Jackson Heights Life

Noticed there are now some benches outside post office on 37th Avenue.  Once the weather gets nice like today, always look for chance to sit outside.  Would be nice if more benches are placed throughout neighborhood, doesn't seem like much movement in having outdoor cafes.  Guess it means heading to Astoria and other hoods to enjoy eating al fresco.

This is great news especially for the elderly that walk to the PO they need a place to rest. I remember when they took them out. The ones on Northern are mostly destroyed and/or inhabited by people in need of serious help. St Marks church allows residents to use their garden/benches as well.

Are we talking about sitting on public benches or at eating at outdoor cafes? I really can't tell....

God only knows why, but there are plenty of benches to sit on, at the triangle where the BQE comes out onto Broadway. Not exactly scenic, or quiet, but they got put there as part of the renovation. Isn't that ridiculous? Business owners should not have to put their own benches out. In doing so, they may think they have rights to sidewalks that are suppose to be public.

It is so irritating to me to see the broken wooden benches at all the bus stops on Northern. It symbolizes urban decay. Our politicians, any one of them should have renamed beautiful, new park benches after Ed Koch, instead of that old Bridge that had a perfectly fine name.

In front of the entire PS 69, behind the tall fences/gates, you have a lot of land with grass that is not utilized.  This would be ideal for lots of benches and in the evening it would be locked.  Would the Board of Educations allow this?   If someone from Councilman Dromm's office is reading this message could you please reply.  The cost would be minimal.  This area would be so much nicer than in front of the Post Office or the benches on 82nd Street. 

As part of Bloomberg's original PLANYC 2030 in 2007, some DOE school playgrounds were going to be opened to the public after school and on weekends to increase park space.  One of the stated goals was to have most residents living within 10 minutes walk of a park.

PS 69 was actually slated to be one of the models for improving and opening play space to the public.  A few years ago I even saw architectural renderings of the project at a MillionTrees NYC event.  Anybody know what happened?  Presumably budget cuts...the NYC Parks & Recreation budget has been in the gutter the last few years.

Do you think it's a byproduct of having too much private space - houses with gardens and buildings with garden spaces?

I gotta say, it's a pet peeve of mine - sidewalk cafes. In some places it's great; side street, light traffic, trees. But the number of joints (especially in Manhattan) that have set up tables and chairs on a busy street with LOTS of pedestrians, LOTS of traffic (and its inherent honking and engine noise and exhaust fumes) are just legion. There are even a few that are set up on top of bus stops. How is that pleasant?

But yer right, it WOULD be nice to be able to perambulate the neighborhood and stop in a nice little bistro for a bite and a glass. But that makes me a hipster trustafarian, I guess....

God only knows why, but there are plenty of benches to sit on, at the triangle where the BQE comes out onto Broadway. Not exactly scenic, or quiet, but they got put there as part of the renovation. Isn't that ridiculous? Business owners should not have to put their own benches out. In doing so, they may think they have rights to sidewalks that are suppose to be public.

It is so irritating to me to see the broken wooden benches at all the bus stops on Northern. It symbolizes urban decay. Our politicians, any one of them should have renamed beautiful, new park benches after Ed Koch, instead of that old Bridge that had a perfectly fine name.

You're right,  The triangle near the BQE is not a nice place to sit.  The whole configuration of that area is a nightmare for both drivers and pedestrians.

The city should install sturdy metal benches along 82nd St. and in as many other places in the 'hood as they can manage.  Having outdoor places to sit is a lovely thing for our neighbors - especially the elderly.  It also makes the street safer if people are observing what is going on.

I'm glad they out the benches back at the Post Office.  When I went by recently, there were older people sitting and chatting and moms with their babies sharing the nice weather.  I hope they can keep it from becoming the liquor-soaked, trash-strewn dump is was when the substance-abusers took it over.


edited to separate quote from response