URGENT NOTICE – PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT!

The public hearing concerning the controversial "Flushing Commons" project – the complete demolition and redevelopment of Municipal Parking Lot 1 – will be held during tonight's meeting of Queens Community Board 7 ("CB7"). This is the sole opportunity to influence CB7 members, before their upcoming vote to approve or defeat this very harmful TDC Development project.

Where: Queens Community Board 7 meeting at Union Plaza Care Center; 33-23 Union Street, Flushing.

When: Monday, March 22, 2010. Meeting starts at 7:00PM sharp, but the "Flushing Commons" topic is scheduled for 8:40PM. We recommend that you arrive by 8:00PM, in case the meeting proceeds quickly.

Although "Flushing Commons" is being promoted as a benefit to Flushing, in fact it is an inappropriate, monstrous project that will permanently inflict very severe, negative impacts on everyone who operates a business in or near Flushing, who resides in or near Flushing, or who relies on any nearby roadway. It will kill your business and ruin your quality of life.

As bad as Flushing street traffic already is, "Flushing Commons" will drastically worsen it. The City's own environmental report identifies 21 Flushing intersections that will experience "significant impacts" and gridlock as a direct result of "Flushing Commons". Examples of routine future mid-day traffic delays, taken from the City's official "Flushing Commons" report:

Northern & Main:
833.0 seconds traffic delay – nearly 14 minutes; twice as long as now.

Roosevelt & Union:
1086.0 seconds traffic delay – more than 18 minutes; 3 times longer than now.

37th Avenue & Union:
196.4 seconds traffic delay – more than 3 minutes; 25 times longer than now.

These delays will be permanent, not just during construction.

Actually, the traffic will be even worse than the City admits, because the City's report completely ignores the additional traffic that will simultaneously be generated by the SkyView Parc development, Willets Point megadevelopment, and many other large projects nearby. This is a disaster-in-the-making that must be stopped.

TimesLedger newspapers have reported that when asked about the severe traffic, TDC President Michael Meyer has said that "residents and workers may have to change their transportation habits to adapt to the urbanization of downtown Flushing." Look at Meyer's arrogance: WE must change OUR habits, to comply with TDC Development's takeover of large portions of Flushing!

NONSENSE. Any project that requires everyone to adapt to the severe impacts that it inflicts upon an already stressed area, is simply inappropriate and must NOT be approved.

It is not we who must change; it is Meyer and TDC, who must learn that they are NOT entitled to wreak their havoc on the area where we work and live.

Please attend tonight's public hearing to show your concern. Consider signing up at the back of the room for speaking time during the "Flushing Commons" portion of the hearing (each speaker is limited to 3 minutes, maximum) and express your opinion.