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The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has sent a letter to SSJ development concerning the property on Lacon Court the former location of Danza’s.
The DEC has ordered SSJ to remove all dock debris, any deteriorated platform structures, sunken boats and/or other waste.
Failure to comply with the DEC order will result in penalties of up to $10,000 dollars per day per violation and potential criminal prosecution for SSJ.
This letter, which I am trying to obtain a copy of, only has to do with the Lacon Court property and not the property on Knapp Street. However this legal action might encourage SSJ to clean up the shoreline and waterways along his Knapp Street Property as well.
Just as long as he does it correctly.
We will be watching.
Update May 14th 2009: Here is the Letter
Download Link PDF
That’s great news. There is no reason that the area should look like that while we await some eventual construction by this developer or another. Curiously, I observed some activity at the Knapp Street location earlier in the week. It appeared that there were Surveyors taking measurements at the property, hopefully this is a sign that something positive will be taking place sometime soon. Anything would be better than an abandoned lot.
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Not “anything would be better than an empty lot”… A building meeting legal specifications; including a proper bulkhead, and no “filling-in” of the water lots, is the only thing that should be acceptable. Even if those legal requirements are met, the local parking situation will undoubtedly take a turn for the worse. Everyone is keeping his eyes open to what is going on at the shore of that property. So far, pilings were driven, apparently foundations have been set, and the lot graded. If the owner continues to build within the parameters of the legal specifications, and the building resembles the architectural rendering posted on the billboard, it may turn out to be better than an empty lot.
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Actually George I would prefer an empty lot to any construction save a park or a playground in our community. Building construction, even if all rules and regulations are met, would still obstruct the view of our beautiful community from Knapp Street. Any additional construction in our community is a subtraction of our quality of life especially when it’s driven by profit. I know you’re not in favor of additional condos in GB so I won’t preach to the choir. I look at SSJ Development as a virus that seeks to attack the very life out of communities such as ours for the sole purpose of lining their pockets. Again I applaud our community leaders for keeping a diligent eye on those who wish to exploit GB for its uniqueness in a city such as ours.
Keep up the Good Work
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@trainman,
Once again we are in agreement.
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At the meeting at Marine Park JHS on tues night it was said, I think by Lew Fidler, that Knapp St. was one of the potential sites that was looked at by the Hebrew Language Academy for its permanent home. They are only supposed to be housed in Marine Park until 2011, when they will move to something they are going to build.
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There are some good points in these comments. I’m a bit torn on the subject. While I would probably prefer a park or playground, ther’s always a convoy of trucks, trailers and other commercial vehicles parking on that street and obstructing the view of Gerritsen anyway. I think I’d make an exception for the Knapp St. side of new construction if done legally and tastefully as it would take away some of the other eyesores. I just wish it didn’t have to be condos. It’s the depressing industrial look on Knapp vs the risk of creeping overpriced condos.
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All I think when I look at the photo is that the kids of the 50′s,60′s,70′s would have had those boats towed out of there, retrofitted with any seats or whatever they could find and repainted. Most of us were poor, but we had fun in the summer.
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Beachwalker, I hear you.
Back then who knew what a Toy store was. We made wagons out of old baby carriages, scooters out of old produce boxes and occupied our whole summer with recycle stuff. Of course we came from single income families that allowed one parent to stayed home and raise a family, so who had money to spend on Toys?
Today we all know that’s different. Two income families wouldn’t dream of having their children soiled themselves with use things picked up from the street or in this case, water. So our new generation of parents, both working, will shower that children with any conceivable gadget they see on TV along with cell phones, IPods and the list goes on and on. So what if the kids, in most cases, are left with day care workers to raise them. Imagine finding a place that will pay their staff as little as possible to ensure a profit, to oversee the formative years of our children.
I guess a small price to pay for the luxuries we now have.
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I couldn’t agree more. I think these kids miss so much. Not only the ‘doing’, and the skills learned when you have to MAKE something work before you could play with it, but now everything revolves around speed. People buy their kids jetskis and dirtbikes and these poor kids miss everything around them. I learned so much as a kid rowing my big ass (repainted-of course) Bay End rowboat. Alot of these kids will tell you that there is nothing important in the creek, or back weeds and I think that is partly because they have never been going slow enough to learn, reflect and really SEE the wonder and beauty of it all. I stayed home with my kids until they were in JHS, when we just could not afford it any longer, but I made sure they had lots of rowboat rides and long, slow walks and talks. I think it made more of a difference in their lives than anything else, certainly more lasting effects in their lives than if they had motorized vehicles when they were 4.
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Is it true that SSJ has contracted for “cleaning up of the deteriorated docks and removal of sunken boats”, as ordered by the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation? The toxic conditions require extreme care during removal. Water in the Creek should be protected, to prevent leakage of toxic oil, gasoline, and other toxic materials from both the dock and boats. Will the clean-up be done by a bona fide, licensed company?
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@Clark Kent,
Probably not. Do you think if these building are built that they will be built by skilled tradesmen either? They will be thrown together garbage shipped out to the lowest bid contractor.
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[...] Jemal was ordered by the DEC to remove any docks, debris, or anything that will become a water hazard in front of his Lacon [...]
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stole afflicting!chest:manages ball!earthen – Tons of interesdting stuff!!!
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