A developer has filed plans to rezone 30-02 Newtown Avenue where Finkelstein Inc. tire shop is located (GMaps)
Dec. 30, 2020 By Christian Murray
A developer has filed plans to rezone a property in Astoria in order to build an 11-story, 102-unit building near the 30th Avenue train station.
Lynest Associates, a Queens-based company, filed an application to rezone 30-02 Newtown Ave. in March and the plans were certified by the Dept. of City Planning on Dec. 14 to start the public review process.
The plans call for a 140,000 square foot building that would include 8,400 square feet of ground floor retail space and a 99-seat black box theater that would be occupied by the Astoria Performing Arts Center. The plans also call for 30 parking spaces below ground.
Development Site (Department of City Planning)
The project would include 31 “affordable” housing units, as required by the City under the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing program.
The development site, which is approximately 15,500 square feet, is currently occupied by three interconnected two-story commercial buildings, which would all be demolished.
The buildings are home to a tire repair shop, a warehouse and offices. The project site has frontage along 30th Street, Newtown Avenue and 31st Street.
The 102-unit development is expected to occupied by about 240 residents, according to City Planning projections.
The application involves a zoning change from C4-4A to C4-4D. The change would essentially increase the permitted residential FAR from 4.6 to 7.20 and the community facility FAR from 4.0 to 6.50, respectively.
The permissible building height would increase to 145 feet, up from the existing limit of 95 feet if certain conditions are met.
The plans are about to go before Community Board 1 for review since the proposal involves a rezoning. The board is required to hold a public hearing before issuing an advisory opinion on the project and whether a zoning change should be permitted.
The plans will then go to the Queens Borough President’s office for another advisory opinion, before going to the City Planning Commission and then the city council for a binding vote.
The developer, according to City Planning filings, aims to start construction in 2022 and complete the project in 2024.
Looking south from the intersection of Newtown Avenue
and 31st Street. (DCP)
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11 Comments
This looks like a great project. There’s such little quality housing near subways in Astoria. Looking forward to some retail instead of the old tire shop.
This is a great project. Building a lot of housing next to the subway is a big win for the environment, hopefully more transit oriented development can be allowed in the future.
Jeremy: Better to be silent and thought of as a fool than to speak and remove all doubt. -Lincoln.
The site is designated HazMat according to the Dept. of Buildings.
Why is investment in the neighborhood bad? Or construction jobs bad, or an increase in supply that will drive down market rates? The NIMBY’s need to let the world evolve instead of keeping it frozen in time.
It only takes a 12-story building to make this 11-story building feel “cute”.
I will miss checking out the F-1 race car in the GoodYear shop. Anything cool needs to be stomped out apparently. The Karate school next to GoodYear has a lot of character so it has to go also.
With all the outgoing moving trucks and discarded furniture from abandoned apartments on garbage day, 102 additional units is just what we need. LOL. Market rate apartments now rent for less than the “affordable” new construction. And, anyone that is willing to pay $2,000 a month for their “affordable” studio with an el train rumbling past their window every 10 minutes is a moron.
Well, let them go through with it and have them lose their shirts, if what you say is true.
This is a really bad idea for this area. Please keep posting information, including public hearing dates.
Are they mad!!? This will be a bloody nightmare!