What Will Willets Point Look Like Under a de Blasio Term?

Could affordable housing return to the Willets Point redevelopment plan? Willets Point United penned an op-ed in the New York Daily News asking our likely next Mayor de Blasio to reconsider the development of Willets Point. As the article notes, “Of all the essential public benefits that were originally negotiated — affordable housing, a living wage and traffic relieving ramps — we have been given the city’s largest retail mall built on parkland. The property taken under the threat of eminent domain is now earmarked for a parking lot.” Willets Point United points out its long list of grievances with the city and the Economic Development Corporation, and notes that the plan approved by de Blasio and the City Council in 2008 looks very little like the plan proposed today. The council is expected to cast a final vote on the Willets Point project next month. The op-ed ultimately asks de Blasio, “You should publicly argue that a new council leadership and a new mayor should be given the opportunity to craft a better deal for the city – one that better respects parkland and the rights of property owners and tenant businesses.”

Hopefully a de Blasio Administration Can Craft a Fair Deal to Redevelop Willets Point [NY Daily News]