Acting Queens BP rejects Flushing Creek rezoning in advisory role
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ACTIVISTS STOOD IN THE RAIN TO PROTEST THE FLUSHING CREEK WATERFRONT REZONING BEFORE THE COMMUNITY BOARD 7 HEARING LAST MONTH. EAGLE PHOTOS BY VICTORIA MERLINO.
By David Brand
UPDATE [1:45 p.m., March 13, 2020] — This story has been updated to include a response from developers FWRA LLC.
Acting Queens Borough President Sharon Lee has rejected a land use application to rezone a piece of the Flushing Creek waterfront for residential use, a proposal that would facilitate a large mixed-use development in Downtown Flushing. Queens Community Board 7 had voted to recommend the rezoning proposal last month, despite fervent opposition from many community members.
Lee issued her advisory recommendation on March 12 as part of the city’s Universal Land Use Review Procedure, or ULURP, citing the risk of displacement for long-time residents of Flushing, particularly older adults and individuals on fixed-incomes.
“The scale and scope of the plan will significantly change the landscape of Downtown Flushing with long lasting impacts on the area within and surrounding the [Special Flushing Waterfront District],” Lee wrote in her recommendation. “Downtown Flushing, however, is not immune to the consequences of transformative large-scale new development that inadvertently leaves many behind, such as displacement of long-time residents and families.”
Residents living closest to the site would also “bear the brunt of the noise, dust, traffic and other construction-related inconveniences,” she continued.
The rezoning proposal would extend a larger project championed by a trio of developers who own much of the adjacent land. The coalition, known as FWRA LLC, say they will build a mixed-use residential and commercial development as-of-right on the property around the site that they have applied to rezone , regardless of whether the city council ultimately approves the land use application for the strip along the waterfront. Because that project could be built as-of-right, there are no minimum standards for developing affordable housing units. A rezoning would mandate that the developers set-aside 20 percent of space for affordable units under the city’s Mandatory Inclusionary Housing land-use policy.
Lee’s decision to recommend disapproval of the application came with four conditions that FWRA and the city could address to make the project tenable, however.
Lee called on FWRA to pay "the prevailing rate of wages and supplements'“ to its workers; employ union labor for construction and in permanent jobs at the residential buildings, hotels and retails spaces; and build additional units of affordable housing, especially for seniors.
She also urged the School Construction Authority to build a new school in Downtown Flushing with space for a “significant portion” of the more than 3,000 seats funded in the last Department of Education budget.
FWRA LLC did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the land use recommendation. This story will be updated to include their response.
Response from FWRA LLC:
“Following the near unanimous vote by Community Board 7 to support the Special Flushing Waterfront District, we are stunned by the unusual manner in which the interim Borough President would go against the wishes of the community. This project will create jobs, stimulate the Flushing economy which is suffering and bring activity and much-needed environmental cleanup to a vacant, blighted parcel of land. These factors are why there is broad range of community support from local businesses and residents, but were unfortunately overlooked by someone who is not familiar with our community. The merits of our project stand true and strong and the resolution reiterated its numerous positive benefits to Flushing throughout the recommendation. We look forward to continue working with Councilmember Peter Koo in presenting our vision for the Flushing waterfront to the City Planning Commission and City Council. “
