The-Leader_1987-01-21

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FREE P O F . T M E ^ ' ° W ^ - ' ' ' ' " '
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Olliclal
Navspaper
Village ol
Frecport
Freeporl
Scfiool District
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Baldwin
ScMool Dlslricl
FREEPORT
BALDWIN
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LEADER
54th YEAR, NO. 3 FREEPORT. NEW-YORK January 21, 1987 PRICE 25* PER COPY
Formal approval delayed on Brooklyn Wateehrw/tf<o rks coiidos
by Joan Delaney
Warren Schiffman. architect
for Gary Melius of Water Mills
Really, the proposed bu)er of the
Brooklyn Waterworks property
in west Frecport, received praise
for his plans but not formal
approval at iheThursdayevening
January 14 meeting of the Free-port
Planning Commission.
Delay occurcd because Mr.
Schiffman had not yet received
endorsement for^the plans from
the Nassau County Departnlent
of .Public Works or Nassau
County Department of Health.
Chairman of the Freeport Plan­ning
Commission John Di Gra-zia
and Village Counsel William
Glacken suggested, therefore,
that the hearing be adjourned
with a tentative February 25
resumption date set. By that time,
it is expected that Mr. Schiffman
will have the necessary
documentation.
Informal approval of the plant
w^s, however, clear. Mr. Di Gra-zia
called the project one that
"shows class" in its desire for only
48 dwelling units within the
landmark structure. The site
plans and building plans emphas­ize
restoration and a "working
drawing in keeping with the orig­inal
design and exterior." The 48 '
dwelling units would be one and
two bedroom condominium
rwn-nv iiirrrni'W'nlJi'tfinilfftlW
WATERWORKS condominiums: Randering of Milburn Pumping Station, designed by Frank
Freeman In 1888, after renovation.
units. The main center building
would be the original height with
four interior floors containing
mostly one bedroomunits. With
the floors divided in half, Mr,
Schiffman said there would not
be long endless corridors but
rather floors with only two to
three apartments per floor. Some
would contain two and three
story uiiits within an interior des­cribed
by Mr. Schiffman as one
of "fabulous brickwork." There
would be balconies and cathedral
ceilings in some units and various
interior and general atrium areas.
The east and west wings would
contain garden apartments with
eight units in each wing, includ­ing
second floor balconies. The
building closest to the road n ould
be a two unit self contained
townhouse. Mr. Schiffman
added that these plans would
allow thcin to make the best use
of the existing architectural var­iety
of the landmarked building
while at the same time giving
them the option of marketing
many different kinds of building
units.
Mr. Schiffman spoke of retain­ing
the present quality of archi­tecture
andaestheticswith a new
slate roof on the main building
and the retention pf the side
roofs. The building itself, he said,
is structurally' sound, built to
withstand vibration, with only
triple glass windows in the south
side possibly planned for noise
abatement. Renderings show var­ious
marbles, bronzes and high
quality brick as building
materials. .
There would be room for park­ing
for 75 cars according to Free-port
code requirements. No addi­tional
recreational facilities
beyond sitting and walking areas
are anticipated presently. Mr.
Schiffman referred to hij.delight
in the relurnof tSe northern par­cel
of land to wildlife with the'
buy-back decision of Nassau
County. The 4.2 acres of land to
be owned by Melius-includes
approximately 2.6 acres in Free-port
and 1.6 acres-in "BaldwiiL
Mr. Schiffman does not plan on •
any development of the land w est
of the Milburn Creek and added
that Nassau County is requesting
easements on that portion for
their work in changing the cul­verts
under the railroad area for
better drainage: New York City
also retains certain underground
easements for piping, well
pockets and an cast-west culvert
as "part of a huge water supply
system for the city of New York."
Mr. Schiffman anticipated no
problem with those restrictions
since they exist under the pro­posed
paved parking areas. The
retention of the western portipa
of the property will conform to
• {coniinucd on page 31
^ Toward unity: Freeport's stirring tribute to Martin Luther King
phou by Sut Merman
PR E A C HER who "(omatimM forget* he's I politician" WIS key
speaker Rev. Floyd Flake, a Queeni Congressman who spoke in
tribute to Or. Martin Luther King, Jr., at Freeport's msmor',al
program Sunday.
. by Sue Morgan
-Rousing verbal and musical
tributes to Martin Luther King,
Jr., ruled the Freeport High
School auditorium Sunday and
vcn heard by a near-capacity
crowd gathered at the Village^
birthday celebration for the sUin
dvil rights leader.
Speaking passionately of the
value of Dr. King's example to.
"so many of our young people'
who are dropping out, have no
motivation," Queens Congress­man
Floyd Flake called upon_the
predominantly black audience to
"roll up your sleeves and make a
difference when this program is
over."
Interrupted numerous times by
thunderous applause, the 42-
year-old Reverend Flake told the
crowd that Dr. King, who went to
college at IS and graduate school
at 18, and gajned his Ph.D. at 25,
"could say to society, 'I am not a
man of ignorance, 1 have the skill
and capacity to speak on any
subject."
Dr. King's movement was "not
bom out of hate, vengeance or
violence, but uniTied with love,"
the congressman continued. *lf
he were here today, he would tell
us that to be great you must make
great sacrifices."
Expressing disappointment
that "I donl see more of our
ypuog people here today." Con­gressman
Flake urged the crowd
to "tell them to work 125 percent
rather than lOO percent, and walk
before they run."
"Today young people may
only work at a fut food restaiu-ant,"
he said, "but if they develop
a good work ethic and a good
attitude, the day will come when
they will own the franchise."
Speaking of his own success.
Congressman Flake concluded,
'There are no ceilings except
those we place on ourselves."
A number of speakers toMied
upon the Freeport celebration'^
theme of "Reaching Toward
Unity."
"May the flame Dr. Martin
Luther King lit never waver," said
Mayor Dorothy Storm. "May
'Reaching Toward Unity' -be
morelhanaslogan^acdcontintie "1
to be the rellity it is in our .
community."
Revereivd Simon P. Bouie of
Freeport's Bethel A.M.E.
Church, chairman of the event,
declared that despite having been .
arrested 29 times, threatened,
bombed, suffering physical abuse
andGnaUyassassinatcd, Dr. King
"Never wavered in his non­violent
approach."
Freeport Superintendent of
Schools 'Dr. John Bierwirth
tetated to the gathering his
answers to his five-year-old
daughter^ query about what
made Dr. Kin; great.
Although he was "without
words for a while," Dr. Bierwirth
told his daughter, "some people
just arcn\ nice to people who art
difTercni. Dr. King pointed out
. Ihat this is wrong, and made peo-.
pie realiie it belter than anyone —
else."
The" Dr. Martin Luther King,
(continued on ^jt 3)