FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM MARCH 17, 2022 • THE QUEENS COURIER 19
Adams announces quality-of-life improvements, new
aff ordable homeownership opportunities in SE Queens
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
CMOHAMED@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday,
March 9, announced two major milestone
projects that will improve infrastructure
and quality of life while tackling the affordable
housing crisis in southeast Queens.
Th e mayor and New York City Council
Speaker Adrienne Adams — both of
whom grew up in the area — celebrated
the completion of a $50 million project
delivering more than six miles of new
sewers and water mains to alleviate fl ooding
of homes and streets in Rochdale
under budget. Th ey also kicked off the
construction of “Habitat Net Zero,” a
project that will turn 13 dilapidated homes
previously owned by the NYC Housing Authority
(NYCHA) into 16 green homes for
aff ordable homeownership.
“Th is community represented the promise
of a better life for my family, and I am
going to keep that promise for generations
of New Yorkers,” Adams said during a
press conference outside of a dilapidated
house at 126-01 116th Ave. in south Jamaica
that will be transformed by Habitat for
Humanity. “Th e government has ignored
this community for too long, denying
them their fair share of investments and
services — that ends in my administration.
Th ese projects will make life better for the
residents of southeast Queens today and
those who will be able to move here in the
future, and I’m proud to say that this is just
the beginning.”
For far too long, southeast Queens has
endured systemic disinvestment and neglect,
resulting in widening disparities that
persist today, Council Speaker Adams said.
“With the completion of the $49.3 million
water infrastructure project in Rochdale
and the start of construction for Habitat
Net Zero — a project to deliver new aff ordable
homeownership opportunities — our
communities are seeing the investments
and improvements that we have always
deserved,” the speaker said.
Th e New York City Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP), New York
City Department of Transportation (DOT),
and New York City Department of Design
and Construction (DDC) completed the
$49.3 million project under budget, bringing
more than six miles of new sewers and
water mains to Rochdale — improving
street conditions, alleviating fl ooding,
and upgrading infrastructure, while
staying $5.7 million under budget. Work
began in March 2018 and took place on 78
individual blocks.
“Ever since the residential development
of southeast Queens more than 50 years
ago, neighbors have worried about any
threat of rain in the forecast, because
there were no catch basins or sewers built
to drain the roadways, resulting in chronic
fl ooding and property damage,” said Meera
Joshi, deputy mayor for operations. “With
a commitment of $2.5 billion for a comprehensive
drainage system, we are now
correcting that past failure block by block.”
More than 1 mile (5,535 feet) of new
storm sewers was added to the neighborhood,
and an additional 2,265 feet of existing
storm sewers were replaced. To better
capture stormwater and direct it to the new
storm sewers, 55 new catch basins were
installed, and 53 old ones were replaced.
Th e holding capacity of the local sewers
was increased with the installation of three
new underground chambers and replacement
of an old one. During construction,
9,235 feet of sanitary sewers were replaced,
and 595 feet of new sewers were installed.
More than 3 miles (16,160 feet) of water
mains were replaced to improve water
infrastructure reliability.
As part of the fi nal street restoration,
490,240 square feet of asphalt were laid
down over a new concrete base. Th roughout
the project area, 65,840 square feet of
sidewalk and 19,370 feet of curbs were
reconstructed, and 890 square feet of new
sidewalk and 995 feet of new curbs were
added.
The new curbs and sidewalks were
graded to help guide stormwater to the area’s
new catch basins and ensure adequate
street drainage during storms. Fire protection
was enhanced with the installation of
six new fi re hydrants and the replacement
of 33 existing ones. Compliance with the
Americans with Disabilities Act was improved
with the installation of four new
pedestrian ramps and the replacement of
158 existing ones.
Th e project is part of the ongoing $2.5
billion Southeast Queens Initiative, in
which the city will build a comprehensive
drainage system, improve street conditions,
and alleviate fl ooding in neighborhoods
throughout southeast Queens. Th e program
— the largest of its kind — consists
of 44 projects overall, including 18 substantially
completed, 14 in design and three in
active construction.
Southeast Queens residents William
West and his wife praised the city agencies
upon the completion of the new drainage
system on Baisley Boulevard.
“We’ve lived in the neighborhood for
40 years, so we’ve seen and experienced
fl ooding in streets and basements. We were
both delighted and relieved when we heard
about the Southeast Queens Initiative, so
much so, that we decided that I should
photograph this historic event,” West said.
Queens Borough President Donovan
Richards noted the issue of fl ooding for
nearly 40 years in the community, disinvestment
and environmental racism. According
to Richards, these issues are fi nally
being addressed to correct the inequities in
southeast Queens.
“Th e people in this community are taxpayers
just like anyone else. Th ey get up,
they drive your buses, they drive your subways,
they work in NYCHA housing and
run the city, and they deserve nothing less
but to make sure to have investments like
what we are seeing today,” Richards said.
In regards to the housing crisis in the
city, Richards stated the importance of
building generational wealth for residents
in southeast Queens.
“As we see many parts of the city being
built up, there’s gentrifi cation happening
and Community Land Trusts are one way
to make sure we preserve our land and
communities and providing opportunities
for young people to come in and learn
about homeownership and to own and
preserve and pass something down to the
next generation,” Richards said.
The New York City Department of
Housing Preservation (HPD), NYCHA
and Habitat for Humanity New York City
and Westchester County have closed and
started construction on “Habitat Net Zero,”
bringing long-term aff ordable homeownership
opportunities to southeast Queens.
Th rough HPD’s Open Door program,
this project will see the demolition or
rehabilitation of 13 vacant, dilapidated,
previously NYCHA-owned houses to create
16 new and rehabilitated homes built
to Passive House standards for aff ordable
homeownership.
“‘Habitat Net Zero’ creates more opportunities
for more families in southeast
Queens to build equity and stability
through homeownership,” said Karen
Haycox, CEO, Habitat for Humanity New
York City and Westchester County. “Th e
positive impact of these healthy, energyeffi
cient and aff ordable homes will benefi t
hard-working families now and for generations
to come. Our city and our state are
stronger when we make room for more of
us to own a piece of our communities.”
Th is project represents the fi rst new construction
of aff ordable homes where the
land will be transferred to the Interboro
Community Land Trust (CLT) to ensure
long-term affordability. Developed by
Habitat, the homes will be equipped with
rooft op solar panels and highly effi cient
heat-pump technology for heating and
cooling, reducing costs, and keeping homes
at or near net zero energy use. Th irteen of
the new homes will be new construction
and built using modular construction;
three will be gut rehabilitation of the
existing structures.
Read more on QNS.com.
Screenshot via Twitter
Mayor Eric Adams announced two major milestone projects that will improve infrastructure and
quality-of-life while tackling the aff ordable housing crisis in southeast Queens.
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