Sohncke Square (Parks Dept.)
Nov. 19, 2019 By Kristen Torres
Woodside’s Sohncke Square is getting a long awaited face-lift.
The tiny park — which borders Roosevelt and Woodside Avenues along 58th street — will be receiving a $2.25 million renovation.
The space, which is less than 1/20th of an acre, features a planting area, benches and trees. The park is currently covered by cobblestones and is located next to the elevated 7 line.
It is named after Sergeant Carl R. Sohncke, a Queens native who was killed in action during World War I. Sohncke enlisted in the United States Army in 1915, and was killed in France.
The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation will be spearheading the project.
The reconstruction will focus on the seating areas, flagpole and planting locations throughout the park, according to a spokeswoman for the agency.
Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, joined by the Parks Dept., will be holding a scoping meeting on Thursday to hear what constituents would like to be added or upgraded.
“Residents have reached out and asked for renovations to the heavily trafficked, public open space,” Van Bramer said in a statement. “That would hopefully include more thoughtfully designed benches and seating areas.”
The scoping meeting will be held at the Queens library in Woodside, located at 54-22 Skillman Ave., on Nov. 21 at 6 p.m.
“I look forward to hearing from neighbors and constituents about what they’d like to see in the open space,” Van Bramer said.
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15 Comments
It might be the most displaced sitting park in the history of sitting parks
This must be a joke. Two million? Whatever you need, just give me one million and I will do it by myself.
That was a typo, right?
a$2 million dollar renovation for the neighborhood drunks, hobos and homeless to sit and live in. Just plant a mature tree with a wide enough trunk so when they need to pee in public the rest of us walking by on the way to work don’t have to see them crossing swords in the wind.
This city is super-corrupt. $43 million to renovate the library in Hunters Point. Now $2 million to renovate a tiny little spot under the 7-train where people sit and congregate.
I know nothing about construction. But I’m pretty sure renovating that tiny little spot to include benches/trees/whatever doesn’t cost $2 million.
All I see in the projected amount of money this project is estimated to cost are kickbacks and absurdly marked-up supply, equipment and labor costs.
To “Gett” Put parking spaces in the middle of two converging streets? I don’t think so.
Sell it to Starbucks and get it off the city’s books as a liability
Yes, these renovations/improvements always seem to be terribly expensive.
Actually Gett, we should ban cars as they’re a detriment to urban living.
Take the “sitting park” out of there and make the street wider or add parking spaces for the people who own a business here.
Are you kidding ? Is there anything besides making money ? No wonder the quality of life doesn’t,mean anything any more. There is a pleasure in life in sitting in lovely little park on a beautiful,day just enjoying life and nature… (and it does’t cost anything
As if this is going to take care of the pigeon-feeding hobos hang-out going on there.
In the 50’s this was a lovely spot to sit for a while. It had cast iron fences and had a long curved fence. Then the Parks Dept. improved it to what it is today! And, thanks for updating your news column to include a few comments about the man who sacrificed his life for freedom!
Kevin…
It’s more of a sitting plaza in a heavily trafficked area and it should be laid out so walking traffic can get around/through better. Trees are for some shade for those who sit there. It needs more space for those waiting for the buses that cross through.
So stick in ear plugs or don’t sit there.
How on earth does this cost that much money? Also, what is the use of a park that has the 7 rumbling over it every 3 minutes? What a waste of money!