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Jan. 7 - Jan. 13, 2022
Community Board 13 rejects developer’s plan to build
mixed-use residential building in Springfi eld Gardens
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
A developer’s request to construct
an eight-story, mixed-use residential
building in Springfield Gardens is being
met with opposition from members
of Community Board 13, who say that
the building doesn’t “fit in” with the
community.
A ULURP application submitted
on behalf of Ranbir LLC to rezone a
vacant lot, located at 146-93 Guy R.
Brewer Blvd., as a Mandatory Inclusionary
Housing (MIH) area was presented
during the Queens Borough
President’s Land Use hearing on
Thursday, Dec. 23.
The applicant is seeking to rezone
the property (the main project site)
and the adjacent four lots from an R3-2
zoning district to an R6A/C2-2 zoning
district that is primarily residential
with commercial uses on the street level.
The project was introduced several
years ago to revitalize the area.
The development would include 42
housing units with seven studios, 28
one-bedroom, five two-bedroom, and
two three-bedroom apartments with
11 affordable units at 60% AMI, while
10% of the units will be at 40% AMI
allowing for deeper affordability, according
to Richard Lobel, of Sheldon
Lobel PC., who is representing the
applicant.
“We want to offer units to people
who live in the area and are experiencing
housing pressure. It’s locally
oriented and is not just a commercial
space but a residential development to
attract people in the area,” Lobel said.
There are challenges to developing
the site that was previously used as a
gas station and is currently used for
parking, according to Lobel. The lot,
which is listed as a brownfield site and
may be contaminated, would require
remediation that would cost nearly
$800 million.
After discussions with CB 13 about
the project, according to Lobel, the developer
presented another option with
a seven-story building instead, and
reduced the density of the site creating
36 units with three studios, 24 onebedroom,
six two-bedroom and three
A rendering of the proposed development for 146-93 Guy R. Brewer Blvd. in Springfield Gardens. Photo via Zoom
three-bedroom apartments, and nine
MIH units.
During their Dec. 20 general board
meeting, Community Board 13 voted
against the project with 32-0 votes and
no abstentions, said board member
Michael Mallia, who testified at the
virtual hearing.
“While they understand the need
for affordable housing, they just think
the need for this project is just too out of
context with the local neighborhood,”
Mallia said. “We are afraid that this
is going to set the precedent for other
R6 rezonings in the neighborhood. We
had six letters from the local civic and
homeowners that are against it.”
According to Mallia, density is a
major concern, traffic at the corner
boulevard, and plans for attended
parking at the building.
Barbara Brown, who testified on
behalf of the Eastern Queens Alliance
and the Springfield/Rosedale Community
Action Association, said the area
is stressed in terms of parking.
“A lot of the buildings have more
cars and finding parking in the area
is hard. Traffic at the corner is terrible
and there are trucks sitting on the sidewalk
and out on the streets, including
cars and buses that run back and forth
during the course of the day,” Brown
said.
According to Brown, they’re also
concerned about the fact that the
height of the building is out of conformity
with the rest of the neighborhood
that consists of one- and two-family
homes.
“It would be taller than the warehouses
in the neighborhood and shade
the homeless shelter across the street
and the homes east of it,” Brown said.
“People are living in that area because
they want to live in a low-density area.
They like the look and feel of the area
and to introduce towers is a bad precedent
to set.”
Bill Perkins, a resident of Rosedale,
echoed Brown’s statement on the
height of the building and concerns
about residents relocating elsewhere.
“We do not want that vacant lot to
exist here. That’s a conversation that
we want to have regarding what goes
there and being strategic about it,”
Perkins said. “The conversation about
what goes there is really important.
We want to work with the team on
ideas that are beneficial, quick and
effective.”
Next month, the Southeastern
Queens Zoning Preservation Task
Force is planning to organize a demonstration
to rally against the proposed
development. According to the group,
the project will lead to the destruction
of the neighborhood’s quality of life,
and ultimately decrease the value of
their homes.
Reach reporter Carlotta Mohamed
by e-mail at cmohamed@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718) 260–4526.
Vol. 10, No. 1 28 total pages
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