Seeking to offer parishioners more parking and recreational space, leaders of the New Life Missionary Baptist Church are eyeing the city-owned lot adjacent to their property along the Van Wyck Expressway in South Ozone Park.
At last Thursday’s meeting of Community Board 10, Michael Polo, director of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s Queens branch, spoke of the potential sale and sought community feedback on the proposal. Additionally, the Rev. Isaiah Crumpton, New Life’s pastor, answered questions about the church’s plans for the 20-foot by 100-foot lot.
Polo said that normally the city envisions affordable housing units on vacant land but that the size of the South Ozone Park lot prohibits such development. He added that only the church, which currently occupies an 80-foot by 100-foot parcel, has made an offer for the property.
Since the building that formerly stood on the city’s property was knocked down roughly three years ago, the lot has become overrun with weeds and pests. Polo said that the city concluded that it was “a good idea” to sell the land to the church.
He added that should the community board concur — which it later did — the land sale would then go through the city’s seven-month land use review. That process includes the board either endorsing or not endorsing the plan after a formal vote. Last week, Chairwoman Betty Braton determined that the board’s consensus was for the sale to move forward.
The lot’s final price tag has yet to be determined, but Polo said that the church would likely get it for half of its market value. “We’re not looking to make any money off the church,” he said.
Board member Donna Gilmartin said that since 20 feet of the lot runs along the Van Wyck Expressway service road, she was concerned for the safety of the children participating in church programs. “They need to look at safety measures,” she said. Polo echoed her concern.
Board member James Caruso questioned whether the church’s neighbors would welcome the plan, but Braton said that she had recently attended an area civic association meeting and had not heard any negative comments about the expansion.
Crumpton said the church currently runs youth programs and services on its property outside of its building, and has not had any problems with its neighbors.
The church’s development plan would involve little more than the construction of a swing set and Braton added that the board has received no complaints from South Ozone Park residents about the church in the past.
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