DAILY NEWS AFFIRMS PATRIOTS ASSERTION THAT HOLDEN DESTROYED ST SAVIOURS

The owner of a historic church site in Maspeth has abruptly scrapped a controversial plan to build housing there - a surprise move that ironically increases the likelihood the church will be demolished. This is not a surprise move, but the only move the developer had to move forward after Holden and his delusional followers refused to compromise.

Maspeth Development LLC's proposal to construct 27 multifamily units on the 1.5-acre property of St. Saviour's Episcopal Church had met with stiff opposition from residents and civic leaders, who wanted it to be preserved and its once-wooded grounds turned into a park. The stiff opposition was nothing more than a tantrum by Holden and his unwillingness to see the tree and not just the forest.

Yet the sudden withdrawal of the residential plan has imperiled the church's future - and may lead the property to be developed for industrial, manufacturing or retail purposes. The sudden withdrawal means that the developer can build “as of right” with little to no input from the community. You can bet your bottom dollar that Maspeth will be getting something industrial, a manufacturing plant, or a big box retail store.

The owner of the St. Saviour's property, who spoke to the Daily News yesterday on the condition that his name not be used, said he was rebuffed recently by city planners in his effort to get a zoning change to allow for a residential development. We believe that City Planning (the Mayor and 99% of local officials) despises Holden and would rather have endured Chinese water torture than give in to the JPCA.

"We were given some indications that it wasn't going to have the support of City Planning, so it was just time to pull the plug," the owner said. We wonder what those indications were. Maybe it had something to do with the noose poster.

Having lost thousands of dollars on taxes, mortgage payments and services in the past two years, he said he is considering proposals that fit with the current mixed-use zoning, but he declined to elaborate. He said he also is entertaining offers to buy the property. In other words, “Maspeth say hello to your new industrial neighbors!”

The unexpected pullback from the residential plan came less than a month after The News reported that indicted City Councilman Dennis Gallagher had been lobbying behind the scenes in favor of the residential plan. Unexpected? We’ve known that this was a possibility from day one!

The developer said he first wanted to clear the entire property, but Gallagher brokered a compromise that would have preserved the church in return for concessions from the Department of City Planning for increased density. Isn’t ironic that the only person really working to save the save the church, was the anti-Christ, Dennis Gallagher?

"The only reason why that church still has four walls is due to Councilman Gallagher," the owner said, adding that without residential development, the agreement to restore the church is now "off the table." It’s becoming abundantly clear that Holden and his dummies are the real fly in the ointment!

One City Planning source said the withdrawal was "completely out of the blue and unexpected." This statement reveals just how clueless City Planning has become.

Planning Department spokeswoman Jennifer Torres said agency officials had asked the owner for greater specificity on how the church would be preserved. What a poignant question. Did city planning want to know what color scheme the developer was going to use during preservation?

"But that would not have held up the certification process," she said. DUH

Despite the apparent setback, community leaders vowed not to give up the fight for the property, on which Revolutionary War artifacts have been found. This is not a setback; this is a major loss thanks to Bob Holden. In addition, Holden and the JPCA haven’t won a fight in over a decade! Remember 7/11?, Unleashed dogs? Arby’s, Walgreens?

"This land can't be lost to a warehouse," said Robert Holden, president of Juniper Park Civic Association, which had filed an unsuccessful lawsuit to block the plan. "This is our heritage." This land will be lost to an industrial eyesore because of the JPCA’s short-sightedness and narrow-mindedness.

Thanks Bob!

Daily News