Letter to LIC Community about the planned Library at Hunters Pint / Queens West

OurLIC Contributer: Don Dodelson, President, Friends of Queens Library at Hunters Pint / Queens West, Long Island City

"We must be vigilant and insist that this extraordinary Parcel 8 be used for the benefit of us all, both to enhance the quality of our lives, our environment and commercial interests."

Chartering Ceremony for Friends of Queens Library at Hunters Point /Queens West, Taxi Beach July 13, 2009 Go to OurLIC NETWORKING Profile of Don Dodelson

Long Island City, NY - January 7, 2010   Dear Neighbor, Did you know that a public library is promised to us to be built here on the river in Long Island City? This is what I know about the project: Preliminary plans are for a structure of up to 30,000 square feet built on Parcel 8 which is north of Gantry Plaza State Park and behind Peninsula Park on the East River. $14,000,000 seed money is said to have been set aside by our local politicians. The polluted soil on the site is being cleaned which should be completed this spring. Theoretically work could begin then. I am told that fund raising and a search for an architect is now being done by the Queens Library. The Queens Library has chartered Friends of the Queens Library at Hunters Point/Queens West group in January of 2009. As president of the group I have requested information as to the timing of the project and the design. I await answers. Our local public officials, business organizations, the NYC Economical Development Corporation, the PTA of PS 78Q, and various community groups are all in favor of the having the library. Funding is a large problem. I have been assured by all of our local politicians that a library will be built on Parcel 8. My involvement with the project spans a period of about eight years. I have been to dozens of meetings at the Citibank building, Albany, City Hall, schools, churches and private homes with hours spent on the phone and getting signatures on petitions. The project would not have come this far were it not for my participation as well as similar activism by several other members of our community. More likely the site would have been taken over by a developer and used for short range commercial gain. We must be vigilant and insist that this extraordinary Parcel 8 be used for the benefit of us all, both to enhance the quality of our lives, our environment and commercial interests. What do you think? \S Don Dodelson, President, Friends of Queens Library at Hunters Pint / Queens West, Long Island City Friends of the Library Officers: Dr. Donald Dodelson - President Nina Stromberg - Vice-President Mark Christie - Treasurer Rita Dusseau - Secretary Gregory Hughes - Member-at-large Related Articles: Chartering Ceremony for Friends of Queens Library at Hunters Point /Queens West, Taxi Beach July 13, 2009 A Forum moderated by Don Dodelson, has been created at OurLIC NETWORKING: FORUM: Friends of Queens Library Hunters Point Please join and post your points of view, comments, and questions.