The MTA board voted to sell unused development rights from one of its Queens properties for nearly $56 million to a developer planning to build the borough's tallest building.
Through the deal made on Wednesday, the developer of a proposed 70-story apartment tower will be able to build up to 77 stories instead of the 38 the current zoning at the site allows, and up to 490 additional apartments, according to the MTA board documents.
Once the sale is finalized, the MTA will transfer 478,000 square feet from an MTA-owned lot at Northern Boulevard and 40th Road to the development group Queens Plaza Park Development LLC, which includes Property Markets Group and The Hakim Organization.
The sale is expected to go through in the next month or two, an MTA spokesman said.
21 comments:
There goes the neighborhood. Oops. Too late. The ship set sail a long time ago!!!
More crap that no regular person can afford coming to queens!!
If you just made 56 million bucks, then you can lower my fares back down for atleast another year!! Oh wait...I'm dreaming.
Because even the MTA could care less about even more overcrowding on it's already insufficient infrastructure in the area. It's all about the money. It will just keep getting worse until they stop all of this building. Damn greed ruining neighborhoods.
Nice call, Crapper!
Gee, where are our elected officials on this one? Our community boards?
spineless all.
Quick! go after the governor to fund infrastructure through bonds .... paid for by you an me.
And Jimmy Van Bramer is going to sit still on this? Right in his own district? I wonder what's in it for him. Time will tell.
Ironic...eh...time has passed the clock tower. Now, like an old gold pocket watch that is out of fashion...the air rights are pawned by the MTA for its cash value to a developer. Queens has nothing to offer but land. That's what Donald Manes once said. So here we are fulfilling this corrupt ghost's wishes. Develop it all and destroy what little worthy architecture and culture we have. We are a bereft borough. When we lose we lose from our poverty. When Manhattan loses a shred of its history, they lose from their wealth. Queens has little and deserves nothing. Build! Build! Build and bury us in brick and mortar. With Melinda Katz at the helm, it will be Manes still calling the shots. The department of city plotting's plan is to fill up Queens. Logically, it might make sense. We are a third rate borough with a lot of underutilized space.
Here's a thought:
The clock tower's being replaced by the Tower of Babel!!!
Landmark the Clocktower and make the developers incorporate it in their design! The march of development isn't going to just stop, but let's keep some of the local history that we have. The results could actually bring character to the new 'downtown' LIC.
Because even the MTA could care less about even more overcrowding on it's already insufficient infrastructure in the area.
MAKES NO SENSE. THE GREATER THE DEMAND FOR TRANSIT, THE MORE IMPORTANT THEIR AGENCY. THEY DON'T MAKE DEVELOPMENT.
It's all about the money. It will just keep getting worse until they stop all of this building.
THEY? NAME NAMES. THEY ARE REAL PEOPLE DOING REAL THINGS TO OTHER REAL PEOPLE.
MAKE IT PERSONAL.
Damn greed ruining neighborhoods.
NOT GREED, BUT THE VALUES OF THOSE WHO SHOULD BE OUTED.
Anonymous said...
Landmark the Clocktower and make the developers incorporate it in their design! The march of development isn't going to just stop, but let's keep some of the local history that we have.
Oh, great, for the one project you have. Where were you on a dozen other sites? And where will you be when they tear down the Crabhouse?
"Oh, great, for the one project you have. Where were you on a dozen other sites?"
What? Are you objecting to the idea because it didn't stop other obnoxious development from happening in the past?
"And where will you be when they tear down the Crabhouse? "
The Crabhouse building has little intrinsic value, particularly now that it's surrounded by towers and the business that made it a local icon closed its doors. Totally different situation.
In conclusion - what are you smoking?
This sale will not affect the fare hike.
It will not affect the fare hike, but it will pay for capital projects and the purchase of new subway trains and buses.
Because even the MTA could care less about even more overcrowding on it's already insufficient infrastructure in the area.
MAKES NO SENSE. THE GREATER THE DEMAND FOR TRANSIT, THE MORE IMPORTANT THEIR AGENCY. THEY DON'T MAKE DEVELOPMENT.
Ummmm, THE MTA SOLD their air rights. They didn't have to sell especially since they just keep raising our fares. I didn't say they weren't important- I said they don't care about their already overcrowded trains. They were just trying to use the overcrowding excuse to justify why they SUCK and now they're selling to a developer in an area where transit is already overcrowded. See the connection now?
Did you hear about the study regarding overdue trains? The old Lex Av. Line is the worst. It was attributed to overcrowding which riled passengers even resulting in fistfights for seats. Duh...what's the cause of overcrowding? Duh...overdevelopment and a system that could not handle it all thirty years ago. But will we stop building until we can improve all of our city services first? Duh...no! The fat cats that are porking us in the ass live outside NYC or high in their penthouses above it all.
Comrades, it is time for the proletariat to rebel. Will they? Not in Queens. If Queens had any strong male sheep, those Rams have been fixed. Bah, baaaaah, sheeple!
The Crabhouse building has little intrinsic value, particularly now that it's surrounded by towers and the business that made it a local icon closed its doors. Totally different situation..
-----
You obviously have no idea what the hell you are talking about. That building is without a doubt one of the most historic buildings in the area - as important no doubt as the Stone House or Fruancis Tavern in their communities - both buildings completely reconstructed.
Again, when unknowns appear out of no where and get something landmarked in Queens the fix is on.
Overcrowded trains, like fires in manholes in Astoria a few years back, is caused by overdevelopment
We are all tired of blaming the MTA or Con Ed as being inept or stupid.
Our elected officials are inept and stupid and the cause of all this underdevelopment. It might take Queens a while to get it, but the rest of the city is about fed up with them and what they are doing to our city.
about Waterfront Crabhouse “This is a strong old building: it’s over 120 years old,” he said. The building was once Miller’s Hotel, a gathering place for political types. Theodore Roosevelt, Grover Cleveland and LIC mayor “Battle Ax” Gleason held court at the hotel.
"That building is without a doubt one of the most historic buildings in the area - as important no doubt as the Stone House or Fruancis Tavern in their communities - both buildings completely reconstructed."
"about Waterfront Crabhouse “This is a strong old building: it’s over 120 years old,” he said. The building was once Miller’s Hotel, a gathering place for political types. Theodore Roosevelt, Grover Cleveland and LIC mayor “Battle Ax” Gleason held court at the hotel."
I stand corrected. Most of the noise I had previously heard about the crabhouse was based on the role the restaurant played in the community, not the building itself.
Post a Comment