A rendering of the Trylon development at 98-81 Queens Blvd. in Forest Hills. Courtesy of Gerald J. Caliendo Architects, P.C.
FOREST HILLS TRYLON DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
TO INCLUDE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
A zoning application for the proposed Trylon
development in Forest Hills has been modified to
allow for more affordable housing units so more
families can live in the community, according to
newly elected Councilwoman Lynn Schulman.
After extensive negotiations and discussions
with the developer, Trylon LLC, the mixed-use residential
development at 98-81 Queens Blvd. will utilize
Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) Option
1, which is more affordable for prospective renters.
The project will bring approximately 40 housing
units to Forest Hills with the majority of these
units targeted for households making between
$30,000 and $70,000, Schulman said. Under MIH Option
1, developers are required to set aside affordable
units for residents earning 40%, 60% and 100%
of the AMI.
“According to the NYC Housing Preservation
and Development’s ‘Housing New York Open Data,’
only one new construction affordable housing
project was located in Queens Community Board
6 during the entire eight years of the de Blasio administration.
There are other conditions that were
expressed by the community board which are still
being explored with Trylon LLC, but the housing
agreement is the most significant,” said Schulman,
TIMESLEDGER | Q 10 NS.COM | JAN. 28 - FEB. 3, 2022
who thanked the community board and Queens
Borough President Donovan Richards for their
guidance and input in the process, as well as Trylon
LLC for working with the community.
Eric Palatnik, a land use and zoning attorney
representing the developers, said they’re thrilled
to be able to work with Schulman and the community
to reach an agreement to bring more affordable
housing to residents.
“There’s still more work to be done. As far as the
agreement to bring affordable housing, we couldn’t
be happier to come to that agreement and to satisfy
the needs of the community and the councilwoman,”
Palatnik said.
After public hearings and discussions regarding
the demolition of the Tower Diner and Trylon
Theatre to make way for the new development on
Queens Boulevard, Community Board 6 in November
2021 voted in favor of the project, but with certain
conditions.
During the meeting, Forest Hills and Rego
Park residents had voiced their opposition to
the redevelopment plan to erect a 15-story building
on the triangular block. The plan includes
a 153,000-square-foot development with 136,000
square feet for residential space and 17,400 square
feet for commercial parking space, with 45 parking
spaces, including bicycle parking on site.
In terms of housing units, the plan included
144 total units with 44 of those units as affordable
housing at an average of 80% AMI under the city’s
Mandatory Inclusionary Housing Program. Residents
had pointed out the lack of affordable housing
developments in the area, and said the developer’s
units weren’t “truly affordable.”
The developer had planned to offer 44 units —
30% of the total units — to residents who earn 70%,
80% or 90% of the AMI. The proposal offered nine
affordable one-bedroom units for approximately
$1,500 at 70% AMI, nine for $1,790 at 80% AMI and
nine at $1,950 at 90% AMI.
In response to the revised proposal, Queens
Community Board 6 tweeted, “Thank you to our
outgoing Land Use/Housing Chair @prameet and
the rest of the committee for the diligent work on
this.”
Queens Borough President Donovan
Richards also tweeted that he’s “proud to work with
@Lynn4NYC and @QueensCB6 to secure deeper
affordability in Forest Hills. I look forward to the
continued work in building a Queens that works
for everyone.”
Reach reporter Carlotta Mohamed by e-mail at
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com or by phone at (718)
260–4526.
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