An Empty Promise for Residents of Hamilton Beach
By David Bonilla
Manicured lawns and new multi-family homes lie adjacent to empty lots littered with construction equipment and trash in Hamilton Beach, a small waterfront community in south Queens.
“I bought a brand new house thinking that these lots would be developed, but they haven’t been and they make the place look terrible,” said Veronica Fernandez, a new resident of the neighborhood.
Hamilton Beach, which is bordered by the 102nd Street creek to the north, Jamaica Bay to the south, Hawtree Basin to the west, and the A train line to the east, saw an explosion of development between 2004 and early 2008, with brand new homes being constructed on nearly every block. But, when the economy began to cool down, contractors and developers ceased construction, leaving various privately owned lots around the neighborhood empty, and many residents angry.
“I moved into Hamilton Beach because my realtor called it ‘up and coming’,” said Christine McCabe, who bought a house in the neighborhood in January 2008.
Hamilton Beach is one of the oldest parts of Howard Beach, an affluent neighborhood in Queens. But, there is a stark contrast between Howard Beach’s picturesque, tree-lined sidewalks and large, one-family homes and Hamilton Beaches barren, garbage littered streets and empty lots.
“[Hamilton Beach] is a part of Howard Beach so we paid Howard Beach prices, but it looks like we live in some ghetto,” said McCabe.
Developers are reluctant to begin construction on the lots because of the current state of the economy, which has resulted in a weakened real estate market. Various new homes have gone up for sale in the last few years but none have been sold to date.
Martin Schaeffer, a developer who built eight houses in the neighborhood, has had the same property up for sale since 2007 and has yet to meet with any prospective buyers.
“People are staying away from the neighborhood,” Schaeffer said. “They know that with the economic downturn, we won’t be building anything new, so the neighborhood has lost the allure it had a few years ago.”
Some residents are also discontented with the shrubs and weeds that grow uncontrolled throughout the neighborhood, as well as the badly paved roads and sidewalks. “All those weeds look really ugly and make Hamilton less desirable, and some streets don’t even have sidewalks,” said Fernandez. “The Civic should petition for some beautification projects because this neighborhood really needs it.”
However, many new and old residents feel that the empty lots and overgrowing greenery are only a fraction of the problems that plague Hamilton Beach.
Tatiana Cardenas, who rents an apartment in one of the new homes, said the empty lots do not bother her nearly as much as the lack of streetlights.
“My block is brand new. It didn’t exist two years ago, so we don’t have streetlights. I don’t feel safe walking home from the train at night,” said Cardenas.
Marie Persans, vice president of the Civic Association and resident of Hamilton Beach for 69 years, is mostly troubled by the frequent flooding.
“We live near the water. Some homes literally have docks, so during high tide, the water overflows into the neighborhood and into people’s basements causing thousands of dollars worth of property damage,” she said.
The Civic Association has made various attempts to have the flooding problem solved, all to no avail. “We’ve worked with State Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr. (D-Howard Beach), to have the problem solved. We wanted them to build walls so the water wouldn’t flood into the neighborhood, but there are budget restraints,” said John Faziel, former president of the Civic Association and a resident of Hamilton Beach for 71 years.
Faziel has recommended that residents pay to have their streets and sidewalks raised, a costly procedure that is not entirely effective according to Persans. “It costs a lot of money to have your street lifted and you’ll still have some flooding, so there is no point,” she said.
The Civic Association did succeed in purchasing various bulkheads, which are retaining walls used to block the flow of water, in order to help alleviate the flooding. Although they have yet to be installed, some residents are already protesting their usage.
“I don’t like those bulkheads. All they’ll do is push water to the sides, but the water will still make its way through. They’ll also block my boat from getting out of the Basin,” said Faziel. “What’s the point of living on the water if you can’t use your boat?”
Not all residents are unhappy with Hamilton Beach, though. Oscar Mosquera, who moved into the neighborhood in July 2007 with his family, says that he is entirely happy with his decision.
“I love living here. It’s quiet and nobody bothers you. I can ride my dirt bike and ATV around in the empty lots and people don’t say anything. And because we live on Dunton Court, the highest street in the neighborhood, we don’t get flooded,” he said.
Still, Mosquera says that he can see what bothers some people about Hamilton Beach. “We were promised a nicer neighborhood. [The realtors] said to us, ‘it’s a part of Howard Beach and everything will be new in three years.’ Even though they had no way of foreseeing the economy messing up, people still feel lied to,” he said. “But once the economy gets better, I think the promises will come true.”