Aerial rendering of the Willets Point proposal. Image Credit: EDC.

23-acre proposal will include environmental cleanup, expressway ramps, affordable housing, and retail and entertainment complex. The City Planning Commission held a public hearing on land use actions to facilitate Phase 1 of the Willets Point Development Project on July 10, 2013. The application was submitted by the New York City Economic Development Corporation and the Queens Development Group, LLC, a joint venture of Sterling Equities and Related Companies. Phase 1, to be split into Phase 1A and 1B, includes environmental cleanup, economic improvements, mixed use developments, parking, and infrastructure improvements on a portion of the 61-acre Special Willets Point District in Queens on the west and east sides of Citi Field, home of the New York Mets.

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Aerial View of Willets Point with Convention Center to the North. Image: Courtesy of EDC.

Willets Point 126th Street Across from CitiField. Image: Courtesy of EDC.

City targeting 12.75-acre site adjacent to Citi Field for first phase of construction. On May 9, 2011, The City’s Economic Development Corporation issued a request for proposals seeking a developer for Phase 1 of the Willets Point District redevelopment plan in Queens. The triangle-shaped Willets Point District comprises 61.4 acres generally bounded by Northern Boulevard, the Van Wyck Expressway, and 126th Street. The contentious redevelopment plan was approved by the City Council in November 2008. 5 CityLand 167 (Dec. 2008).

The Phase 1 site is a 12.75-acre parcel along 126th Street and Roosevelt Avenue across from Citi Field. The approved program for Phase 1 construction would permit up to 400 units of mixed-income housing, 680,000 sq.ft. of retail space, and 387 hotel rooms. The developer must create at least 2.08 acres of publicly accessible open space. There will be 7.5 acres of unbuilt area buffering the Phase 1 site. (more…)

Concerns over eminent domain dominate hearing. On November 29, 2007, the City Council’s committees on Land Use and Economic Development held their second oversight hearing on New York City Economic Development Corporation’s proposal to redevelop 61 acres of Willets Point in Queens. The site, located directly east of Shea Stadium, largely consists of a range of auto-related, light industrial and manufacturing private businesses. EDC seeks to acquire the entire area and create an urban renewal plan for a new 8.9 million-square-foot mixed-use development. 4 CityLand 87 (July 15, 2007).

At the hearing, EDC President Robert Lieber testified that EDC is working with Willets Point businesses on a relocation plan by which the businesses would move to private property or City-owned or controlled property. Lieber also stated that some businesses have already agreed to relocate so long as EDC purchases similar industrial property on their behalf. Moreover, to address potential job losses, Lieber announced that EDC would work with LaGuardia Community College and run a workforce assistance program. (more…)