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NEW YORK, U.S.A. January 29, 2004: Proposed expansion of the Hindu Vaishnav Temple of New York brought impassioned testimonies by longtime neighborhood residents at the Community Boards Land Use Committee on Monday night. Nearly 50 devotees of the temple were also on hand for the public hearing, which was the first step in the temple’s application for a special permit to expand its current facility. The temple has been located at 196-43 Foothill Avenue since 1988. In addition to religious activities, the temple offers a senior citizen center, a youth committee, health fairs, and Gujarati language and yoga classes. Because the congregation of 200 wants to expand its humanitarian efforts and meeting capacity, it has applied to build a domed 4,420-square-foot addition onto its current 7,000-square-foot building. Some residents in the neighborhood weren’t thrilled about the expansion, citing problems with noise, parking and garbage caused by the current temple. Aware that parking is a problem, the temple’s parking manager has made an agreement with a parking lot which will run minivans during the approximately six special events the temple hosts each year. Temple leaders made the argument that once the expansion is complete it will accommodate all devotees inside the building thereby reducing the noise in the neighborhood. Following the public hearing, the committee voted 5-4 in favor of the expansion, which will go to the general board for a vote on February 11th. Chairman Alvin Warshaviak requested that the temple address the homeowners’ concerns. He further suggested that the neighbors and the religious institution form a dialogue group to prevent small concerns from becoming large ones.

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