Skippy’s hot dog truck back on the road as owner gets the boot from long-time home. First it was Sandy. Now it’s the city.
Skippy’s hot dog truck returned to its Dongan Hills home of 60-plus years earlier this month. On a Friday morning, operator Dawn LaVigne anchored her 1996 Grumman at her long-time spot between Slater and Jefferson Avenues, a former grassy clearing once surrounded by cattails.
But the Department of Enviornmental Projection said otherwise to LaVigne after the city’s three-year long, multimillion dollar “Gateway to the Bluebelt” wetland overhaul.
“I came back to my spot two Fridays ago and someone from the DEP told me if I didn’t leave, he’d call the police to have me removed,” said LaVigne.
The freshwater project came in the wake of Hurricane Sandy to slow the rush of stormwater from neighborhood sewers, according to the DEP. Funding came from both DEP and an $4.9 million U.S. Department of Housing grant. The Department of Design and Construction oversaw the effort. It comes in the midst of various projects underway to transform the area’s wetlands into Bluebelts.
She was taken aback by the reception, especially since she thought her space was planned to be saved at the project’s completion. She took further offense at the notion of being displaced once again as a result of Hurricane Sandy. Her 1956 Metro International food truck, established by her parents in 1962, was a familiar roadside sight until it washed away in the storm in 2012.
“The DEP told me this park was for the community to use. I’m a lifelong resident of the community. This project happened because of Sandy. So it’s like...really? I can’t believe Sandy is affecting me still 10 years later,” said a disgusted LaVigne.
The “get out” approach, as she puts it, prompted her to reach out to politicians for a resolution. The upshot is that DEP wants to relocate Skippy’s to another permanent home at some point.
Said a spokesman for DEP, “In order to deliver flooding relief for the residents of Dongan Hills, Grant City and Todt Hill, the property that hosts the $121 million New Creek Bluebelt must be used for stormwater management only — this message has been consistently shared with everyone for many years. However, we understand that Skippy’s is a neighborhood institution and we have already offered to assist in finding a more suitable location nearby for them.”
GETTING THE POLITICIANS INVOLVED
LaVigne has not yet heard back from the DEP.
In response to the lack of response, she tried addressing the issue personally with local politicians. She attended a recent South Beach Civic Association meeting just prior to Election Day. When no elected officials showed up, she connected with Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis’ office just prior to the election. Last week, the congresswoman sent a letter to DEP Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala.
“Today, I write to urge you to expedite the process of finding one of Staten Island’s beloved small businesses, Skippy’s hot dog truck, a new permanent location and by presenting a list of alternative location options for the truck as soon as possible.”
Malliotakis continued, “While we understand your agency’s reason for removing Skippy’s from the original spot due to concerns over potential damage to the recently completed Bluebelt project and traffic hazards, alternative locations must be given promptly to ensure this small business can continue to remain open to the public and operated efficiently.”
The congresswoman said she understood the need to address flooding and traffic congestion and appealed for a “safe location for patrons to stop by and eat.”
The letter said, “Many Staten Islanders are eagerly awaiting the return of this neighborhood institution and its owner, Dawn LaVigne, is more than deserving of a suitable location to secure her livelihood.” Malliotakis encouraged the DEP to see the process through and provide the congresswoman’s office with information on Skippy’s new location.
A HOPE FOR EXPEDIENCY
LaVigne said she reached out multiple times to the Borough President’s Office. A spokeswoman told the Advance on Friday that Skippy’s situation was on their radar and they were looking to work on it with the DEP.
By Monday early afternoon, the DEP spokesman assured, “DEP is preparing a list of other locations we own not far from their original spot where we will allow the owner to park the truck; and we will also put up a temporary sign at the original spot directing customers to the new location, once it has been chosen.”
LaVigne typically packs up for the season at the first significant snowfall, then returns in the spring.
She concluded, “My thing is that I have the community to back me up. I have people coming to my house asking, ‘What can I do?’ I don’t have much longer to go working the truck. Maybe five years, tops? I wish everyone would move a little faster on getting this resolved.”