It's Official: Three Mega Developments Will Move Ahead in Queens

As expected, the City Council approved the 5Pointz condo plan, Willets Point mega mall plan and the Hallets Point housing plan at yesterday’s meeting. Here’s a recap on all three votes:

As we reported yesterday, the City Council came to an agreement with 5Pointz owners/developers Jerry and David Wolkoff to build two condo towers at the site, each 47 and 41 stories tall. The developers agreed to build and staff the buildings with all union workers, increase the number of affordable units from 75 to 210, build a public park that is over 32,000 square feet, and include over 50,000 square feet of retail space and a 250 space public parking garage. Wolkoff also agreed to increase the amount of artists studio and gallery space to 12,000 square feet and give Johnathan Cohen, a current curator at 5Pointz, the opportunity to curate nearly 10,000 square feet of art panels and walls in the new development. According to Queens Courier, no 5Pointz artists have been contacted or offered to work within the new art studios or be featured on the art panels. The artist were also under the impression that a second public hearing would take place yesterday; instead the City Council took the vote. The artists have until December 1st to leave the property. The Wolkoffs plan to demolish the building near the end of the year.

The City Council also approved a mega mall for Willets Point, a proposal which garnered criticism at every turn. The NY Daily News reports that developers Sterling Equities and the Related Companies offered the following concessions: 300 more affordable housing units than originally proposed, a $15,500,000 investment in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, and $15,000,000 in relocation assistance for the small businesses that will be displaced out of the Iron Triangle. The developers also plan to build out a $2,600,000 rooftop farm on top of the mall. The city agreed to a last-minute request to provide funds for traffic ramps leading into the development — local officials asked for $70,000,000, the city promised $66,000,000.

Finally, the $1 billion redevelopment of Hallets Points is a go. The development will bring 2,100 luxury and nearly 500 below-market rate apartments to the area, according to the Daily News. The developer, Lincoln Equities, expects to break ground here in late 2014 or early 2015.

BREAKING: 5Pointz Condo Plan a Go, More Development Details Emerge [Q’Stoner]
City Council Takes Vote on 5Pointz, Willets Point and Hallets Point Today [Q’Stoner]