Aerial {photograph} of the Sunnyside Yard web site. Photograph by way of EDC
Nearly 200 native residents attended a group info session on town’s proposal to construct 12,000 new houses over the Sunnyside Yard railyard.
The occasion, hosted by Council Member Julie Received, came about at Sunnyside Group Companies Monday night and represented the primary public engagement on the proposed growth since Mayor Zohran Mamdani revived plans for the long-stalled venture in February.
Mamdani made the shock announcement on Feb. 27, lower than 24 hours after making an unannounced journey to Washington to satisfy President Donald Trump, the place he proposed a partnership with the Trump Administration on a roughly $21 billion plan to deck over the railyard and construct 12,000 new houses — half of them beneath the Mitchell-Lama program — alongside parks, baby care facilities and different infrastructure.
The New York Metropolis Financial Growth Company (EDC) and Amtrak first unveiled the plan in 2019 beneath then-Mayor Invoice de Blasio, proposing a 115-acre deck throughout Sunnyside Yard and the event of 12,000 new houses.
Nevertheless, the venture met fierce native pushback, with elected officers elevating issues that Sunnyside Yard would displace many long-term residents and result in the gentrification of the encircling space.
After Mamdani introduced plans to revive the venture, Received criticized the mayor for “re-proposing a failed housing project in my district.” Received additional referred to as on town to decide to a ULURP course of with the Metropolis Council and the local people, given the dimensions of the proposal.
At Monday’s city corridor, Received stated she helps the event of deeply reasonably priced housing and main infrastructure upgrades, however provided that the plan is developed in partnership with the local people.
“There must be a community-engaged plan that is reflective of the visions and aspirations of our neighbors and set a new standard for how we plan and build in western Queens,” Received stated.
She additional advised constituents that the plan stays within the “early stages” and {that a} “mountain of work” stays earlier than the venture involves fruition.
“Queens. Community members made it clear that they want truly affordable housing, investments in school and transportation, climate resiliency measures and a place at the negotiation table,” she added.
Attendees at Monday’s city corridor took half in a survey in regards to the proposed growth, with 32% outlining robust or average assist for the venture and 26% expressing robust or average opposition. The remaining 32% of attendees stated they wanted extra info and engagement earlier than forming an opinion.
Attendees additionally expressed a number of issues in regards to the venture throughout Monday’s occasion, together with town’s relationship with the White Home, the plausibility of actually and deeply reasonably priced housing and the way the group might be a part of the decision-making course of.
EDC and Amtrak first developed the Sunnyside Yard Masterplan in 2019 to discover housing growth alternatives over the 180-acre railyard.
The plan, unveiled within the wake of the failed Amazon HQ2 proposal, in the end stalled because of a mixture of the pandemic, monetary uncertainty, and powerful native opposition, together with elected officers corresponding to U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez, State Sen. Michael Gianaris and then-Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer.
Received’s workplace stated the grasp plan is “far from shovel-ready” and nonetheless requires a stormwater administration plan for masking a basin, group growth planning, siting for faculties, plans for group infrastructure, refined value estimates and a timeline, amongst different plans.
Mamdani stated in February that the event would characterize the most important single housing growth in New York Metropolis since 1973. Framing the venture as a generational endeavor, the mayor conceded that the plan would take “many, many years.”
“However, we are not daunted by the length of the project,” Mamdani stated.
He additionally emphasised why he introduced the concept on to Washington.
“The city cannot build on these rail yards without the approval and direction of the federal government,” he added.
