Saturday, May 16, 2009

Developers get around Dutch Kills rezoning

From the Daily News:

Dutch Kills residents thought new zoning laws passed last fall would end a barrage of high-rise hotel construction in the area.

They thought wrong.

Two developers have recently gotten around the new zoning, even though they failed to meet a construction deadline to qualify under the old guidelines.

One of those projects, a Marriott Hotel planned for 29-27 40th Road, was granted an exemption by the city Board of Standards and Appeals this year.

But the most recent case involving a project at 38-30 28th St. has baffled residents of the low-rise haven in Long Island City where at least 14 hotels are being built.

Buildings Department spokeswoman Carly Sullivan said the foundation had in fact been completed at 38-30 28th St.

"They should not have been issued a stop-work order," Sullivan said.


Photo from LIQCity.

13 comments:

Taxpayer said...

If you no longer want to be repeatedly overruled by the city Board of Standards and Appeals, then, on November 3, put Tony Avella into office as mayor.

His first accomplishment is to abolish this idiotic, corrupt, developer-owned, tax payer supported mob.

November 3 is your date to regain control of the city you own and pay for.

hahahahohohehehe said...

We are happy with the new zoning because we want new families to move into our community and go to our schools.

When we went to city planning they told us we were the only civic on NY to ask for an upzoning.

We are in favor of roofing over Sunnyside Yards for more development.

(paraphrased)

Gerry Walsh, president of Dutch Kills Civic Association
and only western Queens member of the Queens Civic Congress

Anonymous said...

This city just does NOT listen to its citizens. It will never learn.

Anonymous said...

What's the point of having zoning laws if the BSA easily hands out these exemptions? This is crap, Queens Crap!

Anonymous said...

Stop with the Tony Avella . No one knows who he is.
As for the hotels, this is crazy. They are too tall. There making them this high so the that there's a view.
For years hotels in the city have been closing and turn into condo's, since the real estate is more valuable.
So they decided to USE Queens for it's more affordable land and it's proximity to the Manhattan,airports and transit.
Don't hold your breath for this to stop. Maybe the building will be shorter, but there will be more off them.
Enjoy

Anonymous said...

Who in this city knew Mike Bloomberg before voting for him the first time other than the fact that he was rich?

Anonymous said...

1. Avella may be an ideal candidate but he is nowhere near Bloomberg in the fundraising and junk mailing department. So, unfortunately, I suspect Bloomberg will win because people don't think and just vote for whoever gets the most ad time.

2. WHO is going to stay in all these hotels? If there was some kind of REAL plan to make this a new mini-center of business with true mixed-use development that would create real lasting jobs, truly affordable housing, and a real community, I could get on board. But this looks like just a bunch of hotels being thrown up for no good reason. How do they even expect to make a profit?

neversleep said...

From the City Charter:
CHAPTER 27
BOARD OF STANDARDS AND APPEALS
§ 659. Constitution and appointment. a. There shall be an independent
board of standards and appeals located within the office of
administrative trials and hearings.

Tony Avella doesn't have any enemies... it's just that all of his friends hate him...

Anonymous said...

What does this have to do with Tony Avella.

This is a community that is failed by the system. It seems that everyone has let these people down. Wasn't there anyone in Queens Civic Congress that could have given them the heads up?

Is there no community preservation group that could have gone in there and countered Mickeljohn and Hunter College?

That community board?

Or do we just stand around and watch a community self-destruct?

Anonymous said...

Tony Avella voted for massive waterfront development.

No one cares about these people.

Like Long Island City getting displaced, these people are invisible.

Anonymous said...

CB1 the community board from hell.

Anonymous said...

Last month I had a friend in town and suggested they stay in one of hotels.

He is in construction.

I asked him what it was like.

He said they were nice only because they are still new. The construction was cheap and slapdash.

The walls were so thin, that a couple in the next room kept him up all night making 'whoopee'

Nice clientele to be 5 feet from someone's kids' bedroom.

Anonymous said...

Interesting.

In a blog for community preservation this is not about the rape of a community and how the system failed them, but the uselessness of BSA.

Be interesting to see what impact this massive development will have on the boro.