As Mayor de Blasio pushes his Sunnyside Yards affordable housing megaproject forward, one elected official is warning that “this is a critical time for our neighborhoods in western Queens.” State Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan (D-Ridgewood) announced Feb. 19 that Ira Greenberg, an attorney from Sunnyside Gardens, has joined her staff to work on transportation, housing and zoning issues related to the threat of over-development in western Queens.
“I look forward to having Ira Greenberg as a part-time counsel in my office as we face the challenges in preserving our communities,” Nolan said. “Keeping our neighborhoods strong in the face of ongoing development pressures is a priority of mine. Having someone with Ira Greenberg’s skills and experience will help my office and our community.”
Nolan said Greenberg would work with agencies, residents and all parties to make sure our local voice is heard. She pointed out Greenberg will be in the office to respond to any new proposals while she is at work in Albany.
Greenberg, who has lived in Sunnyside or Woodside his whole life, and currently lives in Sunnyside Gardens with his wife and two children, is keenly aware of the rising level of anxiety in the neighborhood. One community activist, Patricia Dorfman of the Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce, is planning to make T-shirts that say “Queens Lives Matter” to capture the sense of unease that is coarsing through the neighborhood. “It may seem insensitive to those with life and death grievances, but “Queens Lives Matter’ sums up the problem for me,” Dorfman said.
Greenberg, who was president of the chamber for three years, said, “People are nervous despite the fact that construction would be many years away. One thing I do know is if they spend an exorbitant amount of money just to build a deck over the yards, they’re going to have to get their money back and that means thousands more units in much bigger buildings. And let’s remember, Amtrak and the MTA aren’t just going to give that land away for free.”
19 comments:
“It may seem insensitive to those with life and death grievances, but “Queens Lives Matter’ sums up the problem for me,”
This could backfire, and should be reconsidered.
This would not be good for Queens. It would cost $BILLIONS. A one-bedroom would rent for $8,000 per month by the time the project is finished , say in 30 years.
Katz needs to concentrate in shoring up the many old communities in Queens.
It took 25 years for Hudson Yards to get off the ground. Seeing this is Queens, I wouldn't expect a shovel to break ground for 30. By then nobody will want to live anywhere near Western Queens.
D-Ridgewood? Is Ridgewood Western Queens now? What about the lowlife parasites that represent Woodside/Sunnyside/LIC?
How did Nolan become the standard bearer for this?
She ought to talk to backstabber councilman Van Bramer. He sold out LIC to more overdevelopment ....hoping that his snug home in the landmark Gardens would be safe. Now that mega monsters lurk on his doorstep...let's see if he can butch it up for a good fight to block overdevelopment. Ha, ha. The chickens come home to roost and crap in Van Bramer's yard.
Forget it people, since this Albany insider has hired a 'facilitator' to meet with donors the process has started on roofing over the yards.
The pols take advantage of the public's lack of any real involvement in the process (besides some whining) by hitting all the key words which puts the public at ease:
("you see Ethel, they are concerned about OVER-DEVELOPMENT and INFRASTRUCUTRE cause Cathy said those words! She is fighting for our community just as the Gazette said!")
Note this is not what she said, but her word choice is very clever (undoubtedly written for her because, like the typical Albany insider, she is not the sharpest knife in the drawer.)
Anyone that makes even the slightest effort towards listening to her and thinking about the real meaning to her words can see that that is not the case at all.
Its a bit like a pol saying they want to pass 'right to work' legislation that actually breaks unions.
Now if Cathy said "GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE DEVELOPER AND LEAVE OUR COMMUNITY ALONE" you could trust her - but she will not secure that you will do nothing as you are all half-asleep and in the final push n shove, do exactly what you are told or move if you disagree.
You should have heard Melinda Katz at the most recent Broadway Flushing Homeowners' Association meeting...extolling the virtues of Queens. "We are the prime destination of choice for world. travelers"....was pretty much how her BS rap went. I doubt that they were tourists. They were most likely visiting their relatives...third world or otherwise, with ideas of settling here eventually. Nobody comes to Queens out of first choice , when Manhattan is the main attraction. WTF do we have to offer...Theater In The Park.versus Broadway? So now Sunnyside gets to play host to overdevelopment. WTF is "affordable housing" anyway? Affordable to who and at what rate? Enjoy simmering in the stew of your own creation Sunnysiders. You thought all the overbuilding could be shoved into LIC Astoria. Now you will be in the shadows of tall towers. Perhaps changing your name to Shadyside might be more appropriate now.
By then nobody will want to live anywhere near Western Queens.
Not true.
There will be plenty of people escaping their third world hovels for a chance to serve the Manhattan elite.
Believe me, LIC will be the Queens Democratic Party dream and will be one of the foundations for the long term future of that party.
Against this development? Give de Blasio a piece of your mind along the route of the St. Pat's-for-All Parade in Sunnyside/Woodside tomorrow Sunday. (Kick-off 2PM) That's IF he shows up and doesn't chicken out since the horse carriage guys will be there.
Nolan is the landlord's friend and the tenant's enemy. Her staffers hate tenants.
The Queens Lives Matter t-shirt is a bad idea.
Seriously, does anyone paying attention think that Nolan has any anti-development credibility?
Troll - it's her district. It runs all the way from Ridgewood to above the Sunnyside Yards. Always has.
My shirt will say
"Homeless Democratic Voters Matter"
get it!!
My shirt will say
"Homeless Democratic Voters Matter"
get it!!
The No in Nolan stands for Yes!!!
Agree with those that think appropriating "Black Lives Matter" to address overdevelopment in Queens is just wrong on so many levels and likely to backfire.
No one is making any t-shirts that say "Queens Lives Matter" - that was a deliberate misquote to stir up controversy.
I said "queens' lives matter." I am sorry. it was wrong to compare the city hall ignoring queens to an actual life and death struggle. i was at wit's end with frustration at queens again discounted. Never were any shirts going to be made or demonstrations using the term.
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