Great Neck, NY - June 7, 2016 - Today, U.S Senator Charles E. Schumer called on the United States Postal Service (USPS) to lease their vacant parking garage to the Village of Great Neck Plaza. The Village of Great Neck Plaza is home to a vibrant and bustling community and encompasses apartment buildings, homes, retail stores as well as a Long Island Rail Road Station and a number of bus stops. As a result, parking space is greatly limited; many residents frequently have difficulty in parking their cars.
Schumer says that the vacant USPS lot is not only a waste of federal resources but also a waste of space. Schumer is urging USPS to lease the parking garage to the Village of Great Neck Plaza so that it can be used by local residents and free up street parking for residents and shoppers. Schumer said that additional parking options could also help to attract future residents and additional businesses.
“It makes no sense for the United States Postal Service to hold on to its vacant parking garage, which is not only a waste of money but a waste of space in the vibrant Village of Great Neck Plaza,” said U.S. Senator Schumer. “The United States Postal Service should lease this lot to the Village of Great Neck Plaza so that it can be used by nearby residents and, in turn, free up space for village residents and shoppers who live and shop in the village’s commercial district.”
"In this era of increased and constant demand for government resources and of increasing realization that the funds needed to pay for such resources are limited, governments at all levels must work together to ensure that existing public assets are best utilized to meet the needs of the public. Utilization of these much needed and presently unused parking spaces by the residents of the buildings near the main post office would help fulfill a tremendous need of a substantial number of our village residents. I thank Senator Charles Schumer for his assistance and see this opportunity as a win win for the public that we all serve,” said Ted Rosen, Deputy Mayor, Village of Great Neck Plaza.
According to the Village of Great Neck Plaza, the village is home to a busy commercial district. The village boasts over 260 retail stores and service establishments, 90 multiple-family apartment buildings, 148 single family homes, approximately 40 office buildings, two four-star hotels, a nursing home, a senior independent living facility and a senior assisted-care living facility.
The Village of Great Neck also serves as a hub for the LIRR’s Great Neck station, which runs on the Port Washington line. According to the 2015 LIRR Annual Ridership Report, the annual ridership on the Port Washington line has risen from 13,307,136 in 2014 to 13,802,816 in 2015, a 3.7 percent increase.
Schumer today said that the leasing of the USPS’ vacant lot will offer many benefits. For instance, Schumer said that it will have a positive effect on the village’s economy; the availability of additional parking spaces would attract future residents to the area as well as attract additional customers to local businesses.
A copy of Schumer’s letter is below:
David Letourneau
Customer Relations Manager
Dear Mr. Letourneau:
I write today to bring your attention to an important matter impacting the Village of Great Neck Plaza, New York.
Currently, the Village faces a shortage of available parking for both residents and shoppers . The Village has identified a potential site for additional parking spaces, in the USPS-owned facility located at 1 Welwyn Road, Great Neck, NY 11021-9998. This facility has a two-level parking facility , and the Village of Great Neck Plaza would like to lease the currently un-used lower level from USPS in order to create additional parking for the Village’s residents . Great Neck Plaza has shared the details of its plan with representatives of the US Postal Service and now awaits direction for how best to proceed.
I am urging you to consider this request in a fair and timely manner. The proposal is a win-win for both Great Neck Plaza, which will gain much-needed parking, and USPS, which will see its resources used by the public in a much needed manner. I know that USPS will make every reasonable effort to accommodate this simple and sensible request. For additional information, please do not hesitate to contact my staff.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer