Not exactly an urban renewal project

From the Daily News:

The city missed out on a chance to purchase a piece of property in Rockaway that will now be developed into a transient hotel, officials said.

The lot, located at Rockaway Beach Blvd. and Beach 44th St., is part of the Edgemere Urban Renewal Area and was listed in city documents as a site that could be acquired as part of that project.

Instead, the property was snatched up by a private owner who is planning to build a six-story hotel on it.

Local residents are fighting the plan, saying a hotel could ruin their efforts to revive the neighborhood.

“We can’t dwell on what they didn’t do,” said Stephen Cooper of the Frank Avenue Civic Association of Edgemere. “We’re looking forward to political actions and community actions that can be taken.”

Cooper said the group is hoping to put pressure on Sandhu — with the help of local officials — and change his mind about the project.

Opponents are mulling a plan to visit his Long Island neighborhood for a protest.