PlanNYC: Flushing Development

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Flushing Development

The Flushing neighborhood of Queens has seen a significant increase in development in recent years, transforming the neighborhood into a major housing and commercial center. The 450,000-square-foot Flushing Promenade has been completed, including five buildings of retail and housing. The future will bring the mixed-use Flushing Town Center and Flushing Commons developments, each of which will cost over $500 million and will bring a total of 1,500 residential units and 1,100,000-square-feet of retail development to the region. Significant work is also being done on Flushing’s waterfront; in accordance with the city’s Waterfront Access Plan, new walkways and bicycle paths have been built along the city-owned portions of Flushing’s waterfront. Also of note, a new 17-story building will be built at the site of Flushing’s historic RKO Keith’s theater. The grand lobby of the theater, however, will be preserved.

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Waldheim Rezoning Plan Moves Forward

Tuesday, April 29, 2008 | New York Daily News | Topic: Land Use

Rezoning for the Waldheim area of Flushing, Queens is expected to move forward this week as representatives from the Department of City Planning (DCP) unveil their plans and will hear feedback from the community. The goal of the rezoning is to preserve the single and double family homes in the area. Community Board 7 is expected to vote as early as June in favor of the rezoning. Some use the Waldheim rezoning as an opportunity to criticize DCP delaying the North Flushing rezoning.

Downtown Flushing Sees Immense Growth

Friday, April 18, 2008 | New York Daily News | Topic: Land Use

The area of downtown Flushing has become a thriving city corridor with crowded streets, abundant retail space and businesses. Some of the growth can be attributed to new condos and a new stadium in the area.

Rent-Stabilized Flushing Properties Attract Buyers

Monday, March 17, 2008 | New York Daily News | Topic: Economic Development

The announcement that Bowne St. Partnership is selling off a packages of properties, including rent-stabilized buildings and pre-approved plans for a 12-story building, on 38th Ave. and Bowne St. in Flushing has attracted several interested buyers. The buildings are in an area that is likely to boom economically when nearby areas, such as Willets Point and Flushing Town Center, are redeveloped. Because of the uncertain real estate market, rent-stabilized buildings are also attractive to buyers because the investment risk is low.

Flushing and Willets Point Development Losing Steam, Says City Councilman

Thursday, October 11, 2007 | Times Ledger | Topic: Land Use

Redevelopment plans for three projects in the Flushing area are stalling according to City Councilman John Liu. The first project has already been pulled by RKO and Keith. Development of a second site, Municipal Lot 1, by Flushing Commons LLP is losing support from the community and little progress from the city's Economic Development Corporation has been made. Lastly, the Willets Point redevelopment is lingering due to public approval process delays.

Flushing Bird Sanctuary Likely to Be Landmarked

Monday, September 24, 2007 | New York Daily News | Topic: Historic Preservation & Landmarks

The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is expected to award Flushing’s Voelker Orth Museum, Bird Sanctuary and Victorian Garden landmark status. A public hearing was held at the Bird Sanctuary recently and the Commission is expected to take up the case in the next couple of weeks. The LPC is advocating for this designation because of the importance of the garden and bird sanctuary to the Museum.

Construction of Residential and Commercial Buildings in Flushing

Monday, September 10, 2007 | The Real Deal | Topic: Land Use

New development has started on a five-tower, residential and commercial use area in Flushing. The project, developed by the Lev Group, will include three residential buildings and two commercial buildings. The commercial facilities will be used for retail, office and hotel space. Mountain View Capital is co-developing the project.

Councilman Calls For Rezoning of Northern Flushing

Thursday, August 09, 2007 | Other | Topic: Land Use

Councilman Tony Avella has called for the speedy rezoning of Northern Flushing, as the larger multi-family dwelling continue to spring up in the neighborhood. The Planning Department is currently working on a rezoning plan, but residents feel that any wait makes the situation worse.

Catalyst for Growth: A Failed Olympic Bid

Sunday, March 18, 2007 | Crain's New York Business | Topic: Economic Development

New York's loss to London in its attempt to host the 2012 Olympics has steered the city onto a path of economic development and rebuilding, according to Crain's New York Business. The article details how many current development projects in New York, particularly those situated on prime waterfront property and suited for transportation sites and housing, are fruits of the failed bid. Deputy Mayor Daniel Doctoroff, who worked with Yale urban planner Alex Garvin, engineered a plan to redevelop underutilized land in the city for the Olympics. The plan, according to Doctoroff, is now informing the city's sustainable growth plan for the year 2025.

Tension Grows Between Queens Community Board and EDC

Friday, March 09, 2007 | Queens Tribune | Topic: Economic Development

The tenuous relationship between the city's Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and Queen's Community Board 7 was apparent at a meeting last week between the two. At issue are several EDC projects in Queens that the community board believes have not received enough public input, including: the purchase of a public buffer zone by a private contracting company near the Whitestone Expressway; the New York Times' Queens plant expansion; the reconstruction of Linden Place to include four lanes of traffic that will end at 23rd Avenue, and the redevelopment of the Flushing Airport. Community Board 7 has vowed to vote against all the projects until the EDC meets their demands.

City Council Approves Downzones in Queens

Friday, March 09, 2007 | Queens Courier | Topic: Land Use

Sections of Queens will feature more prominently one-and two-family detached homes after the City Council voted unanimously to bring sections of Queensboro Hill, Cedar Grove, Flushing-on-the-Hill, and Kissena Heights from a higher density residential category to a lower one. The new regulations, which change the neighborhood zoning from R4 to R3X and R4A, will provide for lower densities and more single-family residences. The final plan approved by the Council was a compromise of an original proposal by Queens Community Board 7 and Borough President Helen Marshall that called for only single-family residences. Council Member John Liu praised the rezoning for protecting the integrity of the low-density residential neighborhoods of Queensboro Hill.

Flushing Community in Queens Calls for More Affordable Housing

Friday, March 09, 2007 | Queens Tribune | Topic: Housing

Advocates and public officials gathered this week in Western Flushing to call for affordable housing on a 28-acre tract of land, which is currently zoned for light industry. The advocates of a rezoning include Council Member John Liu, State Senator Toby Stavisky, and the group Asian Americans for Equality. The group is doing a study of Western Flushing and surrounding neighborhoods to determine the viability of affordable housing structures in the area. Many see the opportunity to make Western Flushing a "gateway community," a place open to the influx of new immigrants to New York.

A Call for More Landmarks in Queens

Friday, January 19, 2007 | Queens Chronicle | Topic: Historic Preservation & Landmarks

This piece by the Queens Chronicle advocates for the use of landmark designations to preserve historical neighborhoods in Queens, like Sunnyside Gardens, from the continued growth of commercial and residential real estate development. Citing the borough’s lack of landmarking relative to Manhattan and Brooklyn, the Chronicle argues that landmarks actually preserve neighborhood unity and increase quality of life, contrary to the claims of landmarking critics.

Developer Discusses Flushing Town Center

Tuesday, December 05, 2006 | GlobeSt.com | Topic: Economic Development

Joshua Muss, developer of the $600 milliion Flushing Town Center near Shea Stadium in Downtown Flushing, recently announced that anchor tenants for the site include Home Depot, Target, and Best Buy. Muss also contended that demand for housing would fill the site’s residential units. The Flushing Town Center, 3.2 million square foot retail center, along with 1,200 apartment units and substantial parking, is a product of the City’s rezoning of the area.

Large Recreation Center to Open in Flushing

Tuesday, October 31, 2006 | New York Daily News | Topic: Urban Design & Architecture

A $60 million recreation complex, the largest ever built in a city park at 70,000 square feet, will soon be finished in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. Near the Van Wyck Expressway, the facility will be home to an Olympic-size public pool and a professionally standard ice rink. The city hopes the park will create a great attraction.

Flushing Rezoning Advances

Friday, October 27, 2006 | Queens Chronicle | Topic: Land Use

Community Board 7 in Flushing Queens has approved a rezoning plan for the Queensboro Hill neighborhood. The rezoning covers an area bounded by College Point Boulevard, 164th Street, Kissena Park and Queens College. The proposal now goes to the borough president, and then City Planning before a vote by the City Council.

Money For Queens Projects

Thursday, September 14, 2006 | Queens Tribune | Topic: Economic Development

Nearly $40 million will spent on projects in Queens as part of a $100 million agreement between New York City and the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey to improve the airports in Queens and their surrounding neighborhoods. Projects include planting trees in Jamaica, revamping the marina in Flushing, and conducting studies to alleviate traffic jams at JFK and LaGuardia Airports and on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.

Changes To The RKO Plan

Saturday, August 26, 2006 | Queens Tribune | Topic: Housing

Changes in planning for the RKO Keith’s theater property on Northern Boulevard in Flushing, Queens are causing delays. Planners would now like to include the addition of “occupation residences,” but the Land Use Committee of Community Board 7 sees this as a new traffic concern. The new design will affect about 25% of the project’s units while they will be advertised as work-at-home apartments.

Developer Finds Equity Partner for $1B Flushing Deal

Thursday, August 10, 2006 | Other | Topic: Finance

Moving along in the development process, Muss Development L.L.C. has selected Onex Real Estate as its equity partner for the construction of Flushing Town Center.

Comptroller Impressed With Flushing's Economic Situation

Thursday, July 06, 2006 | Queens Chronicle | Topic: Economic Development

According to State Comptroller Alan Hevesi the future is bright in Flushing. Havesi cited rising employment, wages and population.

Future's Bright for Queens

Thursday, June 15, 2006 | Queens Tribune | Topic: Politics & Government

New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi joined Borough President Helen Marshall and the Queens Economic Development Corporation to report a growing and vibrant Queen's economy, calling it "an attractive place to live" and the "immigrant center of the world."

New Waterfront Coming Soon

Thursday, June 01, 2006 | Queens Chronicle | Topic: Waterfront

Say goodbye to the abandoned cement plants and overgrown weeds. Construction has begun on an $800 million retail and housing development at Flushing’s waterfront.

World’s Fair Proposed for Queens

Monday, May 01, 2006 | Gothamist | Topic: General

The Bureau of International Exhibitions is considering New York to host the World’s Fair in 2012 or 2015. Twenty years since the last fair, the Flushing Meadows Corona Park World’s Fair Association is eager to accept the opportunity. Standing in the way of the deal are political tie ups that require Mayor Bloomberg and President Bush’s approval.

Finding Space For New New Yorkers

Monday, April 17, 2006 | Gotham Gazette | Topic: General

Since 1990, New York has absorbed an additional 800,000 residents since 1990 and needs to find ways of accommodating them. A number of large transportation projects, rezonings in the Greenpoint/Williamsburg area, and development in Flushing are all expected to help the city adapt to its new residents.

Zoning Review In Queens

Thursday, April 13, 2006 | Queens Tribune | Topic: Land Use

14 Queens neighborhoods are under zoning review by the Department of City planning. The review is intended to develop zoning ideas that would develop the various neighborhoods.

Flushing Homeowners Press For Landmark Status

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 | | Topic: Historic Preservation & Landmarks

The Broadway-Flushing Homeowners Association is pushing for landmark status of its neighborhood. If granted, and changes will require approval by the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission. The local community board recently OK'd the landmark proposal 33-0.

A Friendly Street Project

Tuesday, March 28, 2006 | Other | Topic: Economic Development

Mel Bankoff and builder Jason Elmendorf are contemplating putting a mixed-use development project at the Friendly street site. The project would include a restaurant, offices, row houses and apartments.

Housing Stock to Increase

Wednesday, March 22, 2006 | Other | Topic: Land Use

Land Use hearings in Borough Hall indicate that the housing stock in Long Island City and Flushing is likely to increase. Variances are being granted to those willing to keep community goals in mind.

RKO Plan OK'd

Wednesday, December 14, 2005 | New York Daily News | Topic: Economic Development

After a three-year battle, a 17-story "world-class building" proposed for the site of the former RKO Keith's Theater in Flushing received final approval yesterday from the city's Board of Standards and Appeals.

Construction is expected to take only half the amount of time it took to get the approval.

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