Monday, March 14, 2022

City Council member deference halts "innovation" development in Astoria

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QNS

The developers behind the $2 billion Innovation QNS project in Astoria will move quickly to meet the demands of Councilwoman Julie Won to shore up its community outreach and provide greater details on its proposal to build a massive development on a five-block area centered around Steinway Street near Northern Boulevard.

Won took a walking tour of the area last month with Council Land Use Committee Chairman Rafael Salamanca where Innovation QNS requires a zoning change to construct 18 buildings ranging from 9 to 27 stories with more than 2,800 apartments, with 25 percent of the units permanently affordable.

 “This project has been in the works since 2020 and claims to have done extensive outreach in the community,” Won wrote. “Community Board 1, local residents, and housing organizations have all expressed concerns about the lack of adequate community outreach, especially in Spanish and Bangla. The last two years, due to unforeseen circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, this project has had limited in-person outreach to residents in the impacted area, many of whom are not fluent English language speakers. Thus far, the amount of community engagement is insufficient for a project of this scale that will deeply impact not only those in the immediate vicinity but also will have lasting impacts on the neighborhood as a whole.”

 Innovation QNS, a consortium of developers including Silverstein Properties, Kaufman Astoria Studios and BedRock Real Estate Partners, will need Won’s approval as the project makes its way through the city’s arduous public review process which is expected to begin next month.

Won also demanded more detail be provided to Community Board 1 including environmental impact statement information and a full neighborhood impact study including a racial impact study.

25% "affordable units? They better do a lot better than that. How about 100% this time for once, so we don't have to use hotels for the housing deprived families and working class?

6 comments:

NPC_translator said...

"the lack of adequate community outreach, especially in Spanish and Bangla."

Yes, we can't possibly do enough outreach in Bangla. Remember when America wasn't a giant airport arrivals lounge?

Anonymous said...

We all know how "affordable" those affordable units will be lol. The one bedroom lottery units at the Sven on Queens Plaza are $2300

Disgruntled Citizen said...

Julie Won will not get 100% affordable housing because the Korean real estate thugs will not let her do that. What exactly is Julie Won’s relationship with the powerful Korean Real Estate lobby anyway?
Let’s talk about Sex Trafficking in Queens County and the crucial involvement of Korean Real Estate in that industry . Julie Won does not want questions asked about that.

Anonymous said...

It's amazing how crazy these people are. The demoRats I mean...

Anonymous said...

This new crop of 'Woke' and 'Socialist' know nothing of these things - the people that control them have created little more than 'Boss Tweeds' trolling the docks for the latest crop of 'Irish Harps' just off the dock - an obession with immigrants that echoes the mid-1800s.

The fact of the matter is the impact this will do on Steinway St will be devestating. BTW, all the Indian folks I know are like a growing number of Latinos and Blacks - they are becoming Repubican.

Democrats are more the party of the elites. But then, she is following the lead of her handlers so its their problem - and our problem - not hers.

Anonymous said...

Remember when America wasn't a giant airport arrivals lounge?
You mean, before the Europeans showed up?