Sunday, June 5, 2011

Another massive project headed to Flushing - someday

From the Times Ledger:

River Park Place, a five-tower, mixed-use development project, has long been planned for the Flushing River waterfront, but Community Board 7 Vice Chairman Chuck Apelian has never heard of the project.

The plan by Manhattan’s LEV Development would bring more than 1 million square feet of residential and commercial space to 39-08 Janet Place, the neglected vacant area between Assi Plaza and Sky View Parc, according to LEV President and Chief Executive Officer Eddie Shapiro.

“It was going to be towers.” Shapiro said. “We’re still involved with it. It’s going to be 1 million square feet, but right now we can’t get financing for it .... we won’t be getting financing for it in the near future.”

The plan, as laid out on LEV’s website, is for 450 condominiums as well as hotel, office and retail space on the lot, also identified as 131-35 Roosevelt Ave.

But there are no current permits for construction at the site, and one that would have allowed for construction of a residential building there expired in March, according to city records.

Chuck Apelian, vice president of CB 7, said he had never heard mention of the project until last week and it had never come before the board in any form.

“It’s not a variance or a rezoning application. Every piece of land has the opportunity to build — that’s what as-of-right is — but it has not come before us,” he said.

But he added that the project, which he called “huge,” may face significant hurdles because the water table is high in that area right next to the Flushing River, meaning parking would most likely have to be built above ground there.

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

How come Apelian never heard of the project? His palms weren't greased. Give him and his sleazeball partner Kelty a chance. I can see the variances as clear as day!

Anonymous said...

Parking. Above ground parking. This is the only issue he can think of off hand.

Queens gets what it deserves, people.

Queens Crapper said...

Have you ever tried to enter or exit the 7 train at Main Street during rush hour?

That's why this is a bad idea.

Anonymous said...

What is with wanting to live on the banks of the cesspool that is the Flushing "River?"

Anonymous said...

Come on Crappy - everyone knows that but the problem, like that woman from Queens that gave her entire estate to the Doomsday jerk, is that the people in this borough are so freakin' stupid, and if this continues, will soon be legendary.

Anytime anyone tries to make any headway in this borough, their erstwhile allies do something stupid to trip them up. In the background, the pols are laughing their asses off.

Meanwhile, monster projects like this, if they are mentioned, get a square inch rendering in the papers.

When it gets built (and you know that after scripted posturing to confuse the weak opposition) it will get built. THEN you have the pols showing up at the crowded subway station (or whatever) blaiming the mayor, Albany, the governor, hell, Jedda the Hut for that matter and the media dutifully treating it like news.

And of course, a knot of local Queens residents standing with a beaming pol holding signs saying "Queens Saved."

Jerry Rotondi said...

Chuck---
please let's get this perfectly clear.

Are you saying that you didn't hear about a building project scheduled for the north side of the #7 line until now?

Others, along with myself, heard about it years ago---at about the same time that Muss started his groundbreaking on the opposite side of the tracks.

Please elaborate upon, if or why the community board was unaware of this.

The Flushing Phantom said...

RU kidding?

Those jellyfish board members will rubber stamp this new project "OK, as of right", as usual!

After all, these egotists want to keep their positions on CB#7.

Most of them don't even live anywhere near to the affected area anyway.

Appelian lives in north Flushing and Kelty lives in Whitestone.

So WTF should they care?

Neither of them ride the dangerously overcrowded #7 line!

Anonymous said...

Just watch. Someone will start demanding the construction of a new station on the 7 line over there.

Anonymous said...

Building a new Main Street station won't cut it.

The antiquated #7 line is a slow moving 3 track system.

Other NYC lines have 2 express tracks.

The MTA would have to rebuild the complete line!

Ching Chow said...

A riddle:

How many Chinese can you squeeze into an overcrowded subway car?

With the proper brand of wok oil, you can always slip a dozen or so more of them in.

Anonymous said...

Le Wago"ns Lits de "Orient Express....sleek and luxurious!

Floo-shings #7 "Oriental Express"....
slow and squalid!

Anonymous said...

I have "Crapper".

That's why I'm now straining my financial resources by buying an LIRR monthly commuter ticket from Auburndale.

Better to go broke then get pushed onto the #7 tracks by a horde of Asiatics rushing to position themselves to grab a seat when the train pulls in!

Anonymous said...

Compared to downtown Flushing these days....life is looking better even in Nigeria!

3rd world living has finally reached its peak in Floo-shing.

Anonymous said...

Anon No. 9:

That's my point. And a lot of subway lines only have two or three tracks.

Anonymous said...

FLUSHING IS A DUMP NUKE IT!!!! WHO WOULD WANT TO LIVE NEXT TO THE STINKING FLUSHING RIVER & THE BLAND PUBLIC HOUSING!?!?!?

Claire Shillman said...

Anonymous said...
What is with wanting to live on the banks of the cesspool that is the Flushing "River?"

------------------------------------------------

What are you talking about? Flushing River doesn't smell!!!

Tubby Stashitsky said...

Agreed, Claire!

Anonymous said...

Others, along with myself, heard about it years ago---at about the same time that Muss started his groundbreaking on the opposite side of the tracks.


MUSS, as in Adrian J Royce, and Sweeney?

Anonymous said...

Parking and racism. Fine blog you've got here.

Anonymous said...

Doubt it can happen. Unlike Manhattan and part of Brooklyn Flushing has no bedrock. Are that to build towers on glacial remains ?

Citifield is already sinking and cracking

Met Head said...

Citifield is already sinking and cracking

------------------------------------------------

I knew it! Do tell!
Boy do I miss Shea.

Anonymous said...

Oh, and the Asians aren't racists?
They don't dislike "Blacks & Latinos?

Asians want colored minorities out of Flushing...period!

And so do a lot of pols, real estate holders, even some community board seven members....but they certainly won't admit it publicly.

So cut your BS about parking & racism.

You're, most likely, a racist too.

And this blog does just fine just like it is.

Count the daily hits!

georgetheatheist said...

Racism? Perhaps sociology.

Anonymous said...

How are they building all these tall structures right next to LGA

Anonymous said...

How are they building all these tall structures right next to LGA

So they can then condemn LaGuardia Airport and steal the property through eminent domain. That was an easy one.

Anony2 said...

I actually feel bad for the residents of the Bland. The Asians took their park and their supermarkets and their view.

Anonymous said...

I actually feel bad for the residents of the Bland. The Asians took their park and their supermarkets......

Don't worry. I saw one time a teenage rob a iphone from an asian girl and ran into the Bland.

Anonymous said...

A (Black?) teenager stealing an "I-pod" from an Asian girl?

It's called wealth redistribution!

Maybe that Asian girl shouldn't have been flaunting it.

Anonymous said...

FYI:

"...Carry me back to 'ol Virginny...".

Bland, whom the Bland Housing Project" is named for, wrote the words to that old tune.

Anonymous said...

Can't wait to see chuck,Jean,marilyn,AJ,et.al, in handcuffs