Kids' community garden being sold out from under them

From the Queens Courier:

Residents and volunteers are asking the city not to squash their community garden.

Until last year, the vacant lot at Kneeland Avenue and Manilla Street in Elmhurst was growing weeds as tall as the average resident, attracting illegal dumping and unwanted vermin. After taking a look at the site, Young Governors, a teen community organizing program, got together and turned the lot into a community garden that is verdant with fruits and vegetables today.

But the garden the teens created side-by-side with residents is at risk of becoming a multi-family house since the property’s owner put it up for sale.

“What we need here in Elmhurst is a garden, not another high rise development,” said Senator Toby Ann Stavisky. “We need a place for children to play. We need gardens where people can till and nourish and eventually eat the produce.”

The community hopes to get the opportunity to save the garden — or relocate it another area — with the help of the city.

“These volunteers literally have turned what has been an eyesore in Elmhurst into a project that is productive, into an area that is not only beautiful and prevents it from being a blight on our society, but has literally turned into a productive project that feeds people,” said Councilmember Grace Meng.

Volunteers go week after week to care for the crops. They have donated fruits and vegetables from the garden to the New Life Community Development Corporation, a local organization that helps people in need in the community.

Well then I'm sure Grace Meng and Toby Stavisky will find a way for the city to purchase the lot so that the kids can keep on farming and feeding people. It's not like there's any place left in Elmhurst that's undeveloped that it can be relocated to. The current lot has been empty and abandoned for DECADES, so it's interesting that the owner, Queens Blvd attorney John Blaha, suddenly resurfaced and is taking an interest in selling it now. Here's what's next door and what they have to look forward to:


Except it will be worse, since it's a corner lot that allows for more density.