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TIMESLEDGER, APRIL 21, 2019 TIMESLEDGER.COM
More high-rises come to Flushing
May meeting focuses on three buildings going up at ‘Point Plaza’
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Three 19-story, mixeduse
buildings are set to rise
in downtown Flushing,
and local residents can
learn more about the
plans at a community
meeting next month at the
Skyview Center.
The new development
built by Flushing Point
Holding LLC — Flushing
Point Plaza — will
be a residential and
commercial complex
spanning 550,465 square
feet with two 19-story
apartment buildings and
a 19-story hotel at the
former site of a warehouse
located at 131-02 40th Rd.
The development’s
location is convenient,
directly across the street
from Target and several
other stores in the Skyview
Parc mall and condo
development, according
to real estate site New
York Yimby. Designed by
Angelo and Anthony Ng
at Architects’ Studio, the
development will be a trio
of boxy, glass towers, all
connected at the base.
The first residential
tower will include a 390-
car garage and the second
residential tower will
host a 112-car garage on
the ground floor. The first
floor of the hotel will host
a lobby and retail space,
while the rest of the hotel
will provide 472 rooms.
On behalf of Flushing
Point Holding LLC, AMC
Engineering has prepared
a Public Participation
Plan to inform the public
on upcoming construction
that will require
groundwater control and
dewatering activities in
the area.
According to Yan
Tong, project manager, at
Flushing Point Holding
LLC, the Department of
Buildings (DOB) approved
the construction of the
site in 2016.
“We’re doing
everything according
to the rules. For the
excavation we’re hiring
professionals and also
for the water treatment.
Everything was under the
guidance and watch of the
DEC, DOB and DOT, all of
the government agencies,”
said Tong.
To implement the
proposed project,
AMC Engineering
has submitted an
application to the New
York State Department
of Environmental
Conservation (NYSDEC)
on behalf of Flushing
Point Holding LLC
for dewatering and
groundwater pumping
operations, which require
a New York State Pollution
Discharge Elimination
System (SPDES) permit.
According to Tong,
the old warehouse was
within close proximity to
the water body (Flushing
Creek) where the soil
was contaminated.
“We’re doing this as a
service to the community
because the soil is not as
clean as regular soil,” said
Tong. “We’ve budgeted
over $2 million and all of
the soil excavated were
disposed at the right
facility and treated.
After everything is done
it’s going to be better for
the community.”
At the meeting
residents will be
informed of the overview
of the scope of work,
schedules, impacts and
the proposed mitigation
measures presented
by a representative
from Flushing Point
Holding LLC and AMC
Engineering. The
first session is open
to all residents in the
Flushing area near the
Flushing Creek.
According to AMC
Engineering, community
impacts from construction
will be temporary in
nature. Flushing Point
Holding LLC and its
contractors (including
AMC Engineering and
Milestone Construction)
propose to control all
dust, rodents, noise and
vibration during the
construction period.
E n v i r o n m e n t a l
impacts from construction
dewatering will be
minimized and closely
monitored through water
treatment and periodic
sampling events of the
effluent. The proposed
project will provide
278 new dwelling units
and 502 new parking
spaces for apartment
residents, hotel guests,
and plaza employees. The
redevelopment will also
bring in more employment
to the community at the
hotel and retail stores.
If everything goes
smoothly, Tong says, the
project is expected to be
completed in three years.
The community
meeting on Flushing
Point Plaza will be held
at Queens Library at
Flushing, located at 41-17
Main St., on Wednesday,
May 1, at 6:30 p.m.
To participate in the
permit review process
comments may be provided
in writing, or by calling
Flushing Point Holding
LLC, or DEC contacts
below for information on
meetings, comment period
dates, and submitting any
oral comments.
To obtain more
information about the
proposed expansion
contact Flushing Point
Holding LLC project
liaison, Yan Tong,
by phone at 858-869-
5558; or email: ytong@
flushingpoint.us, or visit
the document repository
at Queens Library
at Flushing.
Reach reporter
Carlotta Mohamed by
e-mail at cmohamed@
schnepsmedia.com or by
phone at (718) 260–4526.
A prior rendering of Flushing Point Plaza at 131-02 40th Rd.
Photo courtesy of Flushing Point Holding LLC
Vallone’s ferry push
goes into high gear
BY JENNA BAGCAL
A northeast
Queens councilman
continues to advocate
for advancements in
ferry service and has
pushed for legislation
to create a director of
ferry operations.
At the April 9 City
Council Stated Meeting,
Councilman Paul
Vallone introduced a bill
that would establish the
director position within
the Department of
Transportation (DOT).
The role would
involve the operation
and maintenance of
existing ferries, ferry
route development
and evaluation,
identification and
assessment of potential
sites for expansion of
ferry service and public
outreach and community
engagement.
“Ferry service is an
efficient transportation
option for New Yorkers
and a vital asset to
our City’s economic
development,” said
Vallone, who also
serves as chair of the
Committee on Economic
Development. “As evident
in areas of our city like
northeast Queens, which
lacks subway access and
oftentimes reliable bus
service, it is clear that
New Yorkers need better
ways to travel between
the boroughs.”
The director is
responsible for all
ferries operated by the
Hornblower company but
will not be responsible
for the Staten Island
Ferry. Hornblower
currently operates
six ferry routes with
oversite from New York’s
Economic Development
Corporation (EDC).
Vallone’s bill, which
is cosponsored by
Councilman Ydanis
Rodriguez, would not
change the overall
operational structure
and control of the
current system could lie
under any city entity —
namely EDC or DOT.
“As we continuously
look for ways to meet the
extraordinary demand
for public transit, our
city’s rapidly growing
ferry service is quickly
becoming a viable mass
transportation option in
the City of New York,”
said Vallone. “A dedicated
Director of Ferry
Services to manage our
waterways will ensure
that our ferry system
will continue to grow
and improve. I welcome
continued investment
in this successful
mass transit mode and
will continue to advocate
for further expansions,
especially into
the northern
Queens waterfront.”
The councilman has
been a longtime advocate
of getting ferry service
for his constituents. Back
in September, Vallone
pushed for a Willets
Point ferry stop for
northeast Queens
residents following an
EDC feasibility study.
In 2014, the councilman
along with then-
Councilwoman Julissa
F e r r e r a s - C o p e l a n d
and Councilman Peter
Koo, penned a letter to
request a pilot program
testing out the long-term
viability of ferry service
from Manhattan to Citi
Field in Flushing and to
Fort Totten in Bayside.
NYC Ferry
Service operates a
combined 21 stops
in Queens, Brooklyn
and Manhattan,
with more stops
in development.
In 2020, they will
launch the St. George
route connecting Staten
Island with the West
Side of Manhattan and
a Coney Island route in
2021, which connects
to Wall Street/Pier 11.
A current EDC
report said that the
ferry service serves
approximately 18,000
riders on weekdays
and 28,000 riders on
Saturdays and Sundays.
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