Community members protest overdevelopment. D’Angelo Properties, Inc. owns a Carvel ice cream store at 64-01 Grand Avenue in Maspeth. It sought to demolish the one-story structure and, with a bulk variance, construct a 4-storybuilding with a new Carvel, other retail, and community facility space on the ground level, with 15 residential units above.

D’Angelo’s application to BSA represented that a bulk variance was necessary to create a productive use of the property. Conforming retail uses, such as banks, were not feasible due to the irregular shape and the lot’s estimated 5- foot grade change.

Assemblywoman Margaret M. Markey and various members of the Maspeth community urged BSA to deny D’Angelo’s request, arguing that the building would be oversized for Maspeth and would intensify its parking and traffic crisis. Markey mentioned that the Planning Department was completing a down-zoning study of Maspeth to curb the area’s over-development problem.

D’Angelo subsequently reduced its plan, and agreed to add a community room and 21 parking spaces. In early July, however, D’Angelo withdrew the application altogether.

BSA: 64-01 Grand Avenue (355-03-BZ) (Agusta & Ross, for D’Angelo). CITYADMIN

CITYLAND Comment: Although the Planning Department is currently considering down-zoning parts of Maspeth, the Carvel ice cream site is not within the area being studied.