Owner-Initiated Rezoning Faces Community Board Opposition at City Planning

Commercial and residential rezoning of entire block favored by half of block’s property owners in area zoned for manufacturing. Five property owners came together to apply for the rezoning of a block in Flushing, Queens. The block is bounded by Avery Avenue to the north, College Point Boulevard to the east, Fowler Avenue to the south and 131st Street to the west. The application requests a rezoning from M1-1 and M1-2 to C2-6A to facilitate … <Read More>


Controversial catering hall rezoning approved

White House Restaurant located in at 10-24 154th Street, Queens. Image: Courtesy of bridgeandtunnelclub.com

State Senator and residents opposed addition of catering hall to Whitestone restaurant. On June 29, 2011, the City Council approved a modified version of Joe Franco’s proposal to rezone the western side of 154th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues in the Whitestone section of Queens. The plan rezoned five lots and will facilitate the expansion of Franco’s White House restaurant … <Read More>


Rezoning for Flushing mixed-use project approved

Mark Solow’s proposed seven-story mixed-use development at 135-05 Northern Boulevard in Flushing, Queens. Image: Courtesy of Anthony Morali Architect PLLC.

Owner would replace Northern Boulevard auto-parts store with seven-story mixed-use development. On May 25, 2011, the City Planning Commission approved Mark Solow’s proposal to facilitate the construction of a 52,570 sq.ft. mixed-use development at 135-05 Northern Boulevard in Flushing, Queens. The proposal would rezone three lots currently occupied by Solow’s Crown Auto Parts store at … <Read More>


Council denies sidewalk cafe permit

Avella not convinced that application errors were inadvertent, calls for investigation of architect. The owner of the Delano Cafe Lounge at 29-02 Francis Lewis Boulevard applied to the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs for an unenclosed sidewalk cafe permit. The original application called for 36 tables and 72 chairs fronting on 29th Avenue and Francis Lewis Boulevard. After meeting with Community Board 7, the applicant agreed to reduce the application to 11 tables and 22 … <Read More>


Rezoning OK’d despite opposition from residents, civic association

Avella critical of Community Board 7’s representative. On September 24, 2008, the City Council approved the 44-block rezoning plan for Waldheim, a neighborhood immediately southeast of Downtown Flushing. The plan incorporates lower- and medium-density contextual zoning for 43 blocks, an upzoning of one block from R6 to R7-1, and commercial overlay modifications to stop commercial development from spilling over into residential midblocks. The rezoning area is generally bounded by Sanford and Franklin Avenues to the … <Read More>


Queens project approved when Council failed to act

Full Council rejects resolution but not project. Private developer College Point Holdings I LLC filed four linked applications for its plan to develop 100 units and 100 parking spaces within 26 attached buildings on a two-acre site in the College Point area of Queens. The applications included a rezoning application to alter the site from manufacturing zoning to residential zoning (M1-1 to R4) that allows as-of-right residential development. Also included were two special permits to … <Read More>