Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Updates on the Comedy Club, Sports Bar and Safe Streets for Seniors

At our meeting last Thursday we heard from Dino Ibelli who is now working in the Lane Theatre preparing to make it "Uncle Vinnie’s Comedy Club". He gave us an overview of his hopes for the theatre and provided an overview of what he will be offering there - Comedy on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Fundraisers on Sunday. Movies in 3D in Monday. He will have security at the venue and expects most shows to be over and the theatre vacated by 2am-ish.

Want to know more about this comedy club? Check out..

http://www.unclevinniescomedyclub.com/

At our next meeting we will hear from Dominick Griffo who currently runs the bar "Under the Boardwalk" on Hylan Blvd. He will be opening a sports bar at 702 New Dorp Lane across from field 4 in Miller Field. Dominick hopes to be open for business by late summer. He will have wide screen televisions and a juke box. No live music.

Last night and throughout today on NY1 you saw the new project – Safe Streets for Seniors - by the Staten Island DOT. Borough Commissioner Tom Cocola presented the project at Community Board #2 last night. The designs will work to provide safer crossings of Hylan Blvd. for seniors and students. You can see all the details of the project at the DOT website. You can key the following to find additional details:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/safeseniors_hylan_newdorp_si.pdf

It would have been nice if the Aging Committee of CB2 had been given a heads-up on this project. They discussed safety for seniors on Hylan Blvd at length over the past few years focusing much of their discussion on getting the buses to alter their routes so that seniors would not have to cross Hylan Blvd to get to the shopping plazas. And it would have been nice if our Association had been contacted prior to the announcement. Indeed.

And remember, Joshua Jakob will be our guest speaker at our May meeting – May 21 – to talk about the History of New Dorp Beach. Yep, May 21 will focus mainly on New Dorp Beach.

Mark your calendars. Bring your neighbors.

> Joe Markowski

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

702 New Dorp Lane Update

Tonight at the Area 2 Committee meeting of Community Board 2 we heard from the man who is planning on opening a sports bar at 702 New Dorp Lane. His name is Dominick Griffo and he is the current owner of Boardwalk Pub at 1719 Hylan Blvd.

We have checked with both CB2 and the 122 Precinct and Mr.Griffo has run a very reputable operation at 1719 Hylan.

His current plan is to purchase the building at 702 NDL along with his brother. He will be living there in one of the two apartments on the second floor. He expects the establishment to hold between 100 and 110 people although no formal floor plans have been drafted.

He can set up the establishment at 702 "as of right".

... and he has offered to attend our May meeting and explain his proposal to our Association.

Would you be interested in having him at our meeting?

We are already scheduled to have Joshua Jakob speak on the history of New Dorp Beach... so May 21 will be New Dorp Beach night at the Civic Association.

Mark your calendars. Plan on attending the meeting with your concerns and interests.

Let me know what you think.

> Joe Markowski

Monday, April 13, 2009

Its April and Our Meeting Is Thursday

Greetings… well they say that April showers bring mayflowers… (and we all know what mayflowers bring… ) So enough already. Bring on the warmer weather!

This month we will hear from someone who is interested in opening a Comedy Club in the Lane Theatre – Uncle Vinnie’s Comedy Club. Dino Ibelli and his brother already operate two clubs/restaurants in New Jersey and are looking to open a location here on Staten Island. Plan on attending and bring your neighbors and friends. It is a chance for you to get answers to your questions and make your views known.

In May we will have a special guest – Joshua Jakob - who will provide us with a history of the New Dorp Beach area. So mark your calendar now and plan to be at our meetings so you can hear these presentations and get your questions answered.

I have asked… What will you do to strengthen this organization and make its voice more robust? Share your ideas and thoughts with us. Send an email to newdorpcentralcivic@yahoo.com or leave a voicemail at
718-979-6011.

Lastly, we continued our Dining Through New Dorp program March 24 with a visit to King’s Chef. It was our 46th meal in support of our neighborhood restaurants and good conversation. See chitchat for details.

We meet monthly on the third Thursday of each month. Our meeting this month is Thursday, April 16, 2009 at the Kells-Grennie American Legion Post at 2750 Amboy Road. We will begin promptly at 8 p.m. Come. Join us. And… bring a neighbor!

See you around the neighborhood, stay safe and enjoy each day!

Joe Markowski