EDC plan for 30-acre waterfront development approved

Council approved plan after EDC made further concessions on affordable housing. On November 13, 2008, the City Council voted to approve the NYC Economic Development Corporation’s Hunter’s Point South plan, a mixed-income 30-acre waterfront development in Long Island City, Queens. The project met with controversy at Council’s October 24th Zoning & Franchises Subcommittee public hearing and at the City Planning Commission’s August 13th public hearing. Opponents testified that the project lacked a sufficient amount of … <Read More>


Queens residential development plan approved

Commission and Council Member Avella pleased with developer’s decision to reduce proposed number of units from 114 to 52. On October 29, 2008, the City Planning Commission approved 151-45 Sixth Road Whitestone Partners LLC’s plan to develop 52 single-family homes in the Whitestone neighborhood of Queens, just south of the East River between the Whitestone and Throgs Neck Bridges.

Whitestone Partners originally sought to develop the 12.8 acre parcel with 114 detached, semidetached, and attached … <Read More>


BSA variance on Staten Is. residential site upheld

Appellate Division reverses lower court in a three-two opinion. GAC Catering Inc. purchased a one-family home on the corner of Otis Avenue and Hylan Boulevard in Staten Island, across the street from its catering business. GAC demolished the house, and applied to BSA for a variance from residential zoning in order to construct a two-story commercial building to be used as a photography studio in conjunction with GAC’s catering hall. In support of its application, … <Read More>


EDC Purchases a One-Acre Site in Coney Island

Announcement comes about three months after Thor Equities failed to close on the same parcel. On October 15, 2008, the NYC Economic Development Corporation announced that it entered into a property acquisition agreement with Ward Realty Corp. for the purchase of a one-acre site in the amusement core of Coney Island, Brooklyn. The site, located within the nine-acre area that the City has designated to be parkland, is the current home of the Wonder Wheel … <Read More>


Proposed Pier 17 development arouses controversy

Developer intends to relocate the Tin Building, site of the former Fulton Fish Market. On October 21, 2008, Landmarks considered a presentation on the redevelopment of Pier 17 in the South Street Seaport Historic District. Developer General Growth Properties, which leases much of the South Street Seaport from the City, intends to demolish the Pier 17 Mall, relocate the 1907 Tin Building to the east end of Pier 17, and construct a new seven-building mixed-use … <Read More>


Variance granted for Northern Boulevard site

Applicant claimed that slope, location, and soil contamination necessitated variance. Northern LLC applied to BSA for a variance to build a five-story 40-unit residential building with 63 parking spaces at 241-15 Northern Boulevard, an irregularly-shaped vacant gasoline station in Douglaston, Queens. During the hearing process, Northern modified and reduced its proposal. Northern’s fourth version called for a three-story 24-unit residential building and partial subsurface parking lot with 34 accessory parking spaces and three reservoir spaces. … <Read More>