Stores likely to be demolished to make way for development (Queens Post)
April 21, 2021 By Christian Murray
The fate of a block of stores—and the future of a prominent section of Roosevelt Avenue in Woodside—will be up for discussion next week.
Community Board 2 will be hosting a public hearing next Wednesday to provide residents with an opportunity to learn about a rezoning application that involves bulldozing about 10 stores on Roosevelt Avenue to make way for a 13-story, 213-unit complex.
The public hearing is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on April 28—via Zoom (see bottom of story for details).
The developer, Woodside 63 Management LLC., has filed an application with the Dept. of City Planning to rezone a series of parcels on Roosevelt Avenue—between 62nd and 63rd Streets—to put up a large mixed-use building.
The plans were certified earlier this month and the public review process has begun.
The first step in the process is the public hearing, which will be followed weeks later by a non-binding vote by Community Board 2.
The purpose of the hearing is to provide the public with a say on the plan and to let the board know whether it should approve the plan—or what modifications should be made, if any.
The plan involves rezoning a series of lots—62-02 through 62-26 Roosevelt Avenue– from a R6 and R6/C1-4 district– to a C4-4 district.
The development would require the demolition of approximately 10 storefronts, occupied by an eclectic array of businesses– including a carpet store, laundromat, furniture store, restaurant, barber shop and 99-cent store.
Stores likely to be demolished to make way for development (Queens Post)
The plans call for 54 of the 213 dwelling units to be “affordable,” which would be set aside for households earning an average of 60 percent area median income (about $68,220 for a family of four). The developer is required to build affordable housing since the project involves a rezoning.
The developer is permitted to build a 9-story building without a zoning change, according to Lisa Deller, chair of Community Board 2. However, without the rezoning, the developer would not be required to build any affordable housing.
Community Board 2 has until June 14 to vote on the plan. From there, the Borough President and the City Planning Commission will get to weigh in.
The approval, however, will ultimately be determined by the city council, which is likely to defer to Jimmy Van Bramer who represents the Woodside area.
The whole public review/rezoning process is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
A rendering of the proposed development planned for 62-02 through 62-26 Roosevelt Ave. (City Planning)
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The pestilence of luxury public housing has to cease. This monolith will only ensure an extreme trend of rising rents in Jackson Heights and also nearby Woodside and Corona.