Van Bramer blasts newly unveiled Astoria development plan

City Council Photography/Flickr

By David Brand

Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer blasted a $2 billion mixed-use project proposed for the southeastern Astoria portion of his district Thursday, a day after developers presented the plan to the local community board.

The project, known as “Innovation QNS,” is backed by developers Silverstein Properties and BedRock Real Estate Partners and would take over a five-block commercial stretch from 37th Street to Northern Boulevard/43rd Street between 35th and 36th Avenues. The residential development requires rezoning approval from the City Council, which typically votes in lockstep with the local member — in this case, Van Bramer — on land use issues.

Van Bramer, who grew up near that section of Astoria, said he already opposes the plan, which would “change Astoria forever.” 

“We need to be thinking about what more we can do for the working people of our community,” he said. “Instead, this proposal envisions luxury towers, some as tall as 26 stories, surrounded by two- to six- story buildings, oblivious to the dire economic times we are all in.”

The proposal includes 2,700 units of mixed-income housing, 200,000 square feet of retail space and another 250,000 square feet of space set aside for “the city’s creative industries and other small businesses,” according to Silverstein, BedRock and a third partner, nearby Kaufman Astoria Studios. At least 700 units would be designated for affordable housing at 60 percent of Area Median Income.

The Innovation QNS team, which owns or controls the land within the five-block zone, say they want to initiate the city’s land use review process to rezone the M1 commercial district by late 2020 or early 2021. The existing area is home to several small businesses and warehouses.

The developers presented the plan to Queens Community Board 1 Wednesday.

Van Bramer likened the plan to a massive luxury development on Manhattan’s West Side.

 “The plan is wildly out of character to the surrounding neighborhood,” Van Bramer said. “We do not want or need a Hudson Yards East.”

 “I could not be more opposed to this project,” he added.