Serious Safety Hazards Lurk Near 36th St. and Fort Hamilton Parkway, Longtime Resident Tells Community Board 12

By Yehudit Garmaise

Right across the street from 1121 36th Street, “which is a beautiful new residence,” a hotel has been converted to a homeless shelter, which is creating safety concerns for the surrounding block, a longtime Boro Park resident told Community Board 12 during its public hearing Tuesday night.

“At night, or anytime during the day, between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., you’ll see [homeless people] congregated outside, and we see drug paraphernalia,” said Joanne, who has lived on Minna Street for the last 35 years.

Another safety concern in the area is the result of drivers who park their cars on the pedestrian sidewalk on 36th Street, on which pedestrians walk to get to the 90th Avenue subway station. 

“The pedestrian sidewalk on 36th Street is full of cars,” Joanne said. “Today alone, there were nine vehicles on the sidewalk, and it was an obstacle course getting through for me.

“So imagine children how children must struggle to get to Public School 131 or get to the train station. We have to be vigilant about everyone’s safety.”

Lastly, Joanne reported that “across the street on 36th Street is this guy who collects things, I don’t know what he collects, but he stocks up his merchandise very high.

“One of these days, one of those towers is going to topple over, and G-d forbid, someone is going to get hurt.”