‘Limitless in its potential’ : Richards lays out priorities for Queens in State of the Borough Address
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Queens Borough President Donovan Richards speaks at Queens Theater on Friday, delivering his State of the Borough address. Eagle photo by Ryan Schwach
By Ryan Schwach
Investment, development, infrastructure and healthcare – it all took centerstage at Queens Theater on Friday where Queens Borough President Donovan Richards gave his State of the Borough address.
Richards addressed his past year in office, reflecting on work that has been done and his ideas for the future of the World’s Borough, including a neighborhood plan for Jamaica and universal afterschool programs.
He also covered his office’s funding initiatives – the $127 million in capital funding given to schools, hospitals, libraries in other institutions across Queens.
“In this office, we are hell bent on building our borough back better than ever before,” he said. “Queens is more than just the heartbeat of our city. The World's Borough is the pulse of our planet.”
Richards highlighted work done at Queens hospitals in the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the $19 million that has gone to improvements at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway, ICU beds at Mount Sinai and a NICU at Elmhurst Hospital, among others.
“My top priority as borough president is the health of our families and communities,” he said. “My commitment to our hospitals and the staff who work there in the patients who seek its care is ironclad as well.”
Also on the healthcare front, Richards discussed his mental health, speaking of his own issues and his experience with therapy.
“Teletherapy changed my life,” he said.
At the end of March, Richards announced the new Health + Hospitals’ Gotham Center, soon to come to Downtown Far Rockaway, a community where residents have fought for more healthcare options since the closing of Peninsula Hospital in 2011.
The $30 million clinic will operate with a 32-year lease in the newly constructed Rockaway Village, a 1,700 unit affordable housing development he also touted on Friday along that features 4,600 total affordable units.
“Half of all housing production in the city last year happened right here in Queens and we're just getting started,” he said, discussing future developments, like Arverne East, Creedmoor, Willets Point and Innovation QNS.
“I salute the people of Eastern Queens…for coming to the table and helping us to craft a plan, something previous leaders have tried and failed to do for decades,” he said of the Creedmoor development, which is entering its final phase of community input this week. “These 50 vacant acres of state owned land give us opportunities for affordable housing, new school construction, neighborhood retail, open spaces, performance menus and so much more.”
“Creedmoor represents a transformative opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the lives of Eastern Queens residents,” he added.
He spoke about the construction of a new soccer stadium for New York City Football Club at Willets Point, as well as the affordable housing that will also be included in that project.
He did not, however, mention the other Citi Field area developments, including a casino, that Mets owner Steve Cohen wants to bring to what is now the stadium’s parking lots. Although, he did predict a Mets’ World Series win in the near future.
Innovation QNS, a development that saw controversy as Richards fought over affordable housing rates and other issues with Councilmember Julie Won, ultimately saw its approval via the City Council.
“In [Astoria] where the average cost of rent for a two bedroom apartment is over $3,000 a month, more than 1,400 homes, 45 percent of the project's units will be permanently affordable,” he said. “Of those 14,00 units, 500 of them will be available for less than $1,000 a month. Think about that, in a community like Astoria, where housing prices are higher than almost anywhere in the borough.”
Also concerning Western Queens, Richards called on the Department of Urban Planning to “put shovels in the ground” on projects at Sunnyside Yards and Annabel Basin, the area where Amazon withdrew its plans for a headquarters.
“I’m tired of seeing potential just sitting out there, untapped,” he said.
Richards also wants to see work done in Jamaica, where he called on City Planning to launch a Jamaica neighborhood planning study, to bring more investment and development to the South Queens community.
“Jamaica is already a key business district and a critical transit hub,” he said. “But we haven’t even scratched the surface of this community’s potential. In the months ahead, let’s take a holistic, community-led look at how to make Jamaica the premiere live, work and play neighborhood in the city.”
“Much like we are at Creedmoor, this is a community that is crying out for more affordable housing, capital investments in infrastructure, good jobs, open space, school seats and more,” he said.
Infrastructure as a whole was a large piece of Richards’ address, including the developments of both of Queens international airports, however, he was concerned about Queens residents’ ability to get to those airports.
“Governor [Kathy] Hochul was right to pull the plug on the AirTrain proposal,” he said. “But that doesn't mean we should sit on our hands.”
Richards proposed bringing expanded ferry service to LaGuardia and rapid bus transit.
“We can't be this innovative when it comes to building an airport but then fail to innovate in terms of actually getting people there,” he said. “So let's chat, MTA.”
Transportation elsewhere around the city’s largest borough was also on Richards’ docket, including his support of the Interborough Express and how much it costs for Queens commuters to get around.
Richards spoke for investments in the future, both in the environment and for children.
“Of all the investments we’re making, none are more important than the ones we are making in the health of the only home we will ever know,” he said, highlighting work with solar power, composting and sustainability as a whole.
With education, Richards called for more investments in schools.
“For generations, our city has been setting kids of color up for failure through deliberate disinvestment,” he said. “Overcrowded schools, no afterschool programming, no community centers. I was one of those kids. I made it out, but a lot of my friends growing up in Southeast Queens didn’t.”
On top of listing his own investments in Queens schools, Richards called on city government to push universal afterschool programming.
“Enough forcing parents to choose between their child’s education and putting food on their table,” he said. “This would be the most holistic investment we could ever make, and it would make our communities safer. Idle time is the devil’s playground. So to City Hall and the City Council, let’s get it done. Futures are at stake.”
For Richards, Queens’ future is one with “limitless…potential.”
“That is the State of our Borough,” he said to conclude his remarks. “Those who will inherit this borough deserve nothing less.”
