FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 • THE QUEENS COURIER 5
Development set to resume on September 16
impact of the project they say will be detrimental
to the environment.
William Spiask, director of Housing
Justice at the Chhaya Community
Development Corporation, said the project
is “concerning and deeply alarming”
and claims to be meeting the needs of the
developers rather than those of the community.
“Th ey found ways to infl ate the buildable
density of the project out of right in
that document, and they found a way to
hide some of the potential development
that they would be able to do if they get
the rezoning and special district designation,”
Spiask said.
Spiask said the construction of a hospital,
community center, green space
or even a school should be prioritized
instead of a “capital-driven, profi t-driven”
development that “falls fl at across the
board.”
Sarah Ahn, director of the Flushing
Workers Center, said they should look
at Flushing as a whole, citing the existing
luxury condominiums in the community
that ranks second in the city behind
Williamsburg in Brooklyn.
“We need our elected offi cials to actually
fi ght on behalf of their constituents to
say that we don’t need any more of these
condos — it’s making all of our rents
expensive, it’s bringing so much speculation
into Flushing and why our small
businesses are closing,” Ahn said.
As the ULURP hearing is near
approaching, the community leaders are
demanding that the city halt the virtual
meeting.
“According to the Comptroller’s report,
41 percent of Flushing residents do not
have internet access, and they’re making a
sudden move to have a public hearing on
a virtual platform that a lot of people are
not familiar with,” Byeon said. “Th ere is
not enough time or training for people on
how to be online and participate.”
Residents can attendthe City Planning
Commission hearing on Sept. 16 at 10
a.m. to testify or submit their comments
online regarding the Special Flushing
Waterfront District.
/WWW.QNS.COM
