Early Rendering filed with the Department of City Planning
Oct. 7, 2019. By Shane O’Brien
A development team is seeking a zoning change in order to build an eight story apartment complex in Astoria and Community Board 1 will be holding a public hearing Thursday on the plans.
Co-developers Mega Realty Holding LLC and Pancyprian Association have filed plans for an eight-story building consisting of 88 residential units at 22-60 46th St. and 22-61 45th St. The plans also call for a 250-seat theater.
The community board meeting is scheduled to take place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10 at Astoria World Manor at 25-22 Astoria Blvd.
The plans are currently going through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) as the site requires a rezoning. The plans were certified on Aug. 26 and are currently being reviewed by Community Board 1.
The development team requires a rezoning as the site is currently zoned for manufacturing and does not permit residential or commercial use.
Flyers have been circulated around Astoria calling on residents to turn out at the public hearing and oppose the development.
“We cannot let this happen,” one flyer reads. “We need your participation to oppose this project that will be detrimental to the entire neighborhood of Astoria and Upper Ditmars and will change the character of our neighborhood forever.”
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62 Comments
Keep Upper Ditmars Great! Say no to any large building proposals!
The application was disapproved by the board. Mega did a terrible job presenting to the board and the residents. Very misleading, lots of assumptions and no facts or commitments. They have to make several changes including reducing the hight of the building. It’s a shame they tried to rally the Greek community behind the community theater to show support for the building. If they talked more about the residents units and not just the theater maybe it would of been a better outcome for them. Small win for local residents! Glad to hear though the board is I. Favor of resining the few houses in that area to R4!
Personally, I would be agreeable to a scaled down development, not taller than the existing Pistilli building. Not clear if the ‘theater’ is a movie theater or a performing arts theater; if the latter, I would not object to that type of theater. Glad though to see that they did allot for parking in their plan.
Let them go build a theater elsewhere! We will not allow our neighborhood to turn into an over crowded, dirty, pot smelling, loud, full of outsiders, etc area like the rest of Astoria.
I think that the Pistilli building owner and condo owners had more to do with the rejection than the surrounding community for now. There is no way that they will allow sunlight or views to be blocked from their expensive apartments. Pistilli is a big developer throughout Astoria and NY.
Sounds like the board wants more parking spaces included and a scale down version. However, many times developers scrap it after they are told to build smaller. We will wait and see how it goes. I just hope it doesn’t turn into a bar or club if no one wants to develop in that area or they cant get approved.
They are sending people around using scare tactics to get signatures but saying if you don’t sign, they could put up a homeless shelter. This is a blatant lie because if it’s not zoned residential, they can’t put up a residential shelter.
Update from community board. Disapproved – they have to resubmit based on several recommendations particularly the height of the building and provide more on site parking. Also it’s a shame that mega tried to rally the Greek community behind a community theater that will only be used a few times a year while ignoring the fact that they are also building apartments.
Anyone in favor this monstrosity does not have a vested interest in the area such as a business or home ownership. Astoria is now 27% home owners which means we have a largely transient population not vested in the long-term health of the community. This project is up the street from me. We are very congested already. A scaled down project better suited to the area would be preferable.
I live on 47th and Ditmars. Many of my neighbors and I know that development in that area is inevitable. We prefer it turn into residential housing. We are very unhappy with the storage unit that was built so big. As you suggested, I think the plan will be scaled down. This way the developers show the community board and neighbors that they are working with us and compromising. For this reason, they could of planned it so big so then they could come back with a scaled down version and be given the ok by the community board.
I own a home in the area and I support it. That thing that is there now is junk.
Take a look at the 1940 census. Astoria always had low home ownership. Majority of the people living in Astoria are and were renters. Price the apts/condos/coops reasonably to increase stability and long term owners/renters.
I love this development including the idea of a theater. Hopefully we will be able to apply for an apt. while they are building it.
I live very near this location. That block should be redeveloped now before someone decides to turn it into affordable housing or something much worse. I would go to the meeting tonight but i just had my hair done and do not want to be outside in this weather.
Astoria is shot now how about fixing this area up first no parking meters every where it’s disgusting
If you are using the term NIMBY on here, you are negating any salient point you might have. Grow up
I’m an original Astorian and hate to see the row homes being displaced by McMansions ala Forest Hills but in the long run isn’t it better that they rezone from a manufacturing zone to residential. I agree the Cube Store is a major eyesore…how was that allowed. The only issue is the overcrowding re mass transportation especially with the new apartment building along 31 st btw Ditmars and 21 Ave. Perhaps the blowhard politicians will then continue to improve services and increase the QOL in the area which has diminished since Big Bird took office…it’s reminiscent of the 1970’s. Also, they need to price the apts appropriately so that we don’t have either a Queensbridge Houses issue or a high transient population. The cost should lead to long time owners/renters where families can then settle and raise their family(ies). The appropriate pricing should stabilize the area.
I hope they are looking into expanding mass transit with more apartments coming. Trains are ridiculously crowded now!
Yea i hope they expand it from the Ditmars station and onto Ditmars Blvd all the way to LGA.
Add some barbed wire around the perimeter and it can double as a prison.
(Because that’s just how ugly looking this thing is…)
No one cared when they recently build the huge storage unit building across the street. Why is this development an issue for some in upper ditmars now? Makes no sense to be against it. Especially because that area did not seem to care about the overbuilding in other parts of Astoria. So just deal with your new homeless shelter, religious center, new buildings, theaters, etc. in your area now because I am sure more will follow.
It is much larger than the existing 5 story Pistilli building. It’s going to add to congestion around the site, more people on an already struggling infrastructure, housing that we do not need. The poor people’s homes who are adjacent to the building will have foundation issues once they start piledriving steel into the ground. Just a bad idea overall
Says the idiot who does not live on ditmars and has zero clue how bad the noise is – especially w DeNiro’s new vanity project also destroying OUR neighborhood, clearly not yours
Right, replacing a dilapidated warehouse in a non-resident area with a movie production studio will destroy the neighborhood.
The storage unit was built in an existing commercial space (the former Schaller-Weber warehouse). No variance was needed. This apartment complex is being built on a commercial space; hence, the need to apply for a variance. They need to change the classification to residential/mixed use.
There are already many empty apartments and empty store fronts in the area. Do we need more?
Where are all these empty apartments?
Exactly! Who do they keep building these high rises for? There are miles of empty apartments and stores already. They ruining our town.
What high rise? Where are these empty apartments in the neighborhood?
@John; no. We don’t need more residential spaces because we don’t need more people living in the area. We’re pretty close to critical mass as it is.
This part of Astoria is AOC’s district. Those against the development should consider contacting her so she could maybe tweet about it. Perhaps she can suggest affordable housing and more people will show up to the meetings this Thurs. So many of her supporters are living and moving into the Ditmars area.
Maybe AOC can get our 25k jobs back from Amazon. I know at least 4 low income people in Astoria Houses who could use the local work rather than commuting 2 hours each way for minimum wage work to other far flung parts of the city…while trying to raise kids. If AOC cared about the people rather than her SJW image, the folks in our housing projects would be better positioned for a brighter future. She flat out refused to speak to Amazon. Trump and DiBlasio are not the only elected officials who should be inpeached. Cant wait to vote her out and I am proud I never voted for her to begin with.
Well said Hector, run for congress.
I wanted the Amazon HQ but AOC did not make someone with a minimum wage job have kids.
Amazon so called 25,000 jobs was not guaranteed. NY would have had to give up a lot of money . This was not a good deal
I’m tired of Astoria old-timers acting like anyone cares what they think. Astoria is no longer a community run by home owners raising families here and that is why our elected officials are no where in site when it comes to matters like these that involve parts of Astoria which are still mostly small residential homes. Nowadays they cater to developers, new comers and renters and focus on bike lanes and dog runs.
Bike lanes help everyone in a community, particularly in an age where half the city seems to be getting its meals delivered by someone on a bicycle. https://www.popsci.com/protected-bike-lanes-safer-roads/
You sound like you have only two IQ points. Vast majority of property owners here are normal people not corporations. This ignorant statement shows how little you newbies know about where you’re living.
Newcomers like you are part of the problem. You only care about your immediate needs and not long-term health of the overall community. Astoria has always been an immigrant neighborhood of mostly families. Quality of life was wonderful which is why it’s such a desirable area of Queens.
Who are these crazy NIMBYs opposed to new development? Why is these even an issue? Astoria desperately needs housing. Build it now!
Most of them are old and xenophobic. I used to live in that area and that area is not very friendly to outsiders.
When you call people old and cenophibes they are not going to be nice to you. Rocket science!!!
What small town in the U.S. are you from? Astoria is still home for lots of people. Xenophobic? Astoria is The Little United Nations, always has been, and always will be. I’m 59 years young.
@Michelle; Astoria has always been a neighborhood of immigrant families. We have always been a mixed bag and welcoming. I don’t know what part of Astoria you lived in but where I am, people talk to each other all the time even if they are strangers and especially if they are new to the street. It’s not Manhattan and we like it that way!
LGA construction is ruining upper ditmars way more than this potential building. Traffic, pollution, airport workers parking, and throwing trash all over the area.
Astoria has enough housing. It’s already congested and quality of life has deteriorated. Plenty of housing in Queens Plaza. Suggest you look there.
This development will bring more of a supply of apartments which might stabilize other rentals in the area or even decrease them which is a good thing. The theater will also promote cultural activities and have a place for the arts to flourish in Astoria. I am Greek and I love going to listen to singers who come here from Greece to perform. It would be nice if these performances were closer to the home I rent out.
Not sure why people are trying to block it. It’s better than the rumors of a homeless shelter.
The rumor I heard was that they were thinking of building a community jail.
@Nicole; we already have a jail; Riker’s Island. It’s walking distance from where this ugly box is being built. The jails the city is planning will be near the courthouses. That lot is nowhere near the Queens courthouses, which are in Kew Gardens and Jamaica.
These people who do not want a zoning change need to stop.
Their answer to everything is “deny, deny, deny”.
That area is a dump and that plumbing store is junk.
Lets get some more apartments in the area so people have places to live. I’m so sick of these people who would rather have a dilapidated building than new buildings.
There’s plenty of housing in Astoria. Let’s ban Air BnBs for starters. Walk by any real estate office in the neighborhood. Can’t afford it? What makes you think you could afford the rent in this new development? Rumor has it that the condos being built on 31st Street between Ditmars & 21st will be going for $2million. Whom are we kidding?
Those opposed are pure NIMBY old people. All neighborhoods change.
Change is not always good. This in particular will ruin the quality of life we have enjoyed until now. Congestion and noise are major issues. This will potentially add 300+ people on one street. If you like congestion, suggest you move to Manhattan.
I own homes and rent apartments in Astoria and I support this development.
Are they able to redone the entire area or just those two lots
Can’t wait to see the absurd prices on these apartments.
Great. More apartments we can’t afford. This side of Astoria is going to become like Broadway, TOO CONGESTED. Leave our neighborhood alone!
Maybe you can not afford them but plenty of other people can and that is why they are being built.
They can be built some where else…like the Bronx
It is rumored that the apartments being built on 31st Street will go for $2 million.
These apartments are going to be middle income; not luxury, not low income. Now, what constitutes ‘middle income’ is debatable. In some cases (such as the building on Steinway Street and Ditmars), it’s $50k. In other cases, it might be $100k+. It remains to be seen which bracket these apartments are intended. Either one is fine IMHO. The buildings are just too big and kinda ugly.