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Some Queens residents are furious over the construction of a 485-bed, six-story St. John’s University dormitory in a residential section of Jamaica Estates. Residents contend the university did not consult the community before deciding to build the dorm and that it tried to cover up the project.

Letters written by area representatives contend the university denied being connected to the project until it was confirmed through records from the Department of Buildings it had entered a leasing agreement for the site and that it was, indeed, responsible for the construction taking place.

The dorm is being built at 172-14 Henley Road in Jamaica Estates next to one-family homes. The dorm will be ready for occupancy in 2009.

The university currently only has dorms located on its campus in Fresh Meadows, and is generally considered a commuter school.

St. John’s said in a Sept. 18 statement it didn’t enter into a lease agreement for the property until Aug. 7 and that’s why it didn’t involve the community. “Early public dialogue on this issue would have been premature and speculative on the university’s part,” the university said.

“As with other off-campus controlled properties that the university maintains, we intend to continue our ongoing commitment to provide the necessary resources and supervision to ensure the fine relationships we have developed to date with community members and our students,” the university said.

State Sen. Frank Padavan wrote to the university’s president: “St. John’s University should be embarrassed by the manner in which it concealed this plan and concealed it from members of the community.”

His statement was echoed by Councilman Jim Gennaro, who penned “Whenever any institution makes decisions and conducts major business in stealth – even from its own people – bad things happen. That’s what this dorm is to us – a bad thing, a sucker punch to the community.”

Residents who live on and around Henley Street strongly object to the new six-story structure and said it will disrupt both the ascetics and the feel of their neighborhood.

“I’m outraged,” said Lord Chester So, who lives directly across the street from the construction site. “It’s going to overshadow everything – every other building in this neighborhood.”

So added that parking would be tight since the university is planning to only create 60 to 80 parking spaces at the dorm.

He also noted there are already existing water pressure and drainage problems in the immediate neighborhood and the dorm would be an added strain. “It’s such a massive project,” he said.

So pointed out the project is possible in this residential neighborhood because the side of the street being built on is zoned for multi-family homes, as opposed to his side of the street.

Other residents are equally as outraged.

“It’s going to be hell, a bunch of teenagers running around,” said Jean Bradett, who lives around the corner from the construction on Highland Avenue. “They should build it on their own campus.”

Bradett said if she lived closer to the dorm that she would move. “It has nothing to do with what people want anymore,” she said of the decision to build the dorm.

Evelyn Altenburg, who has lived in her house located directly next to the construction since 1943, is one of several community members who, along with So, met recently with representatives from the university.

Altenburg noted that this week a stop-work order was issued on the property and that no construction has taken place since.

She said she was totally taken aback when she learned what was being constructed next to her home, and that she believed it was more multi-family structures.

“We thought they were building more of those three-story houses,” Altenburg noted.

She added, “We don’t like it. Let’s face it, it’s going to be 485 teenagers with cars, drinking.”

Bradett agreed. “I don’t want 485 teenagers in my backyard,” she said.