You are reading

City Council Approves Innovation QNS, Will Bring 3,200 Units to Five Block Area in Astoria

The City Council voted Tuesday to approve the Innovation QNS development in Astoria. (Rendering via Innovation QNS)

Nov. 22, 2022 By Christian Murray

The City Council voted to approve Innovation QNS today, clearing the final hurdle for the developers in their quest to rezone a 5-block section of Astoria in order to build a 3,190-unit project.

The vote came as no surprise, coming just a day after the council’s Land Use Committee unanimously approved the plan and Councilmember Julie Won said she would back the project following lengthy negotiations that lead to an increase in the number of affordable units.

Won had been an outspoken critic of the project and was adamantly opposed to it even before it entered the public review process in April. The initial plan called for 2,800 units, with 711 (or 25 percent) being affordable– a number that she said was inadequate.

The final plan makes way for the construction of 3,190 units, with 1,436 (or 45 percent) of those units deemed affordable. Nearly half of the affordable units, or 658 units, will be set aside for people who earn up to 30 percent Area Median Income, or $36,030 for a family of three. Of the 658 units, 157 will be for the formerly homeless.

The development will bring 12 buildings that will be spread across 5 blocks in the vicinity of Steinway Street and 35th Avenue. Five of the buildings will be more than 20 stories tall, with the tallest being 27 stories.

Concept rendering of Innovation QNS

The plan also includes about two acres of public open space, a community center, supermarket and a new movie theater that will replace the existing Regal UA Kaufman Astoria theater on 38th Street.

The project will take 10 years to complete, although a construction start date is not yet known.

The developers—Silverstein Properties, BedRock and Kaufman Astoria Studios—praised the council for approving the rezoning.

“Today’s approval of Innovation QNS is a truly historic moment for New York City’s efforts to ensure its long-term economic sustainability,” said Marty Burger, CEO of Silverstein Properties.

“This shows that when the real estate community works with our elected leaders, neighborhood groups, unions, housing advocates, and community members, we can find ways to address the city’s toughest issues, including affordable housing, infrastructure, and jobs.”

Site Map (Innovation Queens)

 

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Adams breaks ground on major renovation of Queens Public Library’s Hollis Library

Oct. 25, 2024 By Nelson A. King

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Queens Public Library (QPL) President Dennis M. Walcott, and New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) Commissioner Thomas Foley on Friday broke ground on a $7.4 million project that will completely modernize the interior of the Hollis Library QPL branch with new reading rooms, more space for computers, and additional features for visitors and staff.

LaGuardia crowned best airport in United States by Forbes Travel Guide following $8 billion transformation

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey proudly announced on Oct. 22 that Forbes Travel Guide selected LaGuardia Airport as the best airport in the United States a decade after then-Vice President Joe Biden likened the transportation hub to one that would be found in a third-world nation in a speech lamenting the state of infrastructure in America.

Forbes released its first Verified Air Travel Awards based on a survey of 5,000 hospitality and travel experts and the guide’s most well-traveled fliers. The recognition is the latest in a long list of accolades given to LaGuardia throughout the course of the airport’s historic $8 billion transformation.