Q&A
Council Member Riley questions applicants about safety, noise mitigation, and property history for Van Dam Street proposal
0:18:40
ยท
3 min
Council Member Kevin Riley engages in a Q&A session with Raymond Levin (attorney from Herrick Feinstein) and Steven Bari (property owner/developer) regarding the Van Dam Street demapping proposal. The discussion covers safety measures, noise mitigation, property history, and interactions with city agencies concerning the lot in question.
- The applicants explain plans for plantings and fencing to address safety and noise concerns.
- Steven Bari provides background on his 40-year ownership of the adjacent properties and current tenants.
- The conversation touches on issues with squatters and garbage on the lot, and past attempts to engage city services for resolution.
Kevin Riley
0:18:40
Thank you for your presentation.
0:18:42
How do you plan to mitigate, the safety risk and noise of the outdoor seating area for vehicles using the on ramp?
Raymond Levin
0:18:50
Well, I guess there are 2 things.
0:18:52
In terms of of the noise and whatever.
0:18:55
There are gonna be plantings which are gonna be along the edge of our property, of the property we're hoping to buy.
0:19:02
So there are gonna be trees and and plantings along the edge, which will mitigate, some of the noise.
0:19:06
I think some of the noise may have mitigated itself because of the congestion pricing.
0:19:11
This is, this ramp is an on ramp into the city.
0:19:14
So, so anyone who gets on, it's got $9 to pay at the other end.
0:19:19
So that's where in terms of of security of the lot, we will we will put up a we will put up a fence.
0:19:25
I mean, right now, the city has not done that.
0:19:29
So we will we will do it.
0:19:30
We will ensure that,
Kevin Riley
0:19:32
that where?
Raymond Levin
0:19:33
At Borden Avenue and at the edge of of, of our warehouse building that's the furthest north.
Steven Bari
0:20:03
I can, speak to the fencing, council member.
Kevin Riley
0:20:05
Okay.
Steven Bari
0:20:06
So, just for air.
0:20:08
I'm Stephen Barry.
0:20:09
I'm owner of the properties adjacent to this, lot.
0:20:12
The fencing in conjunction with access that DOT needs to maintain the fence, maintain the ramp, which is about 15 feet from the ramp itself.
0:20:23
So there's gonna be a semicircular area that they would need to access.
0:20:27
The security, perimeter would be from that 15, 15 foot area.
0:20:32
So that's where the fencing would begin.
0:20:34
The tree line would begin either before or after that depending on, negotiation with the DOT and what they would like to do with the space.
Kevin Riley
0:20:41
Okay.
0:20:41
How long have you owned this property?
Steven Bari
0:20:44
Forty years.
0:20:45
In fact, I had my first communion there.
0:20:48
My father had a pizzeria at the location, and I could've had it at any location that my dad had a pizzeria, and that was the location I chose.
Kevin Riley
0:20:56
And what are the businesses on the other side?
Steven Bari
0:20:58
So there's 2 on the opposite lot.
Raymond Levin
0:21:01
This is
Kevin Riley
0:21:01
the side of the lot.
0:21:01
Yes.
0:21:02
Excuse me.
Steven Bari
0:21:02
So, our warehouses, have always been 1 is a commercial tenant that does warehousing.
0:21:08
It's kind of like a Chinese fresh direct.
0:21:10
And then the other tenant at 4965 is a commissary kitchen for Chinese restaurants at the moment.
Kevin Riley
0:21:16
Okay.
0:21:16
Have you ever had any correspondence with DOT, regarding the squatters or this garbage that you saw on this other lot or try to work with the community to resolve this issue?
Steven Bari
0:21:28
The the history of our engagement with any city services regarding that lot has been pre 311.
0:21:36
So we were making calls to whatever city agency we would, before that, but everything should be on the record with three one one in terms of any complaints that we've made.
0:21:47
They range from, more importantly, just squatters on the area, homeless, and and particularly in the colder weather, like this cold snap that we had last, two weeks.
0:21:58
There was someone there on the lot.
0:22:01
And two weeks ago, there was someone who actually was driving up on the sidewalk trying to park their car in this lot area.
0:22:08
And, you know, we had to call the police, the, the hundred and ninth precinct, if I'm not mistaken, and they didn't know what to do.
0:22:16
So it it's a weird area where multiple different agencies are convening because it's city, state, and, obviously, police in regards to that.
0:22:24
But, you know, we've reached out through three one one in most cases.
Kevin Riley
0:22:28
Okay.
0:22:28
Thank you.
0:22:29
Council member one?