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QUEENS WEEKLY, JUNE 9, 2019
Queens seeks to keep
BQX plan on track
Bishop Taylor, founder of Urban Upbound, calls for the city to move forward with the Brooklyn-
Queens Connector. Photo: Mark Hallum/QNS
BY MARK HALLUM
Supporters of the
B r o o k l y n - Q u e e n s
Connector made their
demands for a north-south
route between the outerboroughs
clear on May 30
with a rally at City Hall
accompanied by hearing
in the council chamber.
The City Council task
force on the streetcar
plan, dubbed the BQX,
questioned city Economic
Development Corporation
and Department of
Transportation officials
on the proposal as it
stands and the potential
impacts or benefits
to communities.
Since its inception in
2016, the planned route of
the BQX has been cut short
near the terminus. The
most recent cost projection
is $2.7 billion, which will
include the creation of 2,000
parking spots.
Councilman Costa
Constantinides was
concerned with not only
gentrification in his
home base of Astoria, but
also road congestion that
may ensue on 21st Street
from the light rail and
how businesses will
receive deliveries.
“This corridor is one
of the most gentrified
parts of my district,”
Constantinides said.
“Homes are being torn
down, there is a real
affordability crisis in this
part of our community and
I see that the value capture
is going to go all the way
to the train line on 31st
Street which is only going
to make the challenges in
Astoria even greater. What
are we doing to safeguard
affordability… What
are we doing to protect
those residents?”
Wil Fisher of the DOT
told Constantinides that
there may be options
businesses to receive
deliveries on side streets,
as opposed to the main
thoroughfare, while many
residents either own
homes or live in rentcontrolled
units.
“Twenty-five percent
of residents are in owneroccupied
houses and
another 56 percent are
in some form of rent
controlled residence where
they have some protections
against un-affordability
rising,” he said.
The EDC said although
it may seem like a long
process at the moment,
the BQX is on par with
other streetcar projects
that have in launched in
other cities across the
United States.
The rally prior to the
hearing on the steps of
City Hall was organized
by Friends of the BQX,
led in part by Jukay Hsu,
and featured speakers
such as Queens Chamber
of Commerce President
Tom Grech, president
of the Astoria Houses
Tenants Association
Claudia Coger, Bishop
Mitchell Taylor and
Queens Borough President
Melinda Katz.
“With this particular
light rail, this option of
transportation, it will
create mobility which will
create economic mobility.
Which will create a stable
environment in many of
the communities that have
been lock out because of
a lack of transportation,”
Taylor said. “We want this
to be expedited and put into
play as soon as possible.”
Coger said the nearest
subway to Astoria
Houses is 30 blocks away
with the most direct
route from Queens to
Brooklyn is to travel
through Manhattan.
FIT