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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

A 39-year old man was discovered dead in the attic of a Corona home Saturday, one day after a two-alarm blaze destroyed the home Friday morning, police said.

A partial stairway collapse prevented firefighters from accessing the top-floor dwelling, according to the FDNY.

Relatives of the man, whose name is being withheld pending family notification, arrived at the 110th Precinct to report a family member was still missing after the blaze. FDNY personnel then re-entered the building, located at 40-46 Case St., and found an unconscious and unresponsive man inside the location, police said. EMS responded and pronounced the victim dead on arrival at the scene.

No arrests had been made and the investigation was ongoing, according to the NYPD.

“My heart goes out to the family of the man discovered in the attic of the Case Street home that caught on fire Friday morning,” City Councilman Francisco Moya (D-Jackson Heights) said. “Friends of the victim described him as a Bangladeshi man who was working toward a college degree — which is to say this is a tragic end to the life of a man who, like so many other immigrants, came to this country is nsearch of the American Dream.”

Four civilians and seven firefighters were treated for injuries at the fire, according to the FDNY. Three civilians were listed in serious condition, while one is in critical condition, the FDNY said. All were moved to Elmhurst Hospital while the seven firefighters were treated with non-life-threatening injuries.

“I hope, too, for the swift recovery to the other residents and emergency responders injured in the fire,” Moya said.

Fire marshals said the fire was attributed to unattended candles.

“Details are still coming in but it’s clear that we need to know more about how this incident occurred and how to prevent a repeat in the future,” Moya said. “The (city) Department of Buildings said this two-family home was illegally converted to add several apartment, which created dangerous conditions for the residents and firefighters. Similar illegal conversions are common practice in Corona and Elmhurst. This tragedy might have been prevented if we had stronger laws on the books for absentee and negligent landlords.”

Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

Calling the city’s plan to open a third shelter in a seven-block area of their isolated neighborhood “a threat to the very fabric of our community,” Blissville residents rallied outside the Mayor’s residence at Gracie Mansion Monday morning.

U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Astoria) joined the dozen protesters from the newly formed Blissville Civic Association as they voiced their opposition to the population imbalance that will occur this spring when the city Department of Homeless Services moves 154 adult homeless families into the Fairfield Inn by Marriott on Van Dam Street in the next few weeks, bringing the number of homeless to more than 550 in a neighborhood with less than 475 permanent residents.

“Homelessness is a huge problem in New York and every neighborhood is being asked to do their fair share,” Maloney said. “But Blissville is being asked to do more.”

Maria Davis, the vice president of the Blissville Civic Association, said the population imbalance would be more like a saturation.

“This is not fair share equity, it’s a reckless and dangerous plan,” she said.

The protesters claim they are not NIMBY — a common acronym for “not in my backyard,” — and accepted homeless families that were moved into the former Best Western hotel, now the Sweet Home Suites, near the Long Island Expressway in November. Weeks later, at a Community Board 2 meeting, they learned that DHS had quietly move 54 homeless families into the City View Inn on Greenpoint Avenue in July before suddenly transferring the families to other shelters in January to make way for homeless men.

“Six months later they blindsided the families,” Davis said. “It was the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

DHS apologized publicly at the time for a miscommunication regarding the timing of the move, adding it was forced to act due to a spike in the population of homeless men during the extremely cold winter and cannot house single adults and families with children at the same location. The agency announced Friday that the City View Inn would once again shelter homeless families by late summer.

“With additional high-quality borough-based facilities for single adults opening in the coming months, we will transition to providing shelter, services, and support to families with children at this location ahead of the seasonal summer increase in families seeking shelter before the next school year,” Department of Social Services Commissioner Steven Banks said.

The Blissville residents say they will welcome the families back, but the neighborhood is still not suitable for them.

“They don’t mention that the City View is still one mile or so from laundry mats, supermarkets, playgrounds, library and other community resources because Blissville has none,” Blissville Civic Association member Warren Davis said. “What we do have hear are scrap yards, waste stations, a cemetery, polluted Newtown Creek and many warehouses.”

The organization said it would protest the de Blasio administration’s plan Tuesday on the steps of City Hall beginning at noon.

Additional reporting by Mark Hallum.

Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

Federal authorities smashed an international sex trafficking ring that operated in Corona for more than 16 years, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan.

Four individuals were extradited from Mexico May 3 following an investigation by special agents from Homeland Security Investigations. In all, eight men were arrested on sex trafficking charges on a 23-count indictment, the feds said.

Efrain Grandos-Corona, Emilio Rojas-Romero, Alan Romero-Granadas and Pedro Rojas-Romero were all extradited from Mexico last week. Each faces penalties of 15 years to life in prison, according to prosecutors. The other defendants were awaiting extradition.

Prosecutors said members of the defendants’ suspected sex trafficking organization, which operated as a family business, used false promises, physical and sexual violence, and threats to force and coerce adult and minor women to engage in commercial sex for the organization’s profits in both Mexico and the United States between 2000 and 2016.

The gang operated a multimillion-dollar illegal business, smuggling dozens of women from Tenancingo, Mexico to Corona, according to prosecutors.

“Sex trafficking is a heinous crime that violates both the rule of law and the most basic standards of human dignity,” U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said. “These defendants allegedly deprived women and girls of their freedom, and forced them into prostitution against their will. The scope of devastation these defendants allegedly inflicted on countless victims is beyond comprehension. But know they face significant criminal charges in an American court, and will have to answer for their allegedly reprehensible actions. Our office is dedicated to combatting this demoralizing crime and helping survivors reclaim their lives.”

State Sen. Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst) welcomed the arrests.

“For many years, I have been fighting against sex trafficking, especially along Roosevelt Avenue,” Peralta said. “The sex trade and exploitation is not only a problem in the district but across the nation. Roosevelt Avenue is the epicenter of the sex industry since prostitution has been going on there for decades. Unfortunately, women and minors are brought here with false promises and end up being trafficked and forced into prostitution. I am glad these suspects will face trafficking charges, but we must ensure we help the victims since they have gone through mental and physical torture. Let’s all work together to help eradicate human and sex trafficking.”

Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Gina Martinez

TimesLedger Newspapers

An abandoned Fresh Meadows cemetery has finally been sold after years of neglect.

State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) and nonprofit Friends of Brinckerhoff Colonial Cemetery announced a contract for sale to acquire the landmarked cemetery for $180,000 last Friday.

Friends of Brinckerhoff will close on the purchase within the next 90 days and finally take possession of the abandoned property, according to Avella. The group said it plans to work with the city Department of Parks and Recreation on a long-range plan for the cemetery and its continued maintenance. The neglected land was an eyesore for neighbors for about 20 years, with weeds and garbage overflowing into the surrounding sidewalks.

The colonial burial ground, located at 182nd Street and 73rd Avenue in Fresh Meadows, has 77 graves, with the last person buried there in 1872. Owner Le Dan Cai originally paid $105,000 in 2010 and planned on building two houses on the property, but after it was landmarked in 2012, she was unable to do so.

After a successful bid to get the cemetery landmarked, Avella and Friends of Brinckerhoff said they approached the city Parks Department about buying the land, but the agency refused. In 2015, after continued efforts from Avella and the preservation group, Borough President Katz allocated $180,000 to buy the land back from the owner.

Despite everything being in order, the owner pulled out of the sale at the last minute. Avella claims it was because the city reversed its initial decision and interfered by offering $400,000 for the land.

Despite the back and forth, Avella said he is happy the nonprofit will acquire the land and restore the cemetery to its original state of dignity after years of neglect.

“It is a great credit to Friends of Brinckeroff and the community for their years of effort to landmark and now acquire and preserve this important landmark for future generations,” he said. “They deserve all the accolades. I also want to acknowledge the help of the owner, Le Dan Cai, and her attorney, William X. Zou for their assistance.”

Yolanda Gallagher, president of Friends of Brinckerhoff Colonial Cemetery, said it has been a very long road for the group, but they are proud their efforts to restore the abandoned cemetery finally worked out.

Ashook Ramsaran, past president of Queens Civic Congress, thanked Avella for his advocacy.

“This has been an incredibly long process but thankfully Sen. Avella was there to encourage us along the way and finally these graves will be resting in peace,” he said.

Reach Gina Martinez by e-mail at gmartinez@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4566.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Gina Martinez

TimesLedger Newspapers

After nine car accidents this year alone, a Whitestone intersection has finally received an all-way stop sign.

Residents demanded traffic safety measures at the Murray Street and 17th Road intersection following an April 23 accident that reignited the issue among neighbors and the We Love Whitestone Civic Association. Last Friday, City Councilman Paul Vallone (D-Bayside) announced that the city Department of Transportation approved an all-way stop sign for the intersection.

Vallone said he reached out to the DOT and NYPD to revisit this intersection, which had previously been denied requests for an all-way stop sign. The NYPD provided the DOT with recent crash data, which spurred the city agency to finally approve the all-way stop sign, according to Vallone.

Alfredo Centola, president of the We Love Whitestone Civic Association, said the community was tired of the DOT not taking the issue seriously. Centola highlighted two of the nine accidents at the intersection this year; one involving a bicyclist being hit and thrown from his bike, and another incident in which an 80-year-old pedestrian was hit with so much force that his body was thrown more than 25 feet.

Centola said the community contacted the DOT numerous times about safety at this corner and pushed the need for a four-way stop sign, a traffic light, or speed bumps to ensure that motorists slowed down before approaching the intersection.

Residents were initially told the intersection did not warrant action. Centola said that with Mayor Bill de Blasio’s emphasis on street safety and Vision Zero campaign, the Whitestone community would not rest until something was done to mitigate the situation at the corner before they suffered a death at the location.

Vallone called the traffic safety measure a victory for Whitestone and is now working with the city DOT to address other intersections with high traffic and low visibility to secure safety changes. Vallone said the intersections of 12th Road, 12th Avenue and 150th Street located near local schools are a primary concern due to congestion at dismissal times and a limited line of sight for motorists. The intersection of 3rd Avenue and Whitestone Expressway Service Road will also be revisited, Vallone said.

Despite the recent installation of enhanced crosswalks and narrowed roads, residents still say there are not enough safe crossings at Francis Lewis Park due to the lack of any all-way stop signs when entering or leaving the park.

“We’re hoping this decision leads to similar decisions in northeast Queens as we work with the DOT and our community leaders to address similarly concerning intersections.” Vallone said.

Centola said the group was pleasantly surprised the DOT responded positively to this request. He thanked the DOT and NYPD for their diligence and Vallone for staying on top of the DOT to help make the intersection safer for the community.

“Today is a big win for We Love Whitestone and our community,” Centola said. “Today is a testament to not taking no for an answer and what our community can accomplish when we work together with our local elected representatives and police precinct.”

Reach Gina Martinez by e-mail at gmartinez@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4566.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

The Center for New York City Neighborhoods released a report from its Policy Research Manager Leo Goldberg and Data Manager John Baker in late April detailing the dangerous effects of real estate speculation in Queens and the other boroughs.

The April 23 report, “How Real Estate Speculators are Targeting New York City’s Most Affordable Neighborhoods,” depicted which neighborhoods throughout the city and Queens were most affected by flippings and foreclosures in 2016 to 2017 due to the speculation.

Real estate investors targeted vulnerable homeowners who were at risk of foreclosing on their home, then approached them about short selling or selling their home for less than the mortgage value, only to sell the home at an inflated price before it could hit the market, according to Goldberg and Baker of CNYCN, an independent non-profit devoted to helping homeowners at risk for foreclosure.

“In New York City, where prices are sky-high and demand for homes far exceeds supply,” said the CNYCN managers, and “flipping contributes to gentrification and displacement.”

Homeowners who want to buy affordable homes can’t because investors are buying them and then selling at prices up to 50 percent higher than similar non-flipped homes, according to Cristian Salazar, a spokesman for CNYCN. Homeowners with poor credit played only a small role in the 2006 mortgage crisis, but speculators who defaulted on the homes that they tried to upsell had a bigger part in crippling the housing market, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Typically, a property flip involved an individual or real estate investor buying a house, fixing it up first and then selling it for significant amount, according to representatives of Federal Bureau of Investigations, who are investigating illegal property schemes.

The FBI, has noticed that con artists are trying to cash-in on flipping by buying homes at low prices, paying an appraiser to submit false paperwork saying there was work done on the house, therefore, justifying the high price of the home and then they get a friend or family member to take out a loan on the house from a bank as a buyer, according to the agency. The bank would unwittingly give out a high loan to the buyer and the con artist will pay the buyer a small fee and make a profit from the sale. The bank ends up taking a huge loss after the property ends up getting foreclosed on.

The community districts most affected by flipping throughout the city between 2016 and 2017 were Jamaica/Hollis (376) and Cambria Heights/Queens Village (205), according to the report.

Queens districts that fell in the middle of the pack included South Ozone Park/Howard Beach (154), Kew Gardens/Woodhaven (134), Rockaway/Broad Channel (93), Jackson Heights (80), Ridgewood/Maspeth (75) and Flushing/Whitestone (67), according to the report.

Bayside/Little Neck (51), Hillcrest/ Fresh Meadows (51), Elmhurst/Corona (39), Woodside/Sunnyside (19), Astoria (13) and Rego Park/Forest Hills (12) had the fewest number of houses flipped in the borough, according to the report.

In Jamaica, flipped homes sold for 33 percent more than similar properties not purchased by investors, and more than one out of every five homes in the neighborhood (22 percent) was a flipper, according to CNYCN. The borough-wide figure for homes sold to a flipper was 10.6 percent.

Had homeowners not been pressured into selling their homes when they weren’t ready, they could have stayed in their homes and modified their mortgage or received unbiased housing counsel using the state’s Mortgage Assistance Program, according to New York State Mortgage Assistance Program. State Sen. Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans) has a similar program that is run out of his district office at 113-43 Farmers Blvd. every other Tuesday. It is confidential and anyone can set an appointment by calling (718) 765-6359.

“Working families in southeast Queens deserve to have affordable, quality homeownership within reach,” Comrie said. “Unfortunately, the foreclosure crisis has been a boon to predatory speculators in our neighborhoods, which is why I am working with legal service providers to ensure that homeowners in or on the brink of foreclosure have access to free assistance.”

City Councilman I. Daneek Miller (St. Albans) has also been trying to resolve the issue.

“More than a decade after the collapse of the housing bubble that triggered the worst recession in the nation’s history, the relentless exploitation of southeast Queens homeowners continues,” said Miller. “My colleagues and I worked closely with the center in creating the city’s Community Restoration Fund to buy back distressed mortgages, and keep them from wealthy investors with no interest in preserving affordable housing. This report makes it apparent more robust action is needed to deter speculators from reaping profits at the expense of communities of color, and we will deliver.”

Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4573.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

City Comptroller Scott Stringer and a representative from the room-sharing app Airbnb are exchanging words after a report by the government official claimed New York City renters paid an additional $616 million in 2016 because of Airbnb practices, making the affordability crisis even worse.

Airbnb’s head of global policy, Chris Lehane, claimed the numbers in the report were fudged with no evidence indicating the company had any “material impact” on renters citywide and was joined by the third-party company, AirDNA, from which Stringer’s office got the data.

“It may be the case that the comptroller was simply misled, bamboozled, duped, by whoever provided him the data,” Lehane said in a Monday telephone press conference. “It may well be the case that whoever they are and however they manipulated the data, if they wrote these inaccurate conclusions, then created the final document, that was distributed by the comptroller’s office that was so riddled by errors… but that really drives the imperative that it is incredibly important that the comptroller actually answer some of these questions so we do know who is ultimately behind it.”

AirDNA generates industry research reports on room sharing and real estate, but it was not clear if it has any official connection to Airbnb. The majority of the group’s blog posts focus on Airbnb.

But Stringer showed no signs of backing down in a statement released around the same time as Airbnb’s phone press conference, claiming the company has a history of adopting smear tactics against public officials who challenge their impact on communities in many other cities across the globe.

“Airbnb’s high-priced lobbyists are doing what they always do when confronted with facts they don’t like, which is hold press conferences to try and smear those who dare to question the company’s impact on cities,” Stinger said. “If the company actually cared about real New Yorkers, they would work with the city to track down those who violate the law by releasing raw data on all hosts Rather than cherry-picking information that they know makes enforcement impossible.”

An Airbnb representative on the call claimed the company does release data on a monthly basis.

According to Stringer’s report, rent in Long Island City and Astoria saw an increase of $20,092,964 throughout 2016 attributed to Airbnb; Sunnyside and Woodside were at $9,431,814; Forest Hills and Rego Park were at $4,088,401; and Elmhurst, Corona and Jackson Heights saw a combined effect of about $5,285,274, while northeast Queens neighborhoods were impacted by about $4,104,914.

Stringer’s report cited third-party real estate data company, AirDNA, whose CEO Scott Shatford said the comptroller is merely looking for someone to point the finger of blame for New York’s sky-high rental rates.

“AirDNA fully supports Airbnb in condemning the comptroller’s analysis,” Shatford said. “The comptroller is once again using Airbnb as a scapegoat for a housing affordability crisis that has been growing for decades. In New York City, just over 5,300 Entire Homes were rented on Airbnb for six months or more in the past year, representing 0.2 percent of the total housing supply – it is impossible for Airbnb to have a material impact on housing prices.”

Lehane also commented on the fact the report takes data from two years ago and that rents in many parts of the city are actually decreasing, such as in Long Island City, which fell by 44 percent, and Corona, which dropped by 36 percent, as illustrated by a StreetEasy report from February.

Lehane said the comptroller operated on the assumption that entire units were being rented all year around and that people are only using spaces within their homes to accommodate guests as opposed to whole homes along with a one host, one home policy.

“This appears to be data that was not only manipulated, but data that is old and manipulated,” Lehane said. “As our data indicates, over 70 percent of our hosts in New York City actually depend on the economics from Airbnb to help make their housing costs. So when we look at it and based on the data that we see in front of us, we’re actually helping people to be able to stay in their homes in New York City.”

Reach reporter Mark Hallum by e-mail at mhallum@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4564.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

An Astoria man will spend the next four years in prison for selling heroin laced with Fentanyl to at least two people who nearly died from drug overdoses, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said last week.

Bernard Lewis, 46, pleaded guilty in April to criminal sale of a controlled substance, the DA said. Lewis was arrested following a long-term drug investigation in Astoria and Jackson Heights, which involved court-authorized wiretaps that monitored drug sales, Brown said. A court-ordered search warrant at Lewis’ Astoria home was executed on July 19, 2017, and police found one large rock of Fentanyl and glassine envelopes used to package Fentanyl and heroin, and $2,900 in cash, according to the charges.

Queens Supreme Court Justice Suzanne Melendez sentenced Lewis to four years in prison, to be followed by three years’ post release supervision.

“Most troubling is we are witnessing heroin mixed with the synthetic drug Fentanyl, a substance that is up to 50 times more potent than heroin,” Brown said. “Many users are not aware that the drugs they are using are laced with Fenatanyl and therefore much deadlier that just heroin alone. However, the defendant was told he was selling drugs that contained Fentanyl and that the drugs were killing people.”

Court-authorized wiretaps recorded conversations Lewis had between April 6, 2017, and June 17, 2017, with six individuals who asked to purchase drugs from him, according to the charges. After finding the quantity of drugs that each buyer wanted, Lewis or one of his associates, then handled the exchange of drugs for cash. In each instance, the buyers were arrested and the seized drugs chemically analyzed and confirmed to contain Fentanyl, according to the charges.

Additionally, a Rikers Island inmate used a Department of Correction phone on May 11, 2017, to place a call to Lewis and Lewis was told the inmate’s bail was too high because the drugs he was caught selling contained Fentanyl “and that Fentanyl was killing people.”

“The investigation into this case commenced with the near fatal overdoses of two individuals who bought from the defendant,” Brown said. “In a recorded phone conversation, the defendant was told he was selling drugs that contained Fentanyl and that the drugs were killing people.”

Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

Growing up in Corona, City Councilman Francisco Moya (D-Jackson Heights) made frequent visits to William F. Moore Park, a small triangular public space on the corner of 108th Street and 51st Avenue. The park is named for a Marine who grew up on the corner of 103rd Street and Corona Avenue and was the first young man from the neighborhood to die while fighting in World War I one hundred years ago.

“As a lifelong Corona resident, I’ve witnessed my neighbors make memories in William F. Moore Park, relax on the benches with Italian ices from the Lemon Ice King of Corona and play round after round on the bocce ball court,” Moya said. “But I’ve also watched as it’s weathered and aged. The park’s current condition does a disservice to its namesake and deserves to be renovated so that the sacrifices of Private Moore and the Lost Generation are not forgotten and so that visitors may continue to enjoy the space for years to come.”

Next month, members of the community, the Queens Borough President’s Office and the city Parks Department will team up to spruce up the park.

“Borough President Katz is pleased to partner with NYC Parks and Community Board 4 on the June 2 cleanup,” Katz spokeswoman Sharon Lee said. “The scheduled cleanup is to help prepare the park for the June 7 commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the death of William F. Moore, a brave Marine private from Corona who was killed in action in June 1918 during the battle of Belleau Wood in World War I.”

Christian Cassagnol, CB4’s district manager, was first approached with the idea by Vincent Tomeo, a historian and poet from Flushing who had researched Moore’s story.

“Vincent called two months ago and let us know the anniversary was coming up and we jumped on that,” Cassagnol said. “At the same time the borough president reached out for a candidate for her clean parks program. We figured we would do the cleanup one week before we do the commemoration.”

He said teams from CB4 regularly volunteer to clean up area parks, but support from NYC Parks brings extra resources and Cassagnol is “pushing Parks to do a little extra, like paint the flagpole and fence, put in some new shrubbery, repair the lights and refurbish the bocce courts.”

Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski understands why fixing the park was so important to Tomeo.

“New Yorkers have an emotional connection to their parks, and so it is fitting for us to build spaces where we can come to remember our nation’s heroes,” Lewandowski said. “Queens Parks are home to more than 50 memorials honoring our nation’s veterans, and this fall we look forward to breaking ground on the borough’s first Vietnam Veterans memorial in Elmhurst Park. We are thrilled to have the support of Borough President Katz and local volunteers to help spruce up William F. Moore Park for the spring season, and we look forward to joining them to honor Moore in June.”

State Sen. Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst) said parks are precious public spaces for the community.

“It is vital that we keep them clean and in the best conditions possible,” he said. “A park in good condition is a symbol of a healthy community. I applaud the local efforts requesting improvements in Corona’s William F. Moore, known in the community as ‘Spaghetti Park.’ This will be a great opportunity to discover William Moore, a U.S. Marine who grew up in Corona, just a few blocks from the park, and was killed in France during World War I.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

The morning after the MTA announced it would begin a $45 million project for structural steel repair work and painting along the elevated 7 train line from Jackson Heights and Corona, elected officials and angry straphangers rallied in Sunnyside to demand more from the agency.

City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) and U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) blasted the MTA May 3 for continued poor service on the 7 line as well as its announcement that signal upgrade work, which has been underway for seven years will not be finished on time.

“We have endured horrible 7 train service for far too long,” Van Bramer said. “The MTA needs to set deadlines and stick to them. As they plan work, they need to consider this community and the repercussions of service changes. And Andy Byford needs to come to this community immediately for an emergency town hall so that he can fully understand the impact of this awful 7 train service.”

Byford is the new president of New York City Transit.

“People who live along the 7 need the train to get to work and to get home to their families and they shouldn’t be forced to dedicate additional commute time to stand on crowded platforms because the 7 train is so unreliable,” Van Bramer said. “This community deserves better”

The new technology, called Communication-based Train Control, will eventually allow the MTA to run more trains per hour on the 7 line, but that project has missed numerous deadlines. Work was supposed to be completed June 30, but it has been pushed back to November.

“The extended time lines and cost overruns on the CBTC project are completely unacceptable,” founder and executive director of Access Queens Melissa Orlando said. “Not only does this cause inconvenience for riders, the associated testing, train delays and signal failures create a real quality-of-life issue here in Queens. The economic impact of not having functioning mass transit in Queens cannot be overstated — all of this has a cost attached to it.”

The MTA explained the contractor Thales is asking for more time to complete the CBTC project, and Byford is challenging the request.

“President Byford told MTA Board members that he’s very unhappy about delays and is aggressively pushing the contractor installing the brand-new signal system on the 7 line to work harder and complete the job sooner than the contractor’s new projection,” MTA spokesman Jon Weinstein said.

City Councilman Peter Koo (D-Flushing) joined the rally and spoke of his constituents’ anger and frustration with frequent delays on the 7 line.

“Any 7 train rider can tell you that the only thing reliable about the 7 train is that it will inevitably be delayed,” Koo said. “At the end of the day, 7 train riders are sick and tired of being sick and tired. From Long Island City to Flushing, New Yorkers need the MTA to do better because New Yorkers deserve better.”

Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.

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