Well-Planned Growth:

Transcription

1 Well-Planned Growth: A Community Vision for Hunters Point and Long Island City Presentation for: Hunters Point & Long Island City Community April 2018 Court Square Civic Association Hunters Point Civic Association Hunters Point Community Coalition Long Island City Coalition

2 Well-Planned Growth for Hunters Point and Long Island City Who s involved? Where are Hunters Point and Long Island City? What s happening right now? What s wrong with that? What s already happened? What s our vision for the future? What can I do now?

3 Who is involved? Not-for-profit organizations collectively representing residents, property owners and business owners of the LIC community Court Square Civic Association Championing holistic development - infrastructure, green space, schools Advocating for a livable neighborhood Hunters Point Civic Association Improving the quality of life - education, transportation, parks Advocating for responsible development Hunters Point Community Coalition Promoting community-based planning since 1995 Assisting in environmental planning and protection Long Island City Coalition Promoting community-driven progressive change at all levels Helping transform community ideas into actions

4 Where are Hunters Point & LIC? In western Queens on the East River Between Midtown Tunnel and Queensboro Bridge Across from UN Near the south end of Roosevelt Island Approximately ¾ square miles Hunters Point & Long Island City Map and Satellite Photo Google Maps, February 2018

5 Queens Queens Plaza Court Square Queens West & Hunters Point South Greenpoint, Brooklyn East River Manhattan Roosevelt Island United Nations Queens Midtown Tunnel Hunters Point & Long Island City Satellite Photo Google Maps, February 2018

6 What s happening right now? by far more apartments than any other neighborhood in the country Top U.S. Neighborhoods that Got the Most Apartments After the Recession, RentCafe.com Blog, May 26, major waterfront developments are proposed East River Tennis Club/ Lake Vernon LIC Waterfront Mixed-Use Redevelopment (EDC) Life Sciences Hub (EDC) Anable Basin - Proposed Rezoning Paragon Paint - BSA Variance Application 3 large-scale planning efforts are underway Long Island City Core Rezoning (DCP) Hunters Point North - Waterfront Access Plan Revisions (DCP) Sunnyside Yards Overbuild (EDC) While other massive developments continue Queens Plaza Court Square Queens West Hunters Point Hunters Point South

7 What s wrong with that? Overdevelopment, spot zoning and piecemeal planning mean: Long Island City residents are living with the outcomes of rezonings that aren t comprehensive and don t take into account the whole neighborhood or the whole of the community s needs. Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, City Limits, April 2018 #7 at rush hour John Murray or other Overcrowded subways CSO at Anable Basin or other Packed parks Overflowing schools Stalled library Inadequate infrastructure Risks of flooding Inadequate public services

8 What s wrong with transportation? Overcrowded subway platforms & trains, delays, tough commutes Any rezoning in Long Island City must take transportation, schools and culture into account. 7 trains already suffer from crowding and delays. If we want to add more people to the neighborhood, we must improve public transit. Court Square Station & Trains at Rush Hour Photos by CSCA, April 2018 Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, 2017

9 What s wrong with the parks? Packed parks, overcrowded playgrounds, little recreational space Long Island City is ranked with the 43 rd lowest ratio of park and playground acres to residents out of 51 neighborhoods in NYC. New Yorkers for Parks, City Council District Profiles, 2015 Crowding at parks and playgrounds Photos by HPCC, April 2018

10 What s wrong with the schools? Overcrowded schools, inadequate funding, schools in floodplains Asked about school overcrowding, Van Bramer said that he s secured funding for 14 new schools with 5,000 seats but that the neighborhood is still in desperate need of schools due to the rapid pace of development Citi Limits, April 2018 LIC Community fights for schools Photo by Nautilus International March 2018

11 What s wrong with infrastructure? Overflowing storm outfalls, backed up sewers, outages during storms, no green infrastructure Reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs) with Green Infrastructure Reduce combined sewer overflows with high-level storm sewers Brooklyn-Queens Water and Wastewater Initiative #8 & #9, A Stronger, More Resilient New York, page 266, City of New York, 2013 Combined Sewer Outfall (CSO) on East River Photo by Nautilus International, February 2016 Sewage & Stormwater overflows in 2016: BB events with 1 million gallons spilling into Anable Basin BB-021 & BB events each with 29 million gallons spilling into the LIC waterways Data from NYC Department of Environmental Protection Photo of sewer overflow into Newtown Creek by RiverKeeper

12 Create an implementation plan for comprehensive flood-protection improvements on public and private property along the Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and Long Island City coastlines. Brooklyn-Queens Waterfront Initiative #5, A Stronger, More Resilient New York, page 257, City of New York, 2013 What s wrong with flooding? Risks to life, critical infrastructure overwhelmed, damages to property, shoreline erosion, business disruption, utility outages Flooding at high tide on a clear day in Gantry State Park on the East River Photos by HPCC, April 2018 Flooding & storm surge during Superstorm Sandy Photos from LIC Climate Coalition October 2012

13 What s wrong with City services? Insufficient public facilities like libraries, inadequate City services Overdeveloped and underserved Thomas Paino, RA Executive Director Hunters Point Community Coalition LIC community rallies for STOP signs near schools Photo from January 2017 $43M Unfinished library in Queens West Warekar, Tanay. Queens s Steven Holl-design library is delayed yet again. Curbed.com, May 2, Photo via Field Conditions. Trash instead of street trees Photos by CSCA, April 2018 Empty pits instead of street trees Photos by CSCA, April 2018

14 What s happening right now? Five major waterfront developments are proposed: East River Tennis Club / Lake Vernon Life Sciences Hub (EDC) LIC Waterfront Mixed-Use Redevelopment (EDC) Anable Basin Rezoning Paragon Paint Hunters Point Waterfront Satellite Photo Google Maps, February 2018

15 East River Tennis Club 900 (or 1,100) dus Two 28-story towers & four 8-story lofts 1.2M sf 2 acres open space Views of Proposed Development from the East River and Hunters Point Cornell, Katy. A Closer Look at the Yet-To-Be-Built River East Residential Plan from Peter Poon Architects. CityRealty.com (August 29, 2016). Renderings by Peter Poon Architects.

16 EDC - LIC Waterfront Project TF Cornerstone designated as developer 4.5 acres 1.4M sf total 1,000 dus 300,000 commercial (min) 2-3 towers ( tall if mixed-use) View along 44 th Drive, Rendering from NYC EDC Site Plan & Aerial Photo with Location in Red NYC EDC. RFP to developers (February 2016)

17 EDC- LifeSciNYC 2 acres of NY Cityowned land 585,000 sf existing Board of Education offices & logistics 300,000 sf goal for new lab & office space for R&D 0 sf open space $100M in NYC Capital Funds including Cityowned land Tax abatement incentives NYC Board of Education Building at 44 th Drive looking north from Vernon Boulevard Chen, Jackson, Long Island City bidding to become city s life science hub, Real Estate Weekly, February 14, 2018 Left: Site Location on Land Use Map Right: NYC Board of Education Building looking northeast from 44 th Drive NYC EDC. LifeSci NYC RFEI to developers (January 23, 2018)

18 Anable Basin Rezoning 15.4 acres, 3 acres underwater 5.8M sf total = 10.8 FAR without lands underwater 3,650-5,000 dus 3.1 acres open space Six towers from 350 to 695 tall Above left: Overview of proposed massing looking west Above right: Proposed massing combined with EDC LIC Waterfront Project Below: Incremental shadows cast on East River and open spaces MAS Comments on Environmental Impact of Anable Basin Rezoning

19 New York Panel on Climate Change Sea levels could rise by more than 2.5 feet by midcentury The probability of an increase in intense hurricanes in the North Atlantic Basin is more likely than not (over 50%) Flooding as severe at today s 100-year storms will be up to five times more likely in New York s low-lying areas within 30 years Overview of proposed massing looking west Rendering of proposed Anable Basin looking west Above: 100-Year Flood Zone will affect 75% of buildings within a half mile by 2050 Based on New York Panel on Climate Change projections MAS Comments on Environmental Impact of Anable Basin Rezoning Anable Basin contributes to flooding inland asinlic.com/ (2018)

20 Revised Plan looking west Rendering by SHoP Architects 2017 Paragon Paint BSA Variance Appln 248 dus 130% of AMI 26-story tower (292 ) Comparison: original 2015 & revised 2017 BSA proposals Drawings by SHoP Architects Street level view of original BSA proposal looking northwest at corner of Vernon Boulevard and 46 th Avenue Rendering by SHoP Architects, 2015

21 Adding up the Waterfront 5: Total # of new apartments = 5,550-7,100 apts # of new residents = 14,430-18,460 people Total acres of open space = 6.1 acres Open space per 1,000 resident = acres (NYC s goal is 2.5 acres per 1,000) Total open space per apartment = sf / per apt (smaller than your kitchen) # of new school children = 3,000-3,875 kids Total new school seats proposed = 1,328 seats (1/3 of new school seats needed)

22 What s happening right now? Three large-scale planning projects: Long Island City Core Rezoning (DCP) Hunters Point North (DCP) Sunnyside Yards Overbuild (EDC) Long Island City Satellite Photo Google Maps, April 2018

23 LIC Core Study: Stated Goals: Commercial Development Affordable Housing (MIH) Livability Economic Opportunity LIC Core Study Left: Context Area Right: Public Open Spaces and Significant Streets NYC Department of City Planning/Queens LIC Core Public Meeting 31 January 2017

24 Hunters Point North: Private towers walling off the East River Limited public access to the waterfront Minimal new open space Presentation July 2018 Hunters Point North Left: Diagram of proposed waterfront access and public open spaces Below: View looking west to East River waterfront from LIC community NYC Department of City Planning (2017)

25 Sunnyside Yards Overbuild: 180 acres with up to 85% overbuilt 20.3M to 29.8M sf total floor area 14,000 to 24,000 dus 31 to 52 acres of open spaces Aerial Photo of Sunnyside Yards looking SW Photo: New York City Economic Development Corporation Schematic representation of overbuild Sunnyside Yards Feasibility Study, Feb. 2017, pg. 74 Test Cases of potential development: (from top) Residential; Live/Work/Visit; and Destination Sunnyside Yards Feasibility Study February 2017, pg

26 The aggregate open space described provides approximately.97 acres per 1,000 residents. While this is below the recommended CEQR target of 1.25-acres per 1,000 residents, the quantity is equal to or above what is provided by other large-scale developments in New York City Sunnyside Yard Feasibility Study, NYC EDC, February 2017 Adding up the Waterfront 5 plus Sunnyside Yards: Total # of new apartments = 19,550-31,100 apts # of new residents = 50,830-80,860 people Total acres of open space = acres Open space per 1,000 residents = acres (NYC s goal is 2.5 acres per 1,000) Total open space per apartment = sf / apt (about the size of your kitchen)

27 What s already happened? Other massive projects continue Queens Plaza Upzoned 2001 (DCP) Court Square Upzoned 1986 (DCP) Queens West 1992 (QWDC) Hunters Point Upzoned 2004 (DCP) Long Island City Satellite Photo Google Maps, April 2018 Hunters Point South 2009 (EDC)

28 Court Square Queens Plaza Upzonings Between 2000 and 2010 the population in Queens Census Tract 1 increased 261 percent. Satellite Photos of New Construction at Court Square & Queens Plaza from West (top) and from East (bottom) Google Maps, 2018

29 NYS Queens West 74 acres (minus 30 acres to NYC in 2009) 4.8M sf total 4,700 dus 13 acres open space 2 schools 11 towers (390 tallest) Aerial View of Queens West looking east from the East River Google Maps, 2018) Queens West Project Plan

30 Hunters Point South 30 acres 5,000 dus 11 acres open space 1 school Aerial View of Hunters Pont South Phase 2 looking south from the East River Waerkar, Tanay. Hunters Point South phase 2 moves forward with plans for 1,200 apartments. Curbed NY (October 20, 2017). Rendering via ODA. Aerial View of Hunters Point South looking north from the East River NYC EDC, General Renderings (March 17, 2009)

31 What s our vision for the future? Well-planned growth means a neighborhood that is. Livable Parks, playgrounds, sports fields & landscaping Schools, libraries, day care centers & after-school programs Transportation of all kinds Community gathering places & programs Arts and culture Sustainable Resilient Benefits both existing and new residents & businesses Distributes economic development fairly Protects and restores the natural environment Encourages energy-efficient buildings & renewable use of resources Proactive about climate change - sea level rise & increased storms Community services - job training, emergency preparedness State-of-the-art infrastructure that encourages innovation Shared and inclusive decision-making

32 What can I do right now? Raise awareness Educate friends and neighbors Participate in community organizations Support enlightened elected officials Help with funding and fund-raising Demand well-planned growth This Land is Our Land - Public Land for Public Use: The LIC community rallies against private development of public properties on 44 th Drive March 2018

33 Thank you! Here s how to reach us: Court Square Civic Association Hunters Point Civic Association Hunters Point Community Coalition huntersptcommunity@gmail.com Long Island City Coalition