Local resident urges block renaming and warns developers to include longtime neighbors after Colosseum closure

An unidentified resident speaking at the forum on Feb. 27 said the closure of the Colosseum made the day "very emotional" and called for renaming the block in its memory. "Very emotional day thinking about the closure of the Colosseum, and we're gonna rename this block," the speaker said.

The resident, who identified personal ties to the area and said they grew up on 167th Street and attended Jamaica High School, framed the proposal as rooted in local history and community identity. "This is our home," the speaker said, citing memories and local entrepreneurs who emerged from the block.

The speaker dismissed a referenced petition by "mister Fingers," saying a formal petition was unnecessary and adding, "We got the power," an assertion of community agency. They thanked local allies, naming Dave and "mister Mengers," and said those relationships go back about two decades.

Most of the remarks were directed at developers working on the Colosseum site. "We're gonna send a very strong message to the developers ... that they need to incorporate our community into any planning," the speaker said, urging that redevelopment not convert the neighborhood into a Downtown Brooklyn–style project and that long-time residents "can remain in this community and can be centered through any development that's happening here."

The comments were delivered as public remarks; the transcript does not record a formal motion, petition result, or any vote on the rename or on developer conditions. No specific developer commitments, timelines, or funding measures were provided during the remarks. The forum record does not show a follow-up action assigned to staff or a scheduled vote.