Queens Neighborhood Rocked By Giant Boulder

Not mine. Yours? Nope, not mine, either:

Despite what the popular colloquialism may have led Sunnyside residents to believe, some rocks just won’t roll. Quite the opposite, in fact, as many neighbors have been perplexed by the neighborhood’s recently acquired inconvenient landmark: an enormous boulder that on 44 St at the intersection of Greeenpoint Ave and 47 Ave. Though it was intrusive and graffiti covered, the boulder quickly became an accepted part of the Sunnyside landscape and city and neighborhood agencies received few if no call on the matter. Its removal this weekend was as quiet and unnoticed as its arrival.

. . .

Although neighbors and city officials are unsure of exactly when the boulder first appeared on 44 St, it has been there since before the first of the year. Jutting out length-wise from the Easter curb of 44 St just north of the intersection, the boulder blocked traffic only slightly more than a typical parked car.

According to the Mayor’s office, the boulder was excavated during emergency sewer work by Maspeth Construction. A number of boulders were excavated during the work, but this particular one was simply too big to be removed, and was left at the intersection.

. . .

Another more minor problem that the boulder has created is that it has been marked with graffiti. One side of the boulder said in green writing, “paddy rock,” while another side was covered in an illegible white scrawl. A large orange road barrier was place in front of the rock to increase its visibility and prevent cars from slamming into it at night.

City officials are unsure of how long it had been there, having only been notified about the problem at this month’s meeting of Community Board 2, but reports indicate that it first appeared shortly after Christmas. Once the issue was brought up at the meeting, the City quickly responded to complaints and dispatched Maspeth Construction to remove it, which was done on Saturday. Today, all that remains of Sunnyside’s own natural oddity are small patches of rubble and scratches on the ground from its removal. Just as its sudden appearance went unnoticed by the neighborhood, so has its removal, and as of Monday afternoon, few neighbors have even noticed its absence.