In a move that angered local businesses and neighbors, a longtime business owner in Astoria Heights put up a massive steel fence that cut off a public sidewalk and roughly 10 parking spaces.
Anthony Della Vecchia, who runs Michael Della Vecchia & Son General Contractor on Hazen Street, paid about $25,000 to install the permanent fence in April along 19th Road. He said years of illegal dumping and a recent fall that landed him a lawsuit were justification enough, according to Fox 5.
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The fence spanned 50 feet of sidewalk and stretched several feet into the street.
Della Vecchia saw no issue with it, pointing to a city tax map that he said proves the sidewalk and part of the roadway fall within his property lines.
“I’m within my rights,” he told Queens Post.
‘That fence is only going to make things worse’
The city wasn’t on board with Della Vecchia’s logic, however.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) issued him an encroachment notice of violation on April 17, giving him 30 days to get rid of the fence. Della Vecchia said he wasn’t going to take the fence down before his court date.
It’s not the first time Della Vecchia has been involved in local controversy. He put up temporary barriers and “No Standing” signs after a woman reportedly tripped on the sidewalk and sued his business in January 2024.
This time, things weren’t much different. Della Vecchia’s neighbors and nearby business owners had concerns.
Former City Council Member Costa Constantinides, who lives nearby, called the fence dangerous and ridiculous.
“He’s creating a traffic issue,” Constantinides told Queens Post, pointing out that the fencing made turning onto 77th Street more dangerous. “I’ve seen some terrible car accidents on that corner. That fence is only going to make things worse.”
The fence also created headaches for drivers. The day it went up, several parked cars were trapped inside the enclosed area.
A Reddit post showing at least three boxed-in vehicles went viral, with residents claiming they received no proper notice. One commenter said they parked their car two days earlier, only to find it fenced in with no way out. But Della Vecchia said he posted signs in advance and placed barrels along the curb.
The digital uproar spread on social media, where users were calling for city action and criticizing what they saw as a selfish move that put private concerns over community welfare.
But Della Vecchia pushed back against this sentiment.
“Why do I have to consult people to do something on my own property?” he said.
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Bad for local business?
The impact of the fence had the potential to hit small businesses in the area hard.
Foot traffic is important for nearby stores, as without sidewalk access, casual shoppers might just avoid the area. Less pedestrian flow can mean lost sales, accessibility issues for customers and a less inviting streetscape, which can be damaging for mom-and-pop shops that already operate on thin margins.
The dispute could have opened the floodgates and sparked legal battles over public right-of-way, drained city resources or even led to financial pressure on nearby tenants if customer numbers dropped.
Constantinides emphasized that the community would have been more understanding if Della Vecchia had talked to his neighbors before taking action.
“There could have been a resolution here had he come to us and worked with the neighborhood and tried to say, ‘Look, here are my grievances. Here are the things I need fixed,’” he told Queens Post.
Instead, the situation became a neighborhood nightmare.
As of May 17, Della Vecchia had to either take the fence down or take his fight to court.
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