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Portion of 130th Street Co-Named After Late Civic Leader

(Council Member Paul Vallone)

Oct. 28, 2019. By Shane O’Brien

A portion of 130^th Street was co-named Joe Femenia Way on Saturday after a College Point civic leader who died suddenly at the age of 62 earlier this year.

Council Member Paul Vallone celebrated the street’s official co-naming at a ceremony at the intersection of 130^th Street and 23^rd Avenue, where the sign is located.

Femenia was a fourth generation College Point resident and activist. He was born and raised in College Point and attended a number of local schools, including P.S. 129, J.H.S. 194, Flushing High School and Queens College.

He was responsible for restarting the College Point Civic and Taxpayers Association in 2008, where he served as the CPCTA president from 2008 to 2012 and again from 2014 until his death.

Femenia, who worked for the MTA, served as Chair of the Transportation Committee for Community Board 7 for 10 years.

Vallone said that Femenia was someone who really cared about the community and who embodied the values of the neighborhood.

“Joe worked tirelessly to make sure that the community he was born in received its fair share, was vigilant when it came to capital improvement projects, and always stressed the importance of civic engagement,” Vallone said. “If ever there was someone who perfectly personified the neighborhood, it was Joe. A dear friend, an outspoken civic leader, and a great man, our ‘Mr. College Point’ will be dearly missed.”

Vallone was joined by Council Member Daneek Miller and several members of Community Board 7 at the co-naming ceremony along with members of Femenia’s family.

Femenia’s sudden death on Jan. 30 was mourned by the College Point community. He suffered a heart attack and died in his home. He is survived by his wife Laura whom he married in 1992.

Laura, who spoke at the ceremony, said that her deceased husband was someone who devoted his life to College Point.

“He had many victories in protecting and preserving the integrity of College Point. As far as my husband was concerned, every resident in College Point was his neighbor.”