Calko’s plans are stuck in park

There’s still no solution to the parking controversy engenderedby a new medical center under construction at Bay Parkway and 60thStreet.

The Marcal Group, the developer of the Calko Medical Center,came up short of providing enough parking spaces once again at aNovember 22 Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) hearing, whenrepresentatives — who are aiming to get the number of parkingspaces they are required to provide reduced — admitted that theyhad inadvertently forgotten to include plans for a cafeteria in thebasement in plans discussed during the October hearing.

The BSA had suggested at that time that Marcal move storagespace to make room for cars. According to city zoning requirements,there are supposed to be 248 spaces, but BSA previously reduced thenumber to 170.

They [Marcal] keep changing the facts, said AssemblymemberBill Colton, who attended the hearing and has rallied in support ofmore parking. They submitted a whole new physical plan for parkingand said the previous plan didn’t have enough space for cars tomaneuver. So the plan still has the same number of spots but withdifferent dimensions. This proposal of 130 to 160 spots is notenough. The board should not give them the variance to reduce thenumber of spots.

BSA said that the space in the building is not being utilizedsufficiently and made a number of suggestions to make room forparking within the building. These include placing the cafeteriasomewhere else or getting rid of it altogether, since it is anamenity and not a necessity; reducing the number of bicycle spotsin the basement and maximizing the number of stackers – a device inwhich cars can be parked on top of one another – from two to threeso there is more room to park horizontally.

Mark Caller, chief executive of the Marcal Group, said, We areworking on an amicable solution with our neighbors and are hopefulthat this will be the last hearing.

But, Bensonhurst residents said they will continue to push formore parking spaces.

I need parking for my business, said Steve Gleyb, who owns abarbershop on Bay Parkway near 64th Street. He said 70 percent ofhis customers drive to their appointments. Especially after 5:30p.m., there are no spots here. When I went to visit my mother atMaimonides, I had to park 10 blocks away. That can’t happenhere.

Joseph Tazi suggested that other area businesses, such asNational Wholesale Liquidators and Rite Aid, let Calko use theirparking lots for overflow.

They are plenty of parking lots that already exist, he said.But, it would be better if the space was used as a school. Itwould be better for the kids.

The next hearing will take place on January 10 at 1:30 p.m. at40 Rector Street in Lower Manhattan.