Mayor Praises Approval of Bensonhurst Rezoning
Statement from Mayor Michael Bloomberg After Council Committee Approvals of Bensonhurst Rezoning:
“I want to commend the City Council Zoning and Franchises Committee and Land Use Committee for approving the Bensonhurst rezoning plan developed by the Department of City Planning. This rezoning helps fulfill my promise to protect the City’s primarily low density neighborhoods by ensuring that new development does not change the character of our neighborhoods. As a result, residents will know that my administration hears their concerns about out-of-scale development in Bensonhurst and is working hard to prevent it.
“The neighborhood midblocks in Bensonhurst consist of low-rise structures of two and three stories. The new zoning will maintain this low-rise character on most blocks, preventing the replacement of one- and two-family homes with out-of-scale multi-family buildings. At the same time, it will reinforce several major neighborhood thoroughfares, allowing opportunities for additional apartment house construction with ground floor retail on larger streets, such as Kings Highway and parts of Quentin Road, Avenue P and 65th Street. It is important to find opportunities to add housing wherever the capacity exists to support it, and building on this model of housing and retail will further strengthen this community.
“Area residents and Community Board 11 should be proud that their strong civic involvement contributed to these positive zoning solutions for Bensonhurst. I look forward to full Council approval of this plan to ensure the future of Bensonhurst. The community is counting on it.”

Councilmember Vincent Gentile - $1 million for New Utrecht High School and more than a dozen other items.
As part of the city’s $47 billion budget, individual City Council members lobby for money for specific projects in their district, often called “member items.” For more about the budget and member items, read Bringing Budget Dollars Back to the Neighborhood.
The following is a list of local budget items provided by Vincent Gentile, council member for Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst.
Air conditioning in New Utrecht High School-- $1 million
Leif Erikson Park toddler equipment-- $40,000
Rehabilitation of the Fort Hamilton Library-- $1.5 million for 2005, $1.5 million for 2006.
Speaker Intercom system for PS 163-- $300,000
Wireless computer labs-- $50,000 each for the following schools: PS 69, PS 229, PS 204, PS 200, PS 186, PS 185, PS 176, PS 163, PS 128, PS 127, PS 112, PS 104, PS 102, PS 205, PS 247, IS 201, IS 30, IS 227.
Addition of stud barge for ferries at 69th St Pier-- $250,000 (plus $250,000 from Yassky)
Subsidy for water taxi at 69th St Pier-- $125,000
Brooklyn Army Terminal Pier Passenger Center-- $35,000
Diker Beach Community Room-- $150,000
Neighborhood Improvement Association building renovation-- $150,000
New Utrecht Church building renovation-- $500,000 for 2006.
Big Apple Family Center-- $3,000
18th Avenue Merchants Association-- $2,000
Young Dancers Repertory-- $3,000
Guild for Exceptional Children-- $8,000
Islamic Children‚s Center-- $2,000
Various park projects-- $40,000
Historic Preservation Committee (something like that)-- $3,000
Overtime pay for NYPD traffic enforcement on the Verazzano-- $25,000
Associazioni Siciliane Unite-- $10,000
Bay Ridge / Bensonhurst Preservation Group-- $18,000
Community Board 10-- $2,000
Community Board 11-- $1,200
Friends of Historic New Utrecht-- $2,000
Narrows Botanical Garden-- $3,000
Samaha Singers Ridge Canal-- $3,000
Scandinavian East Coast Museum-- $1,500
Saint Rosalia Pacis Neighborhood Improvement Association-- $30,000
American Red Cross-- $3,000 for senior center training
62nd Street Community Council-- $1,000
Grace Foundation-- $1,500
Sharing and Caring (support group for women with ovarian and breast cancer) - $2,000
Prospect Park Alliance-- $3,000
Bensonhurst Volunteer Ambulance Service-- $3,000
Bensonhurst Council of Jewish Organizations-- $1,500
Bensonhurst Redevlopment Corporation-- $1,500

Homepage of the Community Gazette for District 43
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THE OFFICIAL WORD FOR DISTRICT 43
Mayor Praises Approval of Bensonhurst Rezoning
(Jun 21, 2005)
Councilmember Vincent Gentile - $1 million for New Utrecht High School and more than a dozen other items.
(Jul 02, 2004)
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