N E W S APRIL 8 L E H A V R E Willets project set for ULURP BY TERENCE M. CULLEN The redevelopment of Willets Point will now go through a rigorous review process after its study was approved by the Department of City Planning (DCP). The plan, approved by DCP on Monday, March 18, will undergo a Uniform Land Use Review Process (ULURP), fi rst going to Community Board 7, which includes Willets Point, for an advisory vote. Borough President Helen Marshall will then get the plan for her own recommendation, and then the City Council and DCP will review. Between development at Willets Point and the addition of the shopping mall dubbed “Willets West,” the mixed use area will include housing, retail, hotels and an entertainment center. Jesse Masyr, the project’s lawyer, said he’s confi dent the various levels of voters will jump on board with the plan, citing the environmental cleanup that will come fi rst. “This marks a critical step towards beginning the longneeded cleanup of toxic land in Willets Point that for years has damaged the waterfront and been a blight on the community,” a spokesperson for the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) said. If the City Council ultimately rezones the area, the joint venture, between Related Companies and Sterling Equities, would begin cleaning up the 23 acres commonly called the Iron Triangle. New York City has dedicated $100 million to removing spoiled soil and creating an infrastructure at Willets; the rest of the project is privately fi nanced. NYCEDC has pushed for the project since updated plans were announced last June — much to the chagrin of some Willets Point business owners. Michael Rikon, the lawyer for Willets Point United, said the seven-month approval process was merely a formality at this point. This didn’t stop Rikon, however, from saying there were reasons why the project should be fought — including 8 LEHAVRE COURIER | APRIL 2013 | WWW.QUEENSCOURIER.COM THE COURIER/File photo Willets Point could be completely redeveloped if the long-debated project is approved through the Uniform Land Use Review Process. building Willets West on what is mapped as parkland. “The whole thing and the whole process is a shame,” he said. “There could be 15 great reasons why there should be a condemnation of the plan.” BY TERENCE M. CULLEN The long-delayed Flushing Commons project is finally starting this fall, with accommodations for parking and small business, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) has announced. The $850 million project, a decade in the making, got the green light Tuesday, March 12, and construction is planned to start later this year. The two-phase project will include more than 600 residential units, 500,000 square feet of commercial space and one of the largest YMCAs in the country. “The new plan, which will maintain all existing parking spaces during construction, is the culmination of years of work to address community concerns,” said NYCEDC President Seth Pinsky. “We now look forward to the start of this critical project that will create thousands of jobs and a major mixed-used destination, complete with open space and a brandnew YMCA.” More than 2,600 construction jobs and 1,900 permanent jobs are projected to come from this project. A deal between the city and developers, The Rockefeller Group and Flushing-based TDC Development and Construction Corporation, is expected to be inked sometime this summer, according to the NYCEDC. When the project is complete, there will be a total of 1,600 parking spaces, a 500-slot increase from what is currently there. To ease parking problems and not disturb business, the project was split into two phases beginning first with the south side. The 62,000-square-foot YMCA, with two pools, a full-size gym and an indoor running track, will headline the first phase of the project. Other components include 160 units of housing, 350,000 square feet of commercial space and a 1.5 acre space with a fountain plaza and amphitheater. Phase 2 will have an additional 450 housing units, another 150,000 square feet of commercial space and 15,000 square feet of community space. Borough President Helen Marshall said the phase split “also addresses the need for adequate parking during construction.” Surrounding small businesses that could be affected by construction might be eligible for EDC’s business interruption program. The program, with $2.25 million set aside, can help eligible business owners with outreach and other means. COMMONS COMING
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