St. Mary's Healthcare for Children seeks to demap streets for vestibule and drop-off canopies in Bayside

BAYSIDE, QUEENS BOROUGH ' St. Mary's Healthcare for Children presented a City Map amendment at the Queens Borough President's land use hearing to discontinue and demap portions of two privately owned, unbuilt city streets (including Little Neck Boulevard) and a segment of 29th Avenue. The applicant said the change would allow construction of a 357-square-foot entrance vestibule, two new drop-off canopies and circulation improvements on the hospital campus at 29th Avenue and 216th Street.

Jerry Johnson, representing St. Mary's, said the campus occupies portions of two city blocks and five tax lots and outlined the demapping area shown in the application documents. He recounted earlier acquisitions of portions of the site (including a city acquisition in 1948) and said the city does not intend to build the mapped streets as part of the street grid. If approved, the city-owned portions would be discontinued and transferred to St. Mary's to facilitate the vestibule, canopies and safer bus drop-off and pick-up areas.

Johnson said the changes respond in part to circulation needs identified during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the need for better spacing and protection from weather for children boarding and exiting buses. He described a site plan showing the vestibule and two drop-off canopies and said the project includes modest new construction to improve on-site circulation and protection from inclement weather.

The applicant said it performed transportation screening and was screened out from requiring a more detailed traffic study; Johnson said the work will streamline bus arrivals and departures and improve safety and shelter for children on campus.

Community Board 11's response was characterized as largely positive with some questions about future development potential on the site; the applicant said there is no intention to expand beyond the vestibule and canopy work at this time. No members of the public signed up to testify, and the chair closed the item without a vote at the hearing.