Tony Nunziato for NY State Assembly - Abandoned Keyspan Site Could Soon Be Turned Into a Park

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An abandoned area along the Long Island Expressway in Queens could soon get a facelift.

Oficials from the Parks Department say they want to turn the former KeySpan site on Grand Avenue in Elmhurst into a park. The property was once used for gas storage. But now, more than 6 acres have been sitting unused for years.

"It's enough space for somebody really to come up with a nice plan that will satisfy most people," says Bob Holden of the Juniper Park Civic Association. "I don't think you are going to satisfy everybody."

Holden's group and other residents weren't satisfied two and a half years ago when Keyspan said it would sell the property to a developer looking to build a Home Depot. After a fight by community groups and elected officials, the Mayor stepped in and Keyspan agreed to sell the property to the city for $1.

"It was a long fight and I tell you at times we almost gave up but we realized that when we the community stay strong we can be victorious," said City Councilmember Dennis Gallagher.

The utility cleaned up lead-tainted soil at the site, and the city earmarked $20 million for the park project last November.

"The city has a great canvas of 6 acres to do their best work since the times of Central Park," says Tony Nunziato of Community Board 5. "So we are saying to them do your best, here's your canvas."

Park officials are presenting preliminary plans to the community Thursday night, but the public review process has only just begun.