Lindenwood Alliance Discusses Crime in Howard Beach by Stephen Geffon - Leader-Observer

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More than 50 people attended the Lindenwood Alliance’s most recent meeting at the Rockwood Park Jewish Center in Howard Beach last week, a good showing for the young civic association.

“This shows we have issues in Lindenwood that need to be addressed,” said the group’s co-founder Joanne Ariola regarding the number in attendance.

The Lindenwood Alliance was founded last December by Ariola and Christina Gold to promote cooperation between residents, police, and elected officials in the area.

“Each little area in Howard Beach has its own very specific issues, and we wanted to have a unified voice for Lindenwood,” Ariola said.

Ariola told the audience that burglaries and auto thefts were two major issues in the community, which 106th Precinct Community Affairs Officer Brenda Bratcher discussed at the meeting.

Bratcher reported that in Lindenwood during 28 days between February and March, there had been one robbery, one felony assault, three burglaries, two grand larcenies and two auto thefts. She said the burglaries in the area have occurred between 76th and 88th streets and 149th and 156th avenues.

According to Bratcher, among the most frequently stolen items were money, jewelry and electronics including cameras, computers and large screen televisions. Bratcher said that in most cases the perpetrators entered apartments from the fire escapes.

“If you see anyone suspicious entering or exiting a property, don’t wait, call 911,” she said.

Bratcher told attendees that there was a recent home invasion at 149th Avenue and 88th Street. Since there was an ongoing investigation into the incident, she said she could not provide any additional details. However, she was able to say that there were four alleged perpetrators involved, two of whom have been captured.

FBI Special Agent James Capozzi also addressed the residents and asked them to participate in the FBI’s InfraGard program, designed to help keep the city’s infrastructure safe from future terrorist attacks.

“By raising your awareness, you are better positioned to let us know what you might see that we should respond to,” he told the audience.

Though still not widely known, InfraGard has been in existence since 1996. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) took over responsibility for InfraGard in 2003.

The effort is an association of businesses, academic institutions, state and local law enforcement agencies and other participants dedicated to sharing information and intelligence to prevent hostile acts against the U.S.

Today, InfraGard’s protection efforts involve a close working relationship between the FBI and the private sector, as well as other agencies, including DHS, the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Small Business Administration.

Membership in the InfraGard program is free. To join, or for further information, contact infragardteam@infragard.org or visit infragard.net.

News from Assembly Member Audrey Pheffer...

Assemblywoman Pheffer Welcomes Queens County American Legion to Albany - March 24, 2011

(Pictured l-r: James Casey, Past NYS Department Commander; Assemblywoman Pheffer; Denis McEneaney, Past Department of NY Vice Commander and John Severa, Commander 10^th District)

Assemblywoman Audrey I. Pheffer (D-Queens) was pleased to welcome the Queens County American Legion members to Albany to discuss their legislative agenda for 2011.

The Queens County American Legion members were in Albany as part of the New York State American Legion Legislative Day.

Statement from Assemblywoman Audrey I. Pheffer Regarding Recent Incidents of Bias - March 24, 2011

“I am dismayed and saddened upon learning of the incidents of bias that have occurred in the area over the past two days. It is disheartening to see such acts of prejudice that demonstrate a complete disregard for the struggles and sacrifices endured by others. I am confident that the officers of the 106^th Precinct will do all that is in their power to identify and bring to justice those responsible for these despicable acts,” said Assemblywoman Audrey I. Pheffer.

Assemblywoman Pheffer Congratulates Regent Kathleen M. Cashin - March 14, 2011

(Pictured l-r: Regent Kathleen M. Cashin and Assemblywoman Pheffer)

Assemblywoman Audrey I. Pheffer (D-Queens) was pleased to congratulate Regent Kathleen M. Cashin on her recent election to the Board of Regents. Regent Cashin has served the students of New York City for over 40 years prior to her election. Regent Cashin was the regional superintendent for Region 5 which included Community School District #27. She will serve as a Regent for the 2^nd Judicial District.

Assemblywoman Pheffer Joins with Senator Flanagan To Provide Women With The Tools Needed For Early Detection Of Breast Cancer - March 9, 2011

Assemblywoman Audrey I. Pheffer (D-Queens) is pleased to announce that she has joined with Senator John Flanagan to introduce legislation that would provide stronger preventative health care for women. The legislation requires insurance companies to cover the cost of supplemental screening for women who have dense breast tissue or who are at greater risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer.

The legislation would also require that every report a radiologist issues to a patient following a mammogram include information on breast density and information on the availability and usefulness of further screenings. This information will empower women to be more informed about their own medical situation so that they are better equipped to speak with their physicians and make decisions about their own health care.

According to leading medical studies, breast cancer is five times more likely in women with dense breast tissue but mammograms alone miss up to 40% of tumors that are present in women with dense breast tissue. By requiring insurance companies to cover supplemental screening tools and doctors to notify their patients of increased risk associated with dense breast tissue, it is believed that this will lead to earlier detection and greater survival rates.

“Breast Cancer has touched the lives of so many New Yorkers. It is important that we enact this legislation to ensure that women have access to the life-saving tools available, and are armed with all the information possible to fight against this disease,” said Assemblywoman Pheffer.

The legislation was spurred when the legislators were contacted by Ms. JoAnn Pushkin of Dix Hills, a breast cancer survivor turned advocate and co-founder of D.E.N.S.E. (Density Education National Survivors’ Effort). Ms. Pushkin’s cancer was diagnosed later than necessary as her annual mammograms were unable to detect a tumor through dense breast tissue. Ms. Pushkin worked closely with Senator Flanagan’s office to write the legislation and continues to work with him to make sure that the measure becomes law in New York State.

“JoAnn has been a tireless advocate for this legislation and I look forward to working with her and others to get this legislation passed in New York State,” said Senator Flanagan. “Women throughout our state should have the right to access all relevant medical information and our state has an obligation to make sure that those rights are protected.”

“When women aren’t told about their own breast density, and its inherent risk, we are denied the opportunity and choice to protect and advocate for ourselves. If early detection saves lives is still the golden rule, it is a safety net often denied women with dense breasts. It’s hard to protect yourself against what you haven’t even been told is a threat. It’s impossible to begin a dialog about additional screening tools if you don’t even know you should be asking about it. No one, especially any doctor involved in my health care, should have the option to keep any pertinent health information about me, from me. New York women owe much to Senator Flanagan and Assemblywoman Pheffer for bringing public awareness to this issue and for their efforts in introducing this groundbreaking legislation,” said Ms. Pushkin.

The State of Connecticut is currently the only state in the nation that requires this coverage. “With this life-saving legislation, the state of New York will be joining Connecticut to ensure that women are informed of their breast density for the early detection of breast cancer. A recent Harris Interactive survey found that 95% of women do not know their breast density even though it is a risk factor, and, only one in 10 women find out about breast density from their physician. With this legislation women will now receive critical information about their breast density and have access to reliable screening tools to find cancer when most treatable and the survival rate is high. The women of D.E.N.S.E. and I never had that opportunity,” added Dr. Nancy M. Cappello, President and Founder of Are You Dense, Inc. (www.areyoudense.org), co-founder of D.E.N.S.E. and the inspiration behind Connecticut’s legislation.

Assemblywoman Pheffer Welcomes Persaud Family to Albany – March 11, 2011

(Pictured l-r: Mr. & Mrs. Persaud, Assemblywoman Pheffer, Nadia Persaud and her Grandmother)

Assemblywoman Audrey I. Pheffer (D-Queens) was pleased to welcome to Albany Nadia Persaud from M.S. 137-Q in Ozone Park, NY accompanied by her parents and grandmother on March 2, 2011. Nadia was selected by the New York Art Teachers Association to be a part of the 21^st Statewide Legislative Student Art Exhibit.

Also selected was Chistopher Poveda of M.S. 137-Q who was unable to make the trip to Albany. The Art Teacher who submitted their art work is Rose Aranya.

Noose Found Hanging Outside Apt Building, Near School by Francesca Maxime - WPIX

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It's a disturbing reminder of hate, in Howard Beach. A noose was found hanging from a tree outside an apartment complex, and right near Walter Ward elementary school, Wednesday. The noose was not on school property, however.


People who live in the Lindenwood section of Howard Beach were surprised to learn someone had hung a noose in this day and age. One mother who'd lived in the neighborhood for 46 years said she was 'shocked,' and concerned because her son attends Walter Ward. Another resident said that while the neighborhood had experienced racial tensions int he past, he thought people living in this diverse area, now got along.


Senator Shirley Huntley had this to say about the incident: 'We know all too well that symbols of hatred fuel an atmosphere of intolerance and anger that can endanger lives. That is why it is disturbing to hear that a noose was hung from a tree near a public school in Lindenwood. I am outraged by this evil display. It is a painful reminder of the darkest chapters in our nation's history and proof that we must remain vigilant.'


Senator Huntley also thanked area police officers, for investigating the incident as a possible hate crime."

Howard Beach Site to Become Retail by Anna Gustafson - Queens Chronicle

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A 7.5-acre site at South Conduit Avenue and Linden Boulevard sold to JSB Realty for $4.5 million. The company is expected to turn the site into retail space and a car dealership.

The site of a development that went bust in Howard Beach sold this week for $4.5 million and is expected to become retail stores and an automobile dealership, according to the individual who handled the transaction.

“The previous owner ran out of financing,” said Massey Knakal First Vice President of Sales Stephen Preuss, who handled the Jan. 14 sale of the 7.5-acre site at South Conduit Avenue and Linden Boulevard. “It has been sitting there for about three years untouched.”

Cobblestone Estates, the previous owner, worked with Bank of New York to sell the site to Brooklyn-based JSB Realty.

Massey Knakal officials said there had been an approved plan for a private gated community consisting of 237 units at the site. Additionally, Community Board 10 Chairwoman Betty Braton said the area had been rezoned several years ago, after which the community had expected a commercial complex at the site named Lindenwood Commons.

Foundation plumbing and basement floors for 111 units were completed by the previous owner, according to a statement from Massey Knakal. Preuss said Cobblestone Estates likely spent “a few million” on the work that has been done up to now.

Preuss said the new owner, who could not be reached for comment, expects to convert the site into retail space and a car dealership. He did not specify what kind of store or stores may be built at the site, though a statement from Massey Knakal did note the space is “ideal for a prime retail or mixed-used site for a big box national tenancy or strip center.”

The $4.5 million JSB Realty purchased the site for is under market value, in part because the group will likely have to pay millions of dollars to address environmental concerns, according to Preuss.

“There needs to be remediation with the soil,” he said. “It used to be a transfer station.”

Despite the environmental concerns, Preuss said the site was in a prime location.

“This is a very rare opportunity for such a large price of buildable land with dense demographics, high visibility and in close proximity to all major transportation,” he said in a statement.

State Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Howard Beach) said he was not surprised the previous owner was unable to complete his plans for the site.

“When I was in the City Council in 2002 and 2003, I had the developers into my office because I had concerns about traffic,” Addabbo said. “Being a former real estate attorney, I said, ‘this gentleman is pricing himself way out of this neighborhood.’”

While Addabbo said he would be pleased with jobs created by incoming development, he remains concerned about traffic patterns and the general “safety of residents.”

“I'll be talking to the developer to relay my concerns and follow up with what is best for the community,” Addabbo said.

Braton too said there would be upcoming talks between residents and the developer about the site.

“The developer can build whatever is as of right to the property considering its zoning,” she said.

Developments going sour is nothing new in this economy, Preuss noted, and said there will be additional sites that will likely be sold because the owners have run out of money.

“There’s a lot of distress out there,” he said. “People will be seeing a lot more of this.”

Lindenwood Alliance Seeks Unified Voice by Bryan Yurcan -Queens Chronicle

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Joanne Ariola, left, and Christina Gold, the cofounders of the Lindenwood Alliance, listen as Debbie Velez of Phoenix Security, a private firm that patrols some parts of Lindenwood, speaks.

A new alliance has formed in Lindenwood.

About 30 people who live in the small section of Howard Beach met Tuesday for the first meeting of a new civic group, dubbed the Lindenwood Alliance, designed to promote cooperation between residents, police and elected officials in the area.

The idea for the group started as conversations between two Lindenwood residents, Christina Gold and Joanne Ariola.

The two had never met before attending a meeting of the 106th Precinct Community Council in October, where both raised concerns about quality of life and increasing crime in the area. They then began speaking over the phone and the idea for the Lindenwood Alliance was born shortly thereafter.

“Each little area in Howard Beach has it’s own very specific issues, and we wanted to have a unified voice for Lindenwood,” Ariola said. “It’s not so much a civic, but an alliance.”

Gold said she initially attended the community council meeting a few months ago because she was concerned about the lack of police presence in Lindenwood.

Since that time, she said, the situation has gotten a little bit better.

But the goal of the Lindenwood Alliance goes deeper than just addressing crime-related issues,” Gold said.

“We want to reconnect the community with not only the 106th, but elected officials as well,” she said. “And we want to talk about the good things happening here also.”

Some residents who attended the meeting did express concerns about the police protection in Lindenwood, specifically requesting more patrols around the park at PS 232, where some residents claimed teens often gather to drink and sell drugs.

106th Precinct Community Affairs Officer Ken Zorn praised the group for forming and expressing their concerns to the Police Department.

“The more people get involved, the more the higher-ups hear you and the better chance we get for more resources,” Zorn said.

Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) also said it is important for residents to get civically involved to help improve quality of life issues, especially in the current
economic climate where budget cuts may mean less police officers on the street.

“There’s 8,000 less cops in the city than there was 10 years ago,” he said. “It’s absolutely critical that communities step up to the plate and form alliances like this one. We need as many anti-crime deterrents as possible.”

Gold said she had noticed increased patrols in the Lindenwood area since Thomas Pascale took over as commanding officer of the 106th Precinct last month.

Though it lacks a formal governing body now, Gold said the alliance will work on seeking volunteers for its board and begin drafting bylaws shortly.

Police Give Tips for a Crime-Free Holiday by Stephen Geffon - Queens Chronicle

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Leaving your car keys in your vehicle will almost certainly spoil your holiday, as one unlucky motorist found out last week when three perpetrators stole her car. Luckily for the owner, police recovered the vehicle a week later.

Notwithstanding that happy ending, many other car owners were not so lucky.

Capt. Thomas Pascale, commanding officer of the 106th Precinct, told members of the Precinct Community Council at its meeting last week in Ozone Park that 30 percent of the reported car thefts in the 106th occurred when owners left their keys in the car.

He said last week’s car theft could have easily been prevented had the owner not left the keys in the vehicle. Pascale urged residents not to leave their keys, as well as purses, wallets, packages and other valuables in plain view in their cars when they go shopping. He suggested putting items such as these in the trunk.

Precinct Conditions Unit Supervisor Sgt. Donna Nugent reported that in response to residents’ complaints of cars speeding on Crossbay Boulevard and Pitkin Avenue, police had conducted targeted enforcement in the area, setting up checkpoints and giving out summonses. She noted that one arrest was also made at a checkpoint, but did not specify the charge.

Nugent further said the park at PS 232 in Lindenwood is receiving additional police attention. She said officers now patrol the park with their car’s turret lights on when in that area, and they go into the park on foot and issue tickets to individuals found to be there after closing time.

In other news from the meeting, a Howard Beach resident reported that several manhole covers in the area are missing and presumed stolen for the value of the metal. She said the locations were near PS 207, at 158th Avenue and 87th Street and 88th Street and 158th Avenue.

“I’m afraid someone’s going to fall in,” said the resident.

A coordinator of the after school program at JHS 226 on Rockaway Boulevard in South Ozone Park advised Pascale that youngsters under 15 years old are wandering the street during school hours. The captain said he would notify the precinct’s truancy officers.

The 106th Precinct Community Council meets on the second Wednesday of the month, except for August and February, at the precinct station house, located at 103-51 101 St. in Ozone Park.

106th Precinct Crime Prevention Fair in Lindenwood on November 11th...

Click on image to enlarge...

What: 106th Precinct Crime Prevention Fair
When: November 11th
Time: Noon - 4 pm
Where: Corner of 151st Avenue/84th Street, Lindenwood


For more information contact the 106th Precinct
Office of Community Affairs
Phone #: 718-845-2228
Email: kenneth.zorn@nypd.org

Queens Father of Two Killed in Ambush by Sonja Sharp, Sarah Armaghan and Wil Cruz - NY Daily News

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Cops were hunting for a phantom gunman Monday who whacked a 41-year-old father near his Queens home.

Christopher Castellano was walking toward his car outside of his 79th St. townhouse in Howard Beach when he was ambushed Sunday just before midnight and shot in the back of the head.

"I saw him all laid out with a big hole in the back of his head," said neighbor Will Gonzalez, 38.

Castellano, who had two children and dabbled in several small businesses according to relatives, died immediately.

"He's a nice guy. There's no reason for this to happen," said Enrico Ardiso, 62, Castellano's uncle. "He took good care of his kids."

Ardiso said Castellano's mom booked a flight from Florida as soon as she heard the news.

Police said no one has been arrested.

The hit left Howard Beach residents spooked.

Daniel Pardo, 20, suspected that the timing of the killing - with Fourth of July fireworks blasting all night - was no coincidence.

"It's the perfect time to do something like this," he said. "No one thinks twice when they hear a loud noise because we all think it's fireworks."

Gil Suarez, who has lived in the area for 22 years, couldn't shake the shock. "Nothing like this ever happens here," Suarez, 46, said. "It's crazy."

Man, 49, Fatally Shot In Head In Queens by Shelley Ng - WPIX

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A man was fatally shot in the head just before midnight in Howard Beach, Queens.

Police say the 49-year-old man was discovered by officers at about 11:55 p.m. Sunday near the intersection of 79th Street and 151st Avenue.

Reports say the victim was found between two vehicles in a parking lot in the middle of the residential neighborhood.

EMS pronounced the man dead at the scene. The victim's identity is pending family notification.

No arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing.

Nabes Lindenwood Turning into a Speedway by Stephen Geffon - Leader-Observer

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Cars speeding through four-way stop signs without stopping, narrowly missing other vehicles and pedestrians in the Lindenwood section of Howard Beach, was a concern voiced by neighborhood residents at last week’s meeting of the 106th Precinct Community Council in Ozone Park.

One resident, who didn’t give his name, said the problem is the worst between 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. during the week when parents are picking up their children from P.S. 232 in Lindenwood. “We need a little more patrol,” he said.

According to the resident, vehicles going north on 79th, 80th and 81st streets between 156th and 149th avenues are not stopping or even slowing down at the four-way stop signs at those locations.

He added that cars driving on the Conduit north of Lindenwood are going about 60 mph. “Coming out of Lindenwood to get into the flow of traffic I get up to 40 (mph) and they pass me like I’m standing still,” he said, adding, “somebody’s going to get killed over there.”

Deputy Inspector Joseph Courtesis, commanding officer of the 106th Precinct, noted that the precinct is up nine percent in issuing summonses for hazardous driving compared to last year.

“In the last 28 days we wrote 1,082 hazardous driving summonses,” Courtesis said, adding that the traffic safety issues complained about are being heavily enforced by precinct officers. “It’s being enforced more with less personnel than it was last year.”

Courtesis promised the Lindenwood residents that their concerns would be addressed.

With the coming of summer also comes the noise complaints. Courtesis said he would be addressing these complaints with the police resources at his disposal.

The inspector said block parties are a big part of the noise problem. Therefore, this year, as was the case last year, the block party permits issued by the precinct will limit music until 7 p.m. with the block required to be opened to traffic by 9 p.m. The permits will be issued for Saturdays only from June 15 to September 15.

Commenting on the noise issue, Betty Braton, chairwoman of community board 10, said that one of the things that people don’t consider about the noise problem is the close proximity that people live to each other. An analysis she prepared of people living in the neighborhood showed that in some areas of the community over 75 to 80 people live on every acre.

“It’s not what is being played, it’s just the accumulation of noise and the number of people that it annoys,” she said, adding, “When we live on top of each other, we bother each other sometime, (so) we need to be conscious of what we are doing to our neighbors.”

Frank Dardani, president of the council, concurred with Braton. “We have to have consideration for each other too, if we are living that close,” he said.

Margaret Finnerty, president of the Richmond Hill South Civic Association, inquired about auto thefts in the precinct. Courtesis acknowledged that auto thefts were up in the precinct, and that during the last 28 days ten more cars were stolen compared to the same period last year. The area where the majority of these cars were reported stolen was from just north of the North Conduit, south of Rockaway Boulevard and the Van Wyck Expressway to 125th Street.

The inspector said that also in this area police were recovering cars that had been stolen from other parts of the city and dumped there. Courtesis added that last week five cars were reported stolen from in and around Tudor Village in Ozone Park.

According to Courtesis, this year the cars stolen were 2008 to 2010 models compared to none last year, with Toyota’s being the most popular among the thieves. “They’re looking for new cars,” he said

Courtesis said that Patrol Borough Queens South has recognized the precinct’s increase in auto larcenies, and among other support assigned 24 additional police officers on overtime to the precinct three days a week in an effort to combat the auto theft problem.

5th Annual Community Day - Saturday, September 6th - 11am - 2 pm - Schneiderman Playground...

NYPD Daily Blotter Queens - New York Post

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A man was arrested for an armed robbery in Lindenwood nearly five months after he allegedly committed the crime.

Juan Velasquez, 29, was arrested on June 15 after an 18-year-old man spotted him sleeping on a park bench and recognized him as the man who robbed him at gunpoint in January, court papers revealed.

The victim told cops he had been walking on 84th Street near 151st Avenue shortly after 5 p.m. on Jan. 20 when an attacker shoved a gun in his back and growled, "Fat boy, don't move."

The teen surrendered $300, and the gunman snatched a gold chain from his neck.

Velasquez was charged with robbery and possession of stolen property, authorities said.

A South Ozone Park man was arrested for allegedly robbing a man at gunpoint in a parked car on an Ozone Park street.

The victim reported he was sitting behind the wheel of his car on 121st Street near 111th Avenue at 5 a.m. last Sunday when two thugs climbed in.

One of the intruders, identified in court papers as Daris Clark, 22, pulled a gun, pointed it at the victim's head and demanded, "Give up the money."

The man surrendered his wallet, containing $260 and credit cards, and the duo ordered him to surrender his diamond stud earring.

They also snatched his cellphone and climbed out, telling him to drive away or they'd shoot him.

Clark faces three counts of robbery, police said.

Private, Gated Community On Hold In Howard Beach by Lee Landor - Queens Chronicle

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Plans for one of the largest private gated communities in Queens have been temporarily halted as the owner searches for a buyer for the 7.5-acre Howard Beach property.

After his partner died late last year, the owner, a local investor, realized he needed help completing the project. Looking for some type of joint venture or to sell the $24 million development site, which sits on Linden Boulevard, between Sapphire Street and South Conduit Avenue, he hired Massey Knakal Realty Services two weeks ago.

Since then, the company has put together marketing materials and reached out to large developers in the tri-state area, and has so far received a “great” response, according to Stephen Preuss, a Massey Knakal broker and the exclusive agent for this project. In this short period of time, the company has already shown the site about half a dozen times.

The reason people are interested in a project such as this is because demand for housing is high. After seeing the success of a neighboring Howard Beach development — Magnolia Court — that sold out almost immediately, it was evident that there is a need for such projects in the community, Preuss said.

“Even with the slight downturn in the residential market, in this area there’s a great need for gated communities,” he added, “especially one of this caliber and this type of construction — mid- to high-end construction.”

The two-phase project consists of three different floor plans for 237 apartment units. The first phase, which consists of 111 units, is near completion, with 60 percent of the foundations already in. So far, piles, foundation, underground plumbing and a basement floor for each unit have been constructed.

Each of the three apartment models contains three bedrooms, but the first model, an 1,800-square-foot apartment, also has two-and-a-half bathrooms and a recreation room. While the second and third models, at 1,500 and 1,050 square feet, respectively, both contain additional storage space, the larger apartment has two bathrooms and the smaller space has one.

The streets within the large property, which sits directly across from the Lindenwood Diner, have been demapped and deeded to the current owner, who started building in the commercial zone about 18 months ago.

Community Board 10 Chairwoman, Betty Braton, said the building is as-of-right, because the zoning code allows residential construction in commercial zones. The only concern she’s heard from community members regarding the construction is that it could exacerbate poor traffic conditions on the heavily-used intersections surrounding it.

Additionally, she added, because of its physical location, “access and egress ... is not in keeping.” Although she did not specify reasons, Braton said a development previously planned for that location, the “Lindenwood Commons” was never built.

For now, Braton and the rest of the community will wait and watch for new developments with the project.

On the Road to Saving Two Kerouac Sites - By Nicholas Hirshon - NY Daily News

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Poring over books and maps in his mom's Ozone Park apartment, Jack Kerouac planned the most famous road trip in literary history - and embarked on it in 1947.

But neither the walk-up where Kerouac plotted his cross-country exploits, nor a South Richmond Hill home where he worked on the classic novel "On the Road," are protected with city landmark status.

"Without question, they should be city landmarks. No book has captured the public imagination like 'On the Road,' " said Douglas Brinkley, a CBS News history analyst and Kerouac scholar.

To aid a landmark push, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay told Queens News he would consider loaning the original 120-foot "On the Road" manuscript - a unique, continuous scroll that he purchased for $2.4 million in 2001 - for display at the borough sites.

"You always consider putting it in a place where it's conceived," Irsay said. "The man has left the building, so to speak, but, at the same time, these places that are preserved, they mean a lot."

It's unknown whether the city Landmarks Preservation Commission has Kerouac's homes on its recent survey of 12,495 Queens structures. The commission has repeatedly declined to provide the survey to Queens News, fearing its release would alert developers to the sites before they can be protected.

Writer Patrick Fenton helped put a plaque outside the apartment in 1996 - just after the Lindenwood Volunteer Ambulance Corps moved in and gutted the space, without realizing its link to Kerouac.

"The organization would have tried to save more of the history if we knew," said Corps Chief Chris DeLuca. Still, the walls and door frames are original. "There's a lot of history up there," Fenton said.

In the early 1950s, Kerouac's mom moved to 94-21 134th St. in South Richmond Hill, where the author lived on and off over five years, and wrote "Maggie Cassidy," Fenton said.

The home's current owner, Lester Holt, arrived in 1984 and oversaw a major renovation. When told landmarking would require him to consult the commission before making more changes, he said, "I ain't interested in all of that."

But the next spot where Kerouac lived - a cottage in Orlando, Fla. - offers inspiration to preservationists. A grassroots effort saved it from destruction.

Kerouac was living there in 1957, when the publication of "On the Road" made him the voice of the Beat Generation. Forty years later, despite the home's history, it appeared destined for demolition.

Enter Florida book dealer Marty Cummins, who helped raise $10,000 for a down payment on the home in 1997. But he was short $100,000 to close the deal - until corporate titan Jeffrey Cole pledged the funds.

Now, the house is provided rent-free to writers for three-month stays. Cummins predicted a similar result in Queens.

"The key is finding an advocate or an angel backer who will step up to the plate," he said.

That could be Cole, the former chairman of Cole National, who promised to look into Kerouac's Queens homes. "It's always a good idea if some of these artists' and writers' places can be saved," Cole said.

[location: 94-10 133 Avenue, Ozone Park, NY 11417]

NY Daily News: The Plate Scandal at DMV - State Probes How Private Vehicles Got Official Status

Exclusive

BY BENJAMIN LESSER and ROBERT GEARTY

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

Tuesday, June 12th 2007, 4:00 AM

Exclusive: The state department of Motor Vehicles has been handing out coveted official government license plates to vehicle owners who aren't entitled to them, a month-long Daily News investigation reveals.

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Vehicle registered to Metro New York Search and Rescue with official plate parked outside synagogue.

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The state department of Motor Vehicles has been handing out coveted official government license plates to vehicle owners who aren't entitled to them, a month-long Daily News investigation reveals.

The News found "official plates" on vehicles belonging to Columbia University, the ASPCA, Lindenwood Volunteer Ambulance Service of Ozone Park and three Brooklyn-based search and rescue teams, even though none qualifies for the plates.

Yesterday, confronted with The News' findings, the DMV launched a full-scale investigation, promising to review the qualifications for each of the 154,000 official license plates it has issued statewide.

Official plates can only be mounted on vehicles owned by state and local government organizations.

There are many benefits of having an official license plate, including:

• No original registration fees.

• No yearly renewal fees because official plates are issued on one-time permanent basis.

• Access usually denied to the general public.

After the 9/11 terror attacks, the city banned vehicles with only one passenger from entering Manhattan through any bridge or tunnel south of 63rd St. during the morning rush. Vehicles with official plates were among those exempt from that ban.

Vehicles with official plates are required to obey parking regulations in the city, but The News recently watched a traffic agent walk past an illegally parked vehicle with official plates in Brooklyn without writing a ticket.

"Of course you avoid tickets, but I don't abuse it," said Brooklynite Sam Lichtenstein, 23, of Metro New York Search and Rescue.

In announcing the statewide crackdown yesterday, DMV spokeswoman Gail Tyner-Taylor told The News that Commissioner David Swarts has established an internal team to "review all of our active official plate registrations, and any questionable ones will be thoroughly investigated."

She said holders of official plates would have to recertify their eligibility.

"We're also looking into the need to clarify a political subdivision in the law and will be exploring other ways to verify eligibility for official plates," she said. "This may lead to the development of new guidelines and procedures."

Asked to explain how Metro New York, along with New York Rescue Response Team and New York Rescue Squad, had received the special plates, DMV spokesman Ken Brown said he did not know, but conceded the groups did not meet the requirements and should not have received them.

Tyner-Taylor said she did not know how or why Columbia University and the Lindenwood Ambulance Service got their plates.

Improperly issued official plates may be attached to many other vehicles. Because of limitations in searching DMV records, The News reviewed only several hundred official plate registrations.

The DMV began quietly moving to quell the fiasco within days of the first inquiry from The News. The agency sent two e-mails, the second last Friday, advising district offices to be careful when reviewing applications for official plates.

The e-mails, obtained by The News, directed that "no official plate should be issued unless the transaction is reviewed and approved by a supervisor."

Another Brooklyn rescue group, New York Rescue Response Team, has been issued three official plates since the group was established in July. Its address in DMV records is a mail drop on McDonald Ave. in Borough Park, Brooklyn.

The third group, New York Rescue Squad, has two vehicles with official plates, DMV records show. The group was created in February listing a post office box in upstate Parksville as its mailing address.

An unrelated emergency organization, the Forest Hills Volunteer Ambulance Service, was forced to surrender its official plates last fall "because we were not a municipality," said Vice President Aviv Citron.

Also, the New York City ASPCA has official plates on at least seven vehicles, DMV records show.

An ASPCA spokeswoman said the organization has official plates because they enforce animal cruelty laws.

"If we didn't have official plates we wouldn't be able to move animals out of danger quickly," said Steve Musso, ASPCA executive vice president.

Yesterday, officials from the DMV and the ASPCA said the organization's vehicles also were entitled to the special plates because it is a law enforcement agency.

In seizing official plates from a vehicle owned by the Sullivan County SPCA last year, Undersheriff Eric Chaboty said the group was not a government entity.

He said people and organizations want the special plates because they present "the air of authority."

Clueless at Columbia U. on why cars have the tags

Columbia University has been issued at least five official license plates, according to DMV records.

The Daily News found two of the plates on Crown Victorias assigned to the public safety office.

"I don't know why we got these plates," said an official at the private university who did not want to be identified for fear of angering DMV officials. He said the university has had the plates for a number of years.

"No one can think of any reason other than reducing paperwork," he said.

The Columbia spokesman said the vehicles with official plates are used by public safety officers and "buildings grounds people."

A News reporter recently witnessed one of the cars being driven by an employee of AlliedBarton, a private security firm employed by the university.

Biz got 'em cuz 'we asked'

DMV records show that Metro New York Search and Rescue has been issued 11 official plates since 2005, nine of which are still active.

The owner of one of the vehicles is a corporation with an upstate Binghamton address, DMV records show.

Chaim Gottlieb, who leads Metro New York Search and Rescue, contended its members could receive official plates because they were emergency first responders.

"These plates were not swindled out of DMV," he said. "We asked for the plates, and they gave them to us."

State incorporation records show that Metro New York is a not-for-profit corporation.

Gottlieb said Metro New York members joined a search for a missing 11-year-old boy on Staten Island last month but he was less forthcoming when asked about the group's other emergency responses.

Here's the message the Department of Motor Vehicles e-mailed to agents May 18:

It has come to our attention that there are private corporations that, because of their business name, are requesting and being issued official plates.

Effective immediately, no MVR [clerk] is to issue official plates unless the transaction is reviewed and signed as approved by a supervisor.

Please advise your staff to be careful when reviewing applications for official plates. These corporations may have been issued official plates by other offices in error and are using the registrations as proof they are part of the state, city, county, village, town, school district, fire district, or county extension service.