Robinson Avenue eyesore homes to be completed

Neighbors of three homes on Robinson Avenue are finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

Construction began on the 2-family homes at 235-39 Robinson Avenue back in 2004, during the height of a building boom. The project then stalled, leaving two houses nearly completed and the third about half-way built. The houses laid dormant for more than four years, neighbors said.

The site had been placed on the Department of Buildings stalled-site list at the urging of Councilman Jimmy Vacca. It now has open work permits for new building, plumbing, and fencework, according to DOB spokeswoman Jen Gilbert. The DOB permits were issued on Wednesday, June 16.

“I am glad that work is finally starting on these houses,” Councilman Vacca said. “There is a new corporation that owns the buildings and we are now seeing work taking place. I am glad that something will finally be done with this eyesore. Neighbors certainly have had to put up with a lot for a long period of time.”

Vacca said that a clean up of the property, already underway, is a good start, but that the buildings themselves need to be completed.

ANZ Construction, located on Hone Avenue, was hired as the contractor. According to ANZ owner Aglin Zefi, two of the three houses will be completed sometime soon.

“These houses have just been sitting here for three or four years and everyone has been complaining,” Zefi said. “The houses are in terrible shape inside. We are going to have to fix what was already built before finishing them.”

Zefi said that there is graffiti vandalism inside the houses. He also said that at some point walls which had been completed by the previous developer were ripped open by vandals who stole the copper plumbing.

“Anywhere in the building where there was pipe,in the walls were ripped open and the pipes removed,” Zefi said.

Zefi said that the two houses that are closest to completion would be finished first. He said that the third house, located closer to Harding Avenue, needs more work and would take a bit longer.

Dennis Golden, the owner of 241 Robinson Avenue next door, said that he was glad to see the entire site now enclosed by a sturdy work fence. Plywood boards from the previous work fence had fallen onto his property during the lull in construction. He said that the new builder has maintained and secured the property.

“I am happy that the work fence is no longer falling onto my property,” Golden said.

Reach reporter Patrick Rocchio at (718) 742-3393 or procchio@cnglocal.com.