You are reading

Developers Sign on to Build Towers on 2 Empty Hunters Point South Parcels, Will Bring Over 1,100 Additional Units to Waterfront

Rendering for parcels F and G of the Hunters Point South development site (Hansel Architects)

Nov. 17, 2017 By Nathaly Pesantez

The city has at last revealed the developers chosen to build towers on two empty parcels of the ongoing Hunters Point South development site.

Gotham, the real-estate development firm, and RiseBoro Community Partnership, a non-profit focused on community building, have been picked by the city to bring over 1,120 units spread out over two towers on parcels F and G of the waterfront development.

More than 900 of the units will be permanently affordable, designed for residents with income levels from 30 percent to 145 percent of the area’s median income.

According to figures from the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), an AMI of 30 percent for a family of three, for example, translates to an income of $25,770. At 130 percent AMI for the same family size, the income equates to $111,670.

Affordable units are also reserved for seniors, with 93 apartments spread through the two buildings.

A total of about 40,000 square feet has also been provided for commercial space and community facilities, which may include a grocer, a bike shop, and small cafes and restaurants along Center Boulevard on parcel F. An art gallery, a recreational boathouse, and a job training facility may also form part of the sites.

The two parcels are located on the southernmost portion of the development and are flush along 57th Avenue and 2nd Street. The trapezoid-shaped parcel F, with an area of 32,500 square-feet, is bordered by Center Boulevard, and runs between 57th and 56th Avenues. Parcel G, at 28,700 square-feet, is located right above Newtown Creek.

Layout of Hunters Point South (EDC)

The developers were chosen after HPD released a request for proposals in 2016, calling for mixed-income apartments, ground floor commercial and community facilities, and publicly accessible open space at the two plots of land.

“Gotham has a long, proud history of developing high-quality homes that are accessible to New Yorkers at every income level. We’re excited to have the opportunity to work alongside RiseBoro, HPD and HDC to continue development of Hunters Point South,” said Brian Kelly, executive vice president of development for Gotham, in a statement.

“I hope that our project, which will offer housing, services, and opportunity for people of all ages and incomes, will be a beacon of diversity that provides the basis for the Hunters Point community to thrive,” said Scott Short, RiseBoro Community Partnership CEO, in a statement.

Lisa Deller, head of Community Board 2’s land use committee, said the community board was notified of the selection and of the $500 million project last night, despite multiple requests to learn about the top submissions in the running before a choice was made. The HPD and the city’s Economic Development Corporation have not agreed to share details on the submissions, claiming the confidential, competitive nature of the process.

“It’s generally a good plan,” Deller said about the complex. “There’s a lot of affordable housing, and that’s something we have been advocating for.”

While the number of affordable units pleased Deller, the overall fact that another thousand units are heading to Long Island City weighed on her. “This week has been overwhelming,” she said, pointing to the news of the Plaxall development up north on Anable Basin, which would see 5,000 units over the course of 15 years. “It’s a lot in one week—a lot to take in.”

Deller added that the community board will begin to reach out to Gotham and RiseBoro to start a dialogue about the project and its specifics. Based on community needs, an urgent care center at the site might be suggested by the board, and a discussion on transportation options in a densely-packed area—with no signs of stopping—will likely come about.

No details have been released on the height of the towers, along with information on an anticipated groundbreaking and completion for the two buildings. The number of units in each tower is also not yet known.

In addition to a tower, parcel F will see a stand-alone elementary school for 612 students in a 43,363 square-foot building. A ground-level playground will also be included. The school will likely be completed by the end of 2020, the SCA said in 2016.

The Hunters Point South waterfront development is composed of seven parcels, A through G. Parcels A and B, developed by Related Companies, were completed in 2015. Parcel C will see two towers, developed by TF Cornerstone, along with a 572-seat elementary school. With developers for parcels F and G finalized, the two remaining parcels, D and E, are still awaiting developer selection.

email the author: [email protected]

26 Comments

Click for Comments 
Anonymous

Ans still no solid transportation solutions for the massive amounts of people that are going to crowd the 7. Yes, the ferry is viable but limited. Mayor Lurch wants his Gentrifier Express but at a few billion leaving the taxpayer to front most of that…hell no. The development in LIC is beyond unsustainable.

6
17
Reply
Anonymous

Omg, it’s a runaway(7) train..Make it stop..Some developers may run out of money, – meaning, this overdevelopment will slow down. But it’s already too much. Lately, every time I read more units are being built, I start wondering if realty is purposely trying to give us heart attacks.. Wish the city would just build new housing strictly for low& middle incomes. That’s what’s needed..

4
1
Reply
Anonymous

Or they could just build high end market rate housing which will drive down the prices of your now, 10 year old, housing stock to something affordable to the middle class, and drive down pre and post war housing stock to something affordable to the lower class. This is the capatalist remedy when demand is extremely high. Bring the supply curve up to meet it.

Reply
BlindSociety

Are we still in the Cold War in that everything is still a Capitalism vs Socialism debate. Maybe someone should remind those anti-socialist soundbites what idealogy saved Capitalism from the great financial crisis.

17
Reply
RobLIC

The class war continues- even after the collapse of the phony-socialist/totalitarian states- just examine the new tax bill that takes from the poor to give even more to the rich. And democratic socialist groups are on the rise – and will continue to grow as the rich consolidate more and more of the nation’s wealth and use the money to automate so their are few jobs left.

15
1
Reply
deep thoughts

…because developers decide what to build on their land, not DeBlasio?

You’re suggesting that the means of production should be regulated by the community as a whole, which ironically makes you a socialist. Maybe you should ask for a dictionary for Christmas so you won’t be so confused.

8
13
Reply
Anonymous

Why are politicians like Mr van Beamer and Mr de Blasio deaf when it comes to need of the community for a professional, luxurious, privately run sports center with indoor- and outdoor laps pools, indoor basketball-, volleyball-, and soccer courts plus smaller rooms that can be rented by independent yoga-, martial arts-, and fitness instructors? Socialists don’t believe in private for-profit enterprises

Reply
MRLIC

When will our Community Board and Mayor and Council Member Van Bramer come to the rescue of the neighborhood. This is Overkill personified. Again, how about crowding the trains and bus even more. The Ferries can not handle all these people. WHEN WILL IT STOP?

2
18
Reply
MRLIC

When all parcels are developed you won’t want to live here. No open space, no stores except a Duane Reade and a Bank on every corner etc…etc….No Green Space, Overcrowded avenues and Trains which are already overcrowded. This is what you want Anonymous?????

2
15
Reply
MRIRONY

That isn’t what you wanted when you gave the world’s greediest developer even more power by voting for him for president?

14
3
Reply
Anonymous

Lol at no open space. You have premier waterfront green park space along the entire river, and another park that takes up an entire block. If you want to see no park space look at sunnyside, woodside, and astoria whose taxes pay for your awesome park space while they get almost none. If you dont want to live here, move to somewhere that will remind you of the old days like the industrial park on rust blvd. They still have the handful of run down rowhouses next to working chemical plants vibe that you miss. Just like the good old days when you could smell and see the chemicals in the air. You can even still dip your toe in Newtown Creek over there. Just like home.

Reply
MRIRONY

Yes we need to stop giving the greedy developers more power, the way you did when you voted for Trump.

16
1
Reply
MRLIC

Say something different for once. This is the neighborhood we are talking about. Trump is not developing these parcels. WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6
32
Reply
MRIRONY

Trump’s developments in Manhattan drive up demand and prices in nearby neighborhoods like, wait for it…….LIC! Thanks for contributing to the problem!

17
1
Reply
Stuck on Repeat

MRLIC, you’re not seriously telling someone to say something different for once? You say the same thing over and over again and just change the wording. The only positive of your regurgitation of the same point is the FAKE MRLIC posting.

16
Reply
MRLIC

Sometime I do reword things because people and Politicians don’t seem to understand either way I put my posts. However I do comment on a number of other things. Maybe you haven;t read them all. I do choose which things I feel most passionate about. Some minor things I won’t my attention to.

1
16
hope is here

Surely now that our president is a greedy real estate developer they’re really going to start cracking down on greedy real estate developers.

1
3
Reply

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News