Vallone keeps NE Queens ferry push in high gear
BY JENNA BAGCAL
Councilman Paul Vallone
continues to push for ferry
and waterfront development
in northeast Queens.
Vallone chaired an
executive budget hearing on
economic development on
Monday, where the New York
City Economic Development
Corporation (NYCEDC)
provided the Council with
an overview of their capital
funding plan and provided
updates on ongoing projects
for the upcoming New York
City fiscal year.
The councilman
questioned EDC President
and CEO James Patchett on
designated investments in the
waterfront, including public
transportation, preserving
and renewing recreational
waterfront spaces and a
renewed call for ferry services
in northeast Queens and other
transit deserts.
He once again urged the
EDC to establish commuter
ferry service at the World’s
Fair Marina in Flushing,
which had sustained damages
from Superstorm Sandy.
Reconstruction efforts to the
marina include upgrading
the deteriorated fixed piers,
floating docks and other
components destroyed
during Sandy.
According to Vallone’s
office, once the project is
completed in 2022, the marina’s
new design can accommodate
a potential ferry landing.
“As we continuously
look for ways to meet the
extraordinary demand for
public transit, our city should
look to ride the wave of ferry
service, which brings a viable
transportation option to areas
of our city like northeast
Queens that are difficult to
access and lack subway access
and reliable bus service,”
said Vallone.
EDC is in charge of
constructing new ferry
landings, renovating existing
landings and managing the
contract with Hornblower,
who operates the ferries and
provides service on the city’s
behalf.
In January, Mayor de Blasio
announced the continued
Councilman Vallone pushed for continued ferry development
in northeast Queens at Monday’s executive budget hearing on
economic development. Photo courtesy of Vallone’s offi ce
expansion of the through 2021,
with plans to add new stops and
routes in Brooklyn, the Bronx
and Staten Island. Current
routes include Astoria, East
River, Lower East Side,
Rockaway, Soundview and
South Brooklyn.
By 2021, the city will have
a total of eight operating ferry
routes. EDC plans to launch
the St. George and Coney
Island routes in 2020 and
2021 respectively. The agency
also plans to add a stop on the
Soundview Route at Ferry
Point Park in 2021.
During Monday’s hearing,
Patchett also provided updates
on some of the ongoing projects
funded in the recent fiscal
plans. Some of the projects
include the Downtown Far
Rockaway Housing and
Commercial Redevelopment
in Queens, the Essex Market at
Essex Crossing in Manhattan,
and the Futureworks
Makerspace at the Brooklyn
Army Terminal.
Of the 445 projects
included in EDC’s Capital
Commitment Plan, 72 are in
Queens, 143 are in Brooklyn,
131 are in Manhattan, 48
are in the Bronx, 34 are
in Staten Island and 17
are citywide. The Council
questioned Patchett
on EDC’s rationale for
managing nearly $3 billion
in capital projects for
other agencies.
“It is essential we adopt
a budget that is transparent
and ref lective of the
priorities of the Council and
our New Yorkers,” Vallone
said. “As Chair of the City
Council’s Committee on
Economic Development, I
expect that NYCEDC will be
responsive to the concerns
of the Council and will work
closely with members to
ensure we pass a budget that
fosters continued economic
growth in New York City.”
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