Friday, October 11, 2013

Analyzing this week's 3 approved megadevelopment projects

From Crains:

City lawmakers reached a last-minute agreement with City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. (D, Queens) that paves the way for a thumbs up vote by the council Wednesday afternoon of the $1 billion Halletts Point residential project on the Astoria waterfront. Under the deal the city will agree to study the feasibility of adding ferry service to the site, a key concern of Mr. Vallone, whose district includes Hallets Point.

Of course, they voted yes. Of course, there won't ever be a ferry to this location, because the only guaranteed thing is a "study".

From Crains:

The approval of the project comes after Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras, whose district includes Willets Point, announced she had reached a last-minute deal for concessions she had been seeking in exchange for her support. When it comes to real estate dealmaking and other decisions like zoning changes, the City Council almost always defers to the wishes of the councilmember whose district encompasses the project.

The agreement negotiated by Ms. Ferreras, the developers and the administration calls for 872 new affordable housing units, or 35% of the total residential units in the first phase of the project; $15.5 million from the developers to fund a new nonprofit to improve and maintain Flushing Meadows Corona Park; 25% of the project contracts to go to minority- and women-owned businesses and $930,000 to help those businesses compete for the work; $15.5 million from the city to help Willets Point businesses relocate to make way for the development; a 1,000-seat K-8 public school, and space for community groups, a library, a day care facility and a public plaza in front of the mall.

The Bloomberg administration will also put $72 million in next year's city budget for design and construction of two highway ramps essential to the residential portion of the project. That money had been relegated to distant fiscal years.


There actually is still no guarantee that any housing will be built, because it's written into the contract that they don't have to build it. Flushing Meadows doesn't need another conservancy, the Willets Point tenant businesses were never offered relocation (they're quite pissed about that), and promising community facilities for a community that will never be built is kind of an easy thing to do. And taxpayers are stuck paying for ramps for the Wilpons' folly. Also, I'm not sure how Bloomberg can put $72 in next year's budget when he will be sipping cocktails in Bermuda.

Once again, the media is not doing their job and questioning the details, just regurgitating EDC press releases.

From the Queens Courier:

“It was important for me to honor the history of the building over the last 20 years and to recognize what it had become to the graffiti and aerosol art world,” said Van Bramer.

However, according to Marie Cecile Flageul, 5Pointz artists are furious a second hearing, previously promised by Van Bramer, never happened and although 40 speakers stood up to speak at the October 2 public hearing, no one really listened.

“It was a beautiful horse and pony show,” said Flageul. “About half way through the testimonies, almost every council person had left the room. Every single person that took the day off to come and speak, wasted their time because there has been no follow up.”

Flageul also said to date no 5Pointz artists have been contacted or offered to work within the art studios or be featured on the art panels. There have also been no commitments in writing stating everything promised would actually take place once the towers come up.


The artists have filed for a TRO. Good luck, kids!

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

How is it possible that our elected officials do not represent the wishes of the people that they are in office to represent?

Why do these positions exist at all? Are they basically just lobbyists for the construction industry paid for by NYC taxes?

Perhaps these positions should be eliminated and we could just rely on our state senators.

Because Tony Avella is the only politician in Queens that actually gives a shit about the people that voted for him!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

No comments? Is it OK to infer from the lack of comments that no one really gives a shit about 5pointz?

Queens Crapper said...

Looks like you spoke too soon. I don't moderate comments every 2 minutes.

Anonymous said...

Tony Avella dropped from the Queens VP race at the behest of his democratic party leader to make room for Katz. That's how he gives a shit. Don't forget so soon!

Anonymous said...

Except Tony Avella abandoned the needs of his district to crusade against pretty much everything in Queens.

Anonymous said...

I think the Hallets ferry is a lot more likely than the Willets Housing. A heavily subsidized ferry that taxpayers from here to Alaska will pay for whether they use it or not, but a ferry nonetheless. It's one of those trendy 'progressive' things, you see.

Jerry Rotondi said...

I hope you like my drawing Councilman "Jimmy"!

You should have recused yourself from voting on the Wolkoff project (after accepting Wolkoff campaign contribution money) like I requested of you at the city council subcommittee hearing on zoning and franchises.

Payback is a bitch--ain't it?

Missing Foundation said...

One of the reasons there are not many comments here is that this is all expected by the world of Crapland.

The issue here - and we are still all out on how to go about it - is how to derail this.

A waste of money, an environmental disaster, a health risk, etc. etc. etc.

When the future looks back and wonders how people so smart fell for something so stupid, let them dig up old pages of Crappy.

It will be like finding a diamond from a time best left under the blade of a bulldozer.

Anonymous said...

You don't need many comments, bub when you've got some damn good lawyers..

Tuesday a lawsuit was filed on behalf of many 5 Pointz artists in federal district court. I believe it was based on the NARA law. That's been already upheld in court!

Anonymous said...

Correction...it's the VARA law.

I think it's an acronym for the visual arts (artists's ?) rights act....whatever.

The case is being presented at 3:00 PM in federal district court tomorrow...Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn, N.Y.

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