Saturday, August 11, 2007

On the waterfront

Since becoming mayor, Mike Bloomberg has promised to acquire more parkland for our city. In particular, this includes the waterfront. While Manhattan can be circumnavigated by a series of park-trails, the same cannot be said about Queens, where much of the waterfront remains in the hands of power companies and private residential developers. Attached are three candidates for park acquisition, all located on prime waterfront real estate.

1. The first is in the south- eastern extreme of Rosedale, surrounded by identical tract housing. Everyone has their own backyard, but wouldn't it be nice to create a waterfront park on the County Line for those whose backyards do not face Hook Creek? Wouldn't it be nice to create a nature preserve or boat ramp for the local residents?

2. The second is on the northern extreme of College point, where the purposely misspelled Soundview Pointe community is being built. The residents will have their own private waterfront park. To hell with the rest of us. Why not acquire the remaining empty sites for a public waterfront park that everyone can enjoy?
The homes have a private jitney service to the nearest subway station on the crowded 7 train. Why not open up a ferry dock here for quicker service to Manhattan? Just a suggestion. An image of Soundview Pointe homes is attached.

3. The third is a huge lot on the border of Whitestone and Beechhurst currently zoned for manu- facturing. This is a leftover from the days when the area actually had fishing boats and shipbuilding going on. Instead of having it rezoned for residential use and given to a politically-connected developer, why not rezone it for mixed use? The lot has the potential to become a destination for offices, light manufacturing, hopefully affordable homes, and a ferry terminal.

I am not an architect, but I'm sure my ideas can work out. Let's save these sites before they're turned into more luxury McMansions. More vacant lots/parkland candidates coming soon! - mazeartist

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Since becoming mayor, Mike Bloomberg has promised to acquire more parkland for our city. In particular, this includes the waterfront."

Why don't you give a map of the East River and show the private landgrabs, enclaves for the rich non-residents, and power plants?

You know, all those job creation public access projects we read about?

Anonymous said...

Waterfront is gold.

Developers know this when marketing their
"luxury" developments.

Often advertising "your own private beach" in promotional brochures.

Heaven forbid that there should be a public access park strip ringing all those overpriced
Mc Mansion enclaves.

That might bring in lower class elements ....the wrong ethnic groups....people of unacceptable complexions etc.

We all know the way the racist game is played!

Anonymous said...

We all sort of had water front homes during that recent rain storm that flooded the borough.

Anonymous said...

When speaking of the vacant land in the Whitestone/Beechurst area, you mention to rezone it to mixed use. So in a residential area, you would rather have light manufacturing and office space? which would increase the traffic in a predominantely residential area? Isnt this the sort of thing everyone was upset about in Beechurst when they opened up that day spa? Thats a business. It just sounds like, you guys are opposed to people with money. Granted, they may not build the nicest homes, but I think an ugly house would be nicer than an ugly factory or office building.

Anonymous said...

actually, rather than mixed use, how about a waterfront park?

Anonymous said...

A waterfront park would be fine too. I was just opposed to the suggestion of mixed use development.

Anonymous said...

I have to say that I don't understand the suggestion of mixed-use development if the point of the post was to say that the city needs more parkland along the waterfront.

mazeartist said...

By mixed use, I am hoping for offices and a school alongside housing and a park. Ferry service to Manhattan would also be nice.

As for manufacturing, with LIC turning to condos and Willets Point threatened by eminent domain, soon there will be on place left in our borough for manufacturing.

Anonymous said...

as a whitestone resident

PLEASE dont turn that lot into Mc Mansions i swear if they make it i will burn it down. mix use should be good affordable housing is good to because the shopping center is rite there