The developers of the parcels of land that were meant to be home to Amazon’s HQ2 campus will seek community input on the future of the LIC waterfront. Photo via Getty Images
Dr. Gail Mellow to lead community group in
planning future development on LIC waterfront
BY BILL PARRY
Developers that are planning
the future of properties
around Anable Basin where
Amazon would have built
its HQ2 campus in Long Island
City before scuttling the
plan in February announced
that Dr. Gail O. Mellow, former
president of LaGuardia
Community College, will
lead community engagement
and workforce development
initiatives for “Your LIC,” a
comprehensive neighborhood
outreach process to envision
the future of the waterfront.
Your LIC will be a community
driven and collaborative
process by the developers,
TF Cornerstone, Simon
Baron Development and L&L
MAG,who are working together
to guide development
along the 28-acre area.
“Over my nearly 20 years
at LaGuardia Community
College, I came to know how
Long Island City residents
take great pride in making
their community a livable,
welcoming place for everyone,”
Mellow said. “This is
such an exciting and important
project for our neighborhood
and the city at large, and
I am thrilled to be doing what
I love most — working with
the community — to help turn
their vision into a reality.”
Mellow had been named
by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and
Mayor Bill de Blasio to cochair
the workforce subcommittee
of the Community
Advisory Committee that
worked to develop plans for
the Amazon HQ2 campus,
and the 25,000 jobs that were
supposed to come with it. Her
co-chair was Bishop Mitchell
Taylor — founder of Urban
Upbound, a community development
organization — and
now Mellow and Taylor will
consult on workforce development
issues and community
benefits engagement with
Your LIC.
“The Long Island City waterfront
provides provides so
much hope for Queens, and its
future must be planned carefully
by the people who live
and work here,” Taylor said.
“I look forward to collaborating
with Gail and the Your
LIC team to create an inclusive
process that prioritizes
strong community benefits
and good jobs for all.”
The development team
also announced that Karp
Strategies, and equity-driven
urban planning and research
firm, has been hired to undergo
an analysis of the Long
Island City commercial ecosystem
to determine how the
neighborhood can attract and
support a diversity of jobs
in an equitable and sustainable
way. Mellow and Taylor
work will include convening
with the NYCHA Tenants
Associations.
“It is critical that any plan
for Long Island City includes
input of the entire community,
including NYCHA residents,
and Gail Mellow has a great
track record of collaborating
with us,” Queensbridge Houses
Tenants Association President
April Simpson said. “I
DR. GAIL O. MELLOW
look forward to working with
Your LIC on an inclusive process
that delivers the jobs we
need.”
Claudia Coger, the president
of the Astoria Houses
Tenants Association, agreed.
“Long Island City and Astoria
are our communities,
and NYCHA residents need
to have a seat at the table to
plan for their future,” Coger
said. “The Astoria residents
are eager to work with Gail
Mellow and Bishop Taylor on
a plan that will be real community
benefits for all — including
our seniors, families,
young people looking for opportunity,
and more.”
TF Cornerstone developed
Queens West which saw luxury
towers rise along Center
Boulevard and is currently
building more than 1,100
units in two towers at Hunters
Point South. The are also
planning another development
on 8-acres along Newtown
Creek.
“This is a completely new
approach for Long Island City
and an unprecedented process
in New York,” TF Cornerstone
Principal Jeremy Shell said.
“We look forward to working
closely with Dr. Mellow and
all of the residents, businesses,
and stakeholders in Long
Island City for the months
and years to come.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry
by e-mail at bparry@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at
(718) 260–4538.
4 TIMESLEDGER, OCT. 18-24, 2019 BT QNS.COM
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