street in Manhattan to Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue in Brooklyn, stopping at: 86th Street, 72nd Street, Lexington Avenue/63rd Street, 57th Street/7th Avenue and all express stops on the Broadway Line in Manhattan. During late nights, the Q will run local between Brooklyn and Manhattan via the Manhattan Bridge. Service in Brooklyn remains the same.

R Line: No service changes.

W Line: Restoration of weekday service, making all local stops from Astoria-Ditmars Boulevard to Whitehall Street via the Broadway Line. No service on weekends or late night.

The changes, including the restoration of the W, maintain “service frequency and loading guidelines” for customers in Astoria, according to the MTA, and avoid significant deviations from current service that might confuse riders on those affected lines. Straphangers on the Broadway Line will also benefit from an increase in choices for express and local service in Manhattan, the agency noted.

The cost for these service changes is approximately $13.7 million annually, which has been incorporated into NYC Transit’s approved budget.

The original W service, which began in summer 2001, was previously eliminated as part of devastating bus and train service cuts implemented by the MTA in 2010 as a result of the economic crisis of 2008-2009 that led to significant decreases in funding across all agencies.

Join us on Saturday, May 30th by celebrating some of these amazing cultures through song and dance.

Photo Courtesy of Facebook

Funnyman Bill Murray last week stopped in at Taverna Kyclades Greek restaurant in Astoria for lunch twice—both times bringing Hollywood royalty with him.

On Monday, Murray sat down to eat with director Sofia Coppolla, daughter of “Godfather” auteur Francis Ford Coppolla. The next day, Murray broke bread with George Clooney, his “Monuments Men” co-star, at the popular Ditmars Boulevard eatery. 

Six of nine suspects who have been indicted and arrested in recent weeks for their alleged involvement in an international drug network stretching from Mexico to the city and Long Island. Ajay Carter (top l.) and Miguel Tormo (bottom c.) are Astoria residents.
Photo Courtesy of Nassau County DA’s Office

Law-enforcement officials on all levels last week touted the destruction of a multi-million dollar illegal drug pipeline which ran directly from Mexico to New York City and Long Island, trafficking and distributing heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and anabolic steroids.

Nine defendants from Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Mexico and California have been indicted and arrested in recent weeks as part an ongoing investigation initiated by Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice’s office and conducted jointly with the Nassau County Police Department, the Special Narcotics Prosecutor of New York City, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s NY Drug Enforcement Task Force, which consists of the DEA, NYPD and NY State Police.

The network trafficked in several million dollars’ worth of heroin in the New York area, according to Rice, as well as cocaine, ecstasy and steroids sold on Craigslist.

Investigators tracked the source of heroin being sold by two defendants in Nassau back to a drug ring centered on Bronx resident Cesar Romero-Astudillo, who allegedly led efforts that funneled narcotics by vehicles driven from Mexico and inside “mules” flying from California—all destined for the city and Long Island, where heroin use has reached epidemic levels in recent years.

Rice said that in the summer of 2013, investigators found that Ajay Carter, 38, and Miguel Tormo, 42, both of Astoria, allegedly were partners selling heroin via associates in person in the New York area. Carter also sold cocaine, MDMA and steroids through Craigslist. It also is alleged that Tormo met with people associated with Romero-Astudillo to purchase illegal drugs. Four undercover drug purchases totaling one pound of heroin were made from Carter and Tormo at locations in Great Neck and Manhasset on Long Island.

Additionally, in August, Romero-Astudillo instructed two couriers to drive a gray Dodge Durango with fictitious California license plates and a red kayak and bicycles mounted to the exterior to United Body Works, a body shop on 12^th Street in Astoria, where investigators believe that heroin was removed from a trap hidden in the vehicle and subsequently diluted and sold to buyers.

“This case proves that the battle lines in our fight to save lives in the midst of a devastating heroin epidemic don’t end at any border. We tracked the supply of narcotics entering our region from the source, and in the process, dismantled a drug trafficking network that stretched from Mexico to New York,” Rice said.

By Michael V. Cusenza

Miguel Ramos, 23, was arraigned last Thursday on a criminal complaint charging him with three counts of third-degree criminal mischief and six counts of fourth-degree arson. Ramos remained on Rikers Island after bail was set at $10,000 or $30,000 bond.

According to the complaint, Ramos allegedly was seen on Layton Street at approximately 6:30 a.m. on Dec. 3, placing a dark-colored rag into the gas tank of a Honda Passport and lighting the rag on fire.  He was then allegedly seen walking a few doors down and placing another dark rag into the gas tank of a white Nissan and lighting the rag on fire.

When police arrived at the scene, they saw the fiery rags hanging from the two vehicles, and charring and damage to the gas tanks and rears of the vehicles. While searching for other vehicles that may have been targeted, cops allegedly discovered four additional vehicles—including a marked police car on Broadway—with dark rags hanging from the gas tanks that had sustained similar damage.

If convicted, Ramos faces up to four years in prison.

City Councilman Donovan Richards (D-Laurelton) hosted the Tuesday morning event, announcing support from fellow councilmembers and bus riders, and unveiling a “BRT For NYC” movement petition, boasting 5,000 signatures, for the service along the Woodhaven and Cross Bay corridor, extending into Far Rockaway.

Bus rapid transit, according to Richards, combines the permanence, speed and reliability of rail with the flexibility of buses, all at a fraction of the cost of a subway system.

“Building on the success of Select Bus Service, the Woodhaven and Cross Bay corridor represents an opportunity to deliver BRT for the more than 30,000 residents relying on bus service along the corridor every day,” Richards said. “Protected bus lanes and center-median stations will help make one of the most dangerous and extensive transportation corridors in the city more safe, reliable and equitable for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike.”

Additionally, councilmembers Costa Constantinides (D-Astoria), Elizabeth Crowley (D-Glendale), Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights), Julissa Ferreras (D-East Elmhurst), Karen Koslowitz (D-Forest Hills) and Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) have signed a letter to the MTA and city Department of Transportation outlining recommendations for full-featured BRT along the bustling thoroughfares.

The petition is being handled by the “BRT For NYC” Steering Committee, which is composed of representatives from the Association for a Better New York, the New York Public Interest Research Group Straphangers Campaign, Pratt Center for Community Development, Riders Alliance, Transportation Alternatives, Tri-State Transportation Campaign, Transit Workers Union and Working Families Party.

To sign the petition, log on to: http://salsa.ridersny.org/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_KEY=9664

By Michael V. Cusenza

The Heritage House South in Lindenwood. Photo by Alan Krawitz

Despite rental prices in Queens decreasing in August, long-term projections say that prices will increase steadily, according to data from the Queens Rental Market Report, which compares changes in the borough’s rental data on a monthly basis.

The report compared data for the neighborhoods of Long Island City, Astoria, Ridgewood, Flushing, Rego Park, Forest Hills and Jackson Heights. And, while prices vary depending on factors such as number of bedrooms and other amenities, the report showed pricing trends that were no surprise to serious Queens’ apartment hunters.

Most notably, Long Island City units were among the most expensive, coming in at more than $3,500 for a two-bedroom while Ridgewood and Jackson Heights proved to be among the least expensive with units just under $1,900 for that same two-bedroom.

The price of rentals is projected to increase steadily, according to data from the Queens Rental Market Report. Photo by Alan Krawitz

Predictably, the report attributed the higher rental prices of Long Island City and Astoria due to their proximity to Manhattan and wide selection of units. The report noted that the average price for a Queens’ studio was about $1,550; a one-bedroom at $2,026 and a two-bedroom at $2,526.

All neighborhoods surveyed had modest declines in rent except for Rego Park, where a notable price increase was due to an influx of new, high-end developments such as The Contour at 97-45 Queens Blvd. However, in Rockaway, the rentals market seems to be somewhat more affordable than in other parts of the borough. Lisa Jackson, a broker with Rockaway Properties, reported that the rental market has remained steady with one-bedrooms ranging from $1,100-$1,400; two-bedrooms from $1,200-$1,800 and three-bedrooms from $1,400-$3,000, depending on location.

Asked about whether prices in the Rockaways have rebounded to pre-Superstorm Sandy values, Jackson called them “very close and on the rise.

“The first year after Sandy was tough due to homeowners selling their properties as is (no water, no electric, now walls, no kitchen, etc.) and this brought sales down,” Jackson said in an email.

But, Jackson noted, that prices have been steadily climbing back up. She said that last year, Rockaway Properties sold over $25 million in properties. She added that the company, to date, has already surpassed last year’s sales numbers.

Jackson was not alone in her optimism. Carolyn De Falco, a broker with RE/MAX Liberty in Ozone Park, agreed that prices in Ozone Park and Howard Beach are on their way up as well, albeit slowly.

“The Ozone Park market wasn’t affected by Sandy,” De Falco said, adding that more importantly, the Howard Beach market has also rebounded since Sandy, but not completely. “Buyers are still very cautious when it comes to purchasing homes in Howard Beach; however, the demand for housing here is still high.”

She noted that most buyers have been either families or couples. De Falco said that Howard Beach rentals typically run from $950-$1,200 for a one–bedroom; $1,300-$1,600 for a two-bedroom and from $1,650-2,000 for a three-bedroom apartment.

She also added that for those in the market for a new home, Howard Beach home sales range from single family homes starting at $300,000 all the way up to $1 million, while two-family homes generally range from $450,000- $650,000.

Asked about the difference between buying and renting, De Falco was clear.

“It has always been and will always be better to buy than rent, no matter what area you are looking in,” she said. “With all the first-time home buyer programs out there, plus the low interest rates, now is the time to take advantage before rates and prices go up.”

By Alan Krawitz

Andrew Caballero, 39, of Flushing, and Karma Sonam, 20, of Astoria, received their terms on Wednesday. Caballero’s attorney, Robert Didio, indicated that he has filed a notice of appeal on behalf of his client to get the ball rolling on having the verdict overturned. Sonam’s lawyer, Warren Silverman, also began the appeal process; however since he was assigned to Sonam’s case by the court and not retained, Silverman has petitioned the appellate court to provide Sonam new counsel.

Caballero was convicted last month of second-degree murder in the February 1995 death of Jason Kollmann. According to the Queens District Attorney’s office, Caballero stabbed Kollmann on the roof of Caballero’s Kissena Boulevard home several times in the neck, chest and back and then pushed him off the roof, causing him to land on a fifth-floor fire escape. Kollmann was pronounced dead at the scene.

“He’s obviously disappointed in the verdict,” Didio said of Caballero, “but he understands that this is a process, and we’ll continue to move forward with the appeal to ultimately attain his freedom.”

Didio went on to say that he’s “extremely confident” that the murder conviction will be overturned.

“We believe there was reasonable doubt,” he said. “The verdict was against the weight of the evidence.”

Sonam was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder, first-degree robbery and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. According to trial testimony, Sonam and a co-defendant, Caleb Ahn, 19, were sitting inside a parked car in front of a restaurant on Northern Boulevard just before midnight on March 16, 2011. Sonam and Ahn were negotiating the purchase of a quantity of marijuana from two other Queens men—Chris Song and Bernard Cho—who were in the vehicle when Song was allegedly pistol whipped by Sonam and then fled the vehicle, running into the restaurant where he was shot once in the back by Sonam. Ahn then allegedly jumped into the vehicle’s driver’s seat and, in his haste to get away, rammed the vehicle into a van, at which point Cho attempted to flee the vehicle, but was shot five times by Sonam and Ahn and later died. The two defendants then allegedly picked up a briefcase that Cho was carrying and fled the location. Ahn’s case is pending trial.

Silverman said Sonam has a strong case for appeal.

“There were many violations of the rules concerning discovery,” he said. “The prosecution failed to turn over exculpatory material in a timely manner.”

By Michael V. Cusenza

City Councilman Donovan Richards (at podium) applauded efforts to reduce Rockaway gun violence.
Photo courtesy Councilman Richards

With shooting incidents on the uptick in the 101^st and 114^th precincts, elected officials last week announced a citywide initiative to reduce gun violence would be expanded to include parts of Far Rockaway and Astoria.

In its initial iteration, which began in the summer of 2012, the Gun Violence Crisis Management System focused efforts on five of the city’s most troubled communities, including South Jamaica. The $12.7 million expansion, according to the de Blasio administration, brings the program to 14 total precincts, recently adding high-risk communities in Far Rockaway and Astoria.

It expanded on a previous system centered on the “cure violence” model, and now includes “wrap around” services – programs that respond to meet the needs of every spectrum in the community that is impacted by gun violence, the mayor said.

“With this initiative, we are creating a focused effort incorporating mental health services, legal services, after-school programs—using models of proven success and targeting the communities where nearly half of the city’s shootings occur—into our effort to reduce gun violence and create a safer New York,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

The initiative—funded jointly by the de Blasio administration and the City Council—expands the cure violence system and will bring together six city agencies to support the creation of an organization to oversee the city’s efforts, chaired by the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. Its efforts will include city agencies and providers to ensure coordination of programming and services and the continued support of research to ensure program effectiveness and accountability, officials said.

It was also established to provide for the expansion and addition of job training, mental health and legal services, establishment of school-based conflict mediation and anti-violence programs, including the Match program, which provides daily tutoring in algebra to high school students, and which random-control trials have demonstrated a 44-percent reduction in violence, while improving academic performance by three grades.

“The anti-gun violence initiative will be instrumental in reducing crime not only in my district, but also in nine other resource starved communities in New York City. This $6 million [Council] allocation will provide the means to combat crime, improve quality of life, and revitalize their neighborhoods,” Councilman Donovan Richards (D-Far Rockaway) said in a statement.

De Blasio said his office’s efforts, with the help of the council, would also provide for the establishment of an anti-violence program training academy to educate neighborhood-based anti-gun violence providers “to ensure consistency and fidelity to the effective models of community based anti-violence work.”  The initiative would allow facilitators to develop community messaging and educational materials to reinforce norms against gun violence, similar to successful campaigns promoting seatbelt use and against smoking.

Shooting incidents this year in the 101^st Precinct have jumped to 20 from 11 at this period last year, according to NYPD CompStat numbers. Shooting victims in 2014 have also increased to 21 from 13 at this period last year. In the 114^th Precinct, shooting incidents in 2014 increased to 16 from 10 at this time in 2013. Year-to-date statistics show a slight increase – to 11 from 9 – in shooting victims as well in the 114^th Precinct.

By Michael Cusenza 

Queens Borough President Melinda Katz has been busy working with Mayor Bill de Blasio to pick up the pieces and refill vacancies they created on the Queens Library board of trustees, naming two new members this week.

Katz appointed Sunnyside resident Robert Santos to the board on Tuesday and de Blasio announced Jukay Hsu of Flushing would be his newest appointee.

Robert Santos is the latest appointee to the Queens Library board of trustees, thanks to Queens Borough President Melinda Katz.
Photo courtesy Queens Borough President

Santos, who works as the vice president for campus planning and facilities management at the City College of New York, was chosen because of his long list of experience in various administrative positions, including the New York Public Library, throughout the city over decades, Katz said.

“Robert’s extensive background in operations and capital construction, along with his experience as the chief operations officer of the New York Public Library, make him uniquely qualified for this appointment,” Katz said. “His skills and commitment to public service will help steward the Queens Library through this difficult period and beyond.”

Katz also outlined Santos’ experience in the Vietnam War, where he served as a platoon leader with the 101^st Airborne in South Vietnam and earned several medals, including two Silver Stars and two Bronze Stars for valor.

“Nothing is more important to the health of a community and the intellectual capital of its people than a public library, and the Queens Library is one of the best public libraries in the nation,” Santos said.

De Blasio announced his selection of Hsu late last week, calling on his experience with the nonprofit Coalition for Queens, which he helped start, fighting for opportunities and pathways for tech entrepreneurship in New York City.

Mayor Bill de Blasio says Jukay Hsu will bring his technology-driven skill set to breathe new life into the Queens Library board of trustees.
Photo courtesy Jukay Hsu

“A social entrepreneur and advocate for technology-driven economic development in Queens, Hsu brings years of experience and a strong history of civic engagement to the library’s board,” de Blasio said in a statement. “As a trustee, Hsu will be charged with monitoring library operations, ensuring transparency, and safeguarding the library’s resources for its educational mission.”

Katz removed six trustees originally appointed under former Borough President Helen Marshall and de Blasio nixed two late last month after the state passed legislation to revamp oversight of the library system amid several published reports that shined a harsh light on CEO Thomas Galante, who earns a six-figure salary while lower-level jobs are reportedly being outsourced.

The six trustees that Katz fired–Jacqueline Arrington, Joseph Ficalora, William Jefferson, Grace Lawrence, Terri Mangino and George Stamatiades–filed an appeal soon after.

In the complaint, the former trustees said the Library was established more than a century ago as an independent institution that Katz had abused for political gain.

“Katz set her sight on taking control of the Library for political use as she might see fit,” the federal complaint said. “Within six weeks of taking office she informed the Trustees that she would be pushing for state legislation to make them more accountable — to her.”

Reports showed Galante earned roughly $400,000 a year while jobs were being outsourced and expensive construction projects were enacted. State Sen. Mike Gianaris (D-Astoria) first introduced the legislation back in April with help from Katz, who has been a harsh critic of Galante.

Under the new legislation, the library must now file financial disclosure forms, put limits on outside employment and require an annual budget hearing along with a 30-day public comment period before it is adopted, lawmakers said.

Frank Sinatra High School Principal Donna Finn, left, Assemblywoman Margaret Markey, Kaufman Astoria Studio President Hal Rosenbluth, City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, state Sen. Michael Gianaris, and Museum of the Moving Image Director Carl Goodman mark the designation of the Kaufman Arts Districts last week. Photo courtesy NYS Assembly

A new art district designation has western Queens keeping its cool.

Community leaders and elected officials hailed the designation of the Kaufman Arts District in Astoria Friday, celebrating the creative space as a booming borough attraction surrounding the famous Kaufman Astoria Studios. The city worked for years alongside Kaufman, the Museum of the Moving Image and the Queens Council on the Arts to establish the artistic district bordered by 31st Street, 34th Street, Steinway Street and 37th Avenue.

“This corner of Queens has quickly become a vibrant community of cultural venues and arts organizations that have attracted some of our generation’s greatest artists,” said City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside), who emceed the event in a dashing red ringmaster costume.

Van Bramer was first appointed to the Council’s Cultural Affairs Committee in 2010 and has since worked with various arts groups to attract more attention to the western Queens hotspot.

“Today, we solidify the Kaufman Arts District as one of New York City’s premiere destinations for arts and culture,” he said. “Within the borough’s first official arts district, our goals will be to nurture existing artists and arts organizations, to draw additional cutting edge arts groups here and to create an environment in which artistic work will flourish.”

Elected officials presented Kaufman Astoria Studios President Hal Rosenbluth with an official Council proclamation in celebration of the designation, making it official. The new district would not yet be receiving any special city dollars, but Van Bramer said the area would soon receive new street signs in accordance with the designation.

“We are very proud to call this community home for so many years,” Rosenbluth said. “And we are thrilled that it is being recognized this way for its unique contributions to the creative spirit.”

State Assemblywoman Margaret Markey (D-Maspeth) has served as chair of the legislative body’s Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development Committee and said the designation was nothing but good news for both the borough and the city.

“This designation is recognition of the strong concentration of important cultural and creative resources that have emerged here over recent years,” Markey said. “The Kaufman Arts District promises to become a magnet that will bring more media and creative jobs to Astoria, plus an increased level of artistic activity and larger audiences. It all adds up to a tremendous resource for Queens and New York City.”

Kaufman Astoria Studios was built in 1920 and once served as headquarters for Paramount Pictures. Some of Hollywood’s biggest productions have since filmed at the studio, including “Orange is the New Black,” “Nurse Jackie,” and Men In Black 3.”

State Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan (D-Sunnyside) said the designation was particularly beneficial through the eyes of the Education Committee, for which she serves as the chairwoman.

“From Kaufman Astoria Studios to the Museum of the Moving Image and the wonderful schools such as Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, western Queens has become a cultural destination for all ages,” Nolan said.

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) has long advocated for Kaufman Astoria Studios and lauded the designation as proof that Queens can nurture a vibrant and artistic community.

“This neighborhood has always placed a large emphasis on the arts and promotes its importance through [the various nearby artistic institutions],” Schumer said in a statement. “Once again, [owner] George Kaufman has gone above and beyond to improve this thriving neighborhood.”

By Phil Corso

U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley, center, joined Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan, back left, state Sen. Michael Gianaris, back center, Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, second from right, and Assemblywoman Marge Markey, right, last month to denounce the city’s plan to bus hundreds of students from PS 11 to the other end of the school district while the facility is undergoing renovations. The politicians this week praised the city for its decision to hold off on a vote on the matter. File photo

Plans to temporarily relocate Woodside students to a school on the other side of the district in Astoria have been put on hold – for now.

Politicians and parents have been pulling for the city Education Department to nix its plan to bus approximately 250 kindergartners from PS 11 students from Woodside to PS 171 in Astoria as their school undergoes an expansion project, and a recent vote to delay a decision was welcome news. City Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña called on the city Panel for Education Policy to hold off on the vote to allow more time for debate, officials said late last week.

The city announced plans to expand PS 11 at 54-25 Skillman Ave. by adding 300 seats in an annex earlier this year to ease overcrowding at the school, but with that came the price of bussing some of the youngsters to PS 171 in Astoria three miles away in the interim. Construction was slated to begin this summer but only if the PEP gives the go ahead, officials said.

U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Queens, Bronx) has been at the forefront of the opposition and said he was encouraged to see the city take more time before deciding what to do with the more than 250 potentially displaced kindergarteners.

“Every alternative must be considered to ensure that these young children receive a quality education without having to be uprooted from their home community,” Crowley said. “I call on the Department of Education and the School Construction Authority to use this time to once again, consider the serious concerns of the parents and elected officials with their current proposal.”

Following Fariña’s decision, a number of elected officials penned a letter on March 21 to the chancellor, suggesting that the students slated to be transported to Astoria should instead go to such an alternative site as St. Teresa School in Woodside. Currently, PS 199 rents the first floor of the St. Teresa School for its kindergarten classes, but the second and third floors of the building are unoccupied.

“The option would be much closer to PS 11 and would provide the adequate space needed for a safe and positive learning environment, as well as address the concerns of the parents that have communicated with our offices,” Crowley, Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan (D-Ridgewood), state Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria), Assemblywoman Marge Markey (D-Maspeth), Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside), and Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) said in the letter.

Dmytro Fedkowskyj, the former Queens borough president’s representative on PEP, has also called on the city to finetune its proposal, saying that while relief from jampacked classrooms is welcome, young students should not have to be bussed far away to attend school while construction is underway.

“While the expansion of PS 11 is a necessary investment in our children’s education and vitally important to alleviating our overcrowded schools, our youngest students deserve a better solution that doesn’t place such a heavy burden on them and their families,” Crowley said. “Our children only get one real opportunity at a great education and we need our city to do right by them.”

PS 11 parent Martin Connolly will have three kids attending the school by fall 2014 and said the city needed to take this time and find another school nearby. Astoria’s PS 171, he said, was nearly 30 minutes away by bus and not easily accessible by public transportation, putting parents in a tough spot.

It was not the first time the PEP delayed its vote on the matter, either. The same thing happened earlier this year and evoked a similar response with elected officials calling on the city to reassess the plan and its impact. The PEP will revisit the plan at its April 19 meeting, the DOE said. A public comment period for the proposal will also remain open until 6 p.m. on April 8, the city said.

Public comments can be directed towards Emily Ades at the DOE, by phone at (212) 374-7621 or by email at D30Proposals@schools.nyc.gov, the Education Department said.

By Phil Corso