Future development
Jan. 19, 2017 By Christian Murray
The Department of City Planning will present its analysis of the Queens Plaza/Court Square district at a public meeting January 31, representing a major step in its attempt to upzone the area in order to make provision for affordable housing.
The public meeting will held at the CUNY Law School auditorium (2 Ct Square W) on Tuesday, January 31 at 6pm. City Planning will also be holding a private meeting with property owners and other stakeholders on Monday, January 23.
The level of detail that the public will see when the “Long Island City Core Neighborhood Planning Study” is presented is unclear. However, what is known is that the core study will eventually morph into the rezoning document that is used by City Planning to kick off the rezoning process. The primary goal of the study is to convince the public that there is a need for an upzoning so the mayor can add affordable housing.
Penny Lee, with City Planning, said at Community Board 2’s Landuse Committee meeting last night that the Jan. 31 meeting will be a recap of what was announced in 2015. “It will be a reintroduction of the study area and its boundaries, [City Planning’s] goals and the objectives as well as some analysis of existing conditions.”
Lee said that City Planning is looking for feedback to see if the study area makes sense, whether it should be shrunk or expanded and what community concerns there are.
The study area was outlined two years ago (see map below). The area consists mainly of the district that underwent a significant upzoning in 2001—particularly by the subways. However, there are still small segments—particularly toward Queensbridge Houses– where there is room for additional development, City Planning has said.
Representatives from some city agencies will be in attendance. Officials from the Parks Department, Department of Transportation and Small Business Services will be there to answer questions, Lee said.
The MTA will have a representative at the meeting but “they will come to listen” and won’t be doing any type of presentation.
Lisa Deller, chair person of Community Board 2’s Landuse Committee, asked Lee what steps City Planning will take after the public meeting is held.
Lee said she expects City Planning to have ongoing discussions with various groups—such as civic associations—for about six months. From there, City Planning will craft its recommendations.
Deller expressed skepticism about City Planning’s goals. “I have to say that I have some concerns,” she said, adding that the study has caused some anxiety. “I understand the purpose of wanting to expand the opportunities for affordable housing…but this community is inundated with an acceleration of development.”
Core study (in red zone)
Featured Events
10 Comments
Please don’t put all the pressure on one area.
In LIC there should not be any M zoning anymore.
Specially 38th ave, 37th ave around 11th street there cause
Very close to the river and next to Manhattan. Those areas looks still so ugly. It should be nice residential areas. Wish city will pay attention.
https://s29.postimg.org/yeymffux3/fox.jpg
this is the expansion of manhattan into queens, and will result in only tall buildings blocking out the sky, higher cost of living for all, small business prices out with chains only able to afford retail space, displacement of residents, and is being done by our government at the wishes not of voters but of large real estate and financial interests. it has nothing to do with what is good for the residents and businesses and organizations and lives of those in queens. the infrastructure needed to support this massive tsunami of overdevelopment will cost us billions. our vote is very powerful and if make our views known, we have a choice in this.
Queens is by far the ugliest borough of NYC. If there are some streets or building worth saving, I support that wholeheartedly. What I see is a bunch of blue collar folks and artists who think that they can stop time one stop from Manhattan. You see a cheap place to hang out and make art in NYC, I see a blank canvas that is really exciting with a lot of possibilities. LI City is not a small town. It is a city next to a city. It is a giant cab depot, a bridge on and off ramp, a rail yard, a strip club, a housing project and with the exception of a few nice blocks worth saving, a black mark on the city and the borough. I know that gentrification is never easy and people get displaced but that is how and always has been how, cities grow. I love old buildings and nice neighborhoods but I don’t see them here. Sorry.
Then you don’t live here and aren’t looking.
I do live here. Only for 3 years. No emotional attachment. Just facts.
All due respect, “Queens is by far the ugliest borough of NYC” is no fact.
Brooklynmc hit the nail on the head. Rotting infrastructure is not quaint, and delapidated vinyl siding is not historic. The only parts of LIC that aren’t some variation of ugly are the towers and park by the water, an occasional building here and there, and a few blocks of brownstones. The rest needs an upgrade STAT.
There is an historic area, now zoned light manufacturing, small theater, art and design, film industry, redlined Solid historic buildings included, Queens Plaza north areas. Think Reiss Studios. Blowing up incubators, industry and the arts does nothing except aid developers. DeBasio is raising cash for his political career, on our borough.
Why bother w a meeting? They’ve already decided to do what they are going to do.
I would reject any upzoning if I were the community.