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West Queens pushes on streetcar
Rally at City Hall for BQX line as hearing draws concerns about gentrifi cation & affordability
BY MARK HALLUM
Supporters of the
Brooklyn-Queens Connector
made their demands for a
north-south route between
the outer-boroughs 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 rent controlled 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 unaffordability
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,”
RHYTHM OF HAPPINESS
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.
Thousands of Queens residents flocked to Jackson Heights on June 2 and enjoyed the colorful
sights and sounds of the Queens Pride Parade celebrating the LGBTQ community.
Photo by Dean Moses
Vol. 7 No. 23 64 total pages
/QNS.COM
