Environmental Protection Commissioner Cas Holloway today announced the demolition of two elevated water storage tanks in Queens. The tanks ñ located at 93-02 199 Street, in Hollis, and 84-02 164 Street, in Jamaica Estates -- are no longer part of the water distribution network, and local elected officials and community organizations have requested their removal. Site mobilization for the demolition process started March 1. The 199 Street tank will be demolished next weekend and the tank at 164 Street will be demolished the second week of April.
Water tanks, 164th Street and 84th Avenue (left), 93rd Avenue and 199th Street (right).
"Demolishing these obsolete, unsightly tanks is possible because of the investments that Mayor Bloomberg has made in the Queens water supply network," said Environmental Protection Commissioner Cas Holloway. "While these tanks once served a useful purpose, they have become a blemish on the communities they once served, and their removal is a testament to the progress we've made improving the City's water infrastructure. I want to thank all of the local elected officials and the residents and other stakeholders in these communities for working with us to get this done." above DEP link
"These water towers are eyesores. The community spoke out against them, and I applaud DEP for listening and committing to safely removing them," said Assembly Member Rory Lancman.above DEP link
Well, I won't stick up for them, if everyone else wanted them gone. I'll only say I mourn the passage of two more Forgotten NY benchmarks, objects that seemingly have no purpose, and were largely a mystery. The DEP link does clear up a couple of things -- the tanks were built in 1930 for the Jamaica Water supply Company and were used for storage and pressure maintenance.
Bob Hope said it best.
The DEP notice doesn't mention these tanks:Left, southern end of Austin Street in Kew Gardens; right, Shops at Atlas Park in Glendale; below left: Audley Street between Metropolitan Avenue and Abingdon Road, Kew Gardens -- might they be spared the ax?
