Monday, November 11, 2013

Pyramid proposed for Hillcrest site


From the Queens Chronicle:

A proposal to build a four-story building on Union Turnpike near Parsons Boulevard is looking more appealing to some community members when the alternative is a 10-story pyramid-shaped structure.

But not all agree concerning the site at 158-15 Union Turnpike, which is up for rezoning and will be voted on by Community Board 8 at its next meeting, set for 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13 at the Hillcrest Jewish Center, 183-02 Union Turnpike.

The lot is now vacant. It originally was part of the St. Joseph’s Hospital property and housed trailers used for equipment and office space. The hospital closed in 2004 and is now leased by Cornerstone Medical Arts for use as a detox center.

The trailer site was subdivided off and sold to Sam Zirk, who wants to develop it.

The proposal to rezone asks for a change from R3-2, which allows for low-rise attached houses and small residences, to R5D, which features moderate density and multifamily housing.

According to Zirk’s attorney, Richard Lobel, the area is now partially covered by a C1-2 designation. The proposal would take in the entire area with a C1-3 designation and permit ground-floor commercial use.

At a CB 8 hearing last month, Zoning Committee members voted down the plan 6-1. Therefore, the recommendation at the Nov. 13 meeting will be to reject the plan.

Lobel said at the hearing that the developer wants to erect a four-story residential building with retail on the ground floor. The 39 units are expected to be rentals and plans call for 71 parking spaces in the cellar.

Board members were concerned that the building would put too much pressure on the area’s infrastructure, including sewers, traffic, parking and schools.

Lobel told the Chronicle on Monday that if the proposal is rejected, the developer can erect a 10-story structure as of right. “He [Zirk] doesn’t want to do the pyramid, but if it’s not rezoned, the site will be redeveloped,” the lawyer said.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

What an ugly building! Is this going to be another coop that noone can afford to live in? Please stop with the damn coops in queens! Its overburdening and way too many! Look at the foreclosure list for queens....mostly everything on it is a freakin coop!

Anonymous said...

Where's King Tut's burial chamber gonna be...in the sub cellar?

Queens will never climb to the top of the heap as a borough. The suburban farmer's mentality runs its show.

Contrast our burro with Brooklyn...important enough to be a city on its own until that fateful mistake of a year in 1898...when it agreed to be consolidated into Greater New York.

Gag, I should have bought my home in Brooklyn instead of Queens, when I could have afforded it.

Anonymous said...

Who wants to live in a 10 story building where there are no trains?

Anonymous said...

This will be the ugliest building in. Queens. I don't think the developer can build a 10 story building as of right either in c1-2 or R3-2 as the attorney is claiming.

Anonymous said...

The application #420044561 for a 10 story building has failed DOB's audit already.

Anonymous said...

Anon 2: funny, and a valid point or two, but I'll tell ya this: suburban farmers are a lot smarter than the people who run the government in Queens. And they certainly know the difference between a borough and a burro.