NEW YORK CITY-Urban renewal efforts are continuing to move forward in Northern Queens, as the New York City Economic Development Corp. issued a request for proposals for the first phase of redevelopment at Willets Point on Monday. The city is seeking development proposals for the initial 12.7-acre parcel adjacent to Citi Field, as well as a concept plan for the entire 62-acre peninsula along the Flushing River.
The RFP follows the recent announcement by the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration and the New York State Department of Transportation that gave the city the green light to continue the public review process for new access ramps for the Van Wyck Expressway, which would be constructed in future phases of the project. The neighborhood, formerly utilized as an ash dump for passing railroad cars, was rezoned by the city council in 2008 to allow mixed-use development. It expected to be redeveloped and remediated over a nine-year period, with total build-out estimated by 2017.
After the city issued a request for qualifications in 2009, the NYCEDC received 29 responses from developers, according to a statement. Based on the RFQ, the group of respondents were directed to create “the most compelling development proposal” for Phase I, which allows for up to 680,000 square feet of retail space; up to 400 units of housing, 35% of which will be affordable; a hotel; two acres of open space and parking. Responses are due by August 12; a public hearing about the ramps will take place on June 8.
Though RFPs have been officially issued, an NYCEDC spokeswoman tells GlobeSt.com that the agency could not identify what developers submitted RFQs due to the early nature of the development process. Nearly 90% of the land in the Phase I area is controlled by the city, with only nine private property owners remaining, according to a release. Three years ago, landlord MA Realty agreed to hand over 44,500 square feet of industrial space to the city.
In response to the RFP, many local and state officials applauded the development of Phase I, including Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, who supports construction of the site. “The redevelopment of Willets Point continues to move forward with the issuance of this RFP and other hurdles successfully mounted,” Marshall says in a statement. “This is good news for the creation of new housing, construction and permanent jobs, retail and green space, all of which will create a sparkling new community convenient to transportation, sporting and recreational activities.”
But the redevelopment itself remains a contentious issue. The neighborhood is home to approximately 240 existing auto-related businesses. Eminent domain proceedings started in February, though the NYCEDC is providing relocation assistance to local businesses and workforce training to employees, with the assistance of LaGuardia Community College.
Jake Bono of Willets Point United, a grassroots group fighting eminent domain abuse in Queens, writes in a blog post that the NYCEDC is wrongfully moving forward with the RFP process because the city has not obtained the necessary approvals for the Van Wyck ramps. Willets Point United is also calling for transparency is the public approval process. “We understand that only a select elite are invited from among those who answered the original RFQ, and the city refuses to disclose any of the relevant responses to the RFQ so all can see what the qualifications are of any of the developers invited to respond,” according to the blog.
Later in the year, the city is set to select a contractor for off-site infrastructure work, including construction for new stormwater sewers, sanitary systems and a water main, according to NYCEDC. The site’s build-out is expected to create 1,800 permanent jobs and 4,600 construction jobs.
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