Perkins Eastman Architects via Department of City Planning
April 10, 2018 By Nathaly Pesantez
A two-tower complex with over 500 residential units could be making its way to Queens Boulevard in Woodside.
The large-scale development, put forth by Madison Realty Capital, would see a 17 and a 14 story building at 69-02 Queens Boulevard housing 561 units combined, according to filings with the Department of City Planning.
Over 425,000 square feet would be allowed to the residential portion of the complex, which includes 392 market rate apartments and 169 affordable units. The site would also see 5,640 square feet of commercial space.
The development would also include parking for 242 cars, and an open space between the two towers at ground level featuring picnic tables, table tennis, a putting green, and a sand lounge for residents.
Perkins Eastman Architects via Department of City Planning
Madison Realty Capital filed a rezoning application with the city on March 29 for a special permit that would allow for one of the buildings to rise above the current limit of 140 feet and 14 stories. The additional height, should the city approve after undergoing a lengthy public process, would require the developer to set aside 30 percent of the planned units to households making 80 percent of the Area Median Income, or about $62,000 annually for a family of three.
The City Planning Commission said in their Statement of Findings that the site plan will preserve access to light and air for the neighborhood and create a visual buffer between the nearby Long Island Rail Road and other homes.
“The careful architectural and planning choices reflected in the design will integrate the development site into the surrounding area and create a benchmark for future developments along Queens Boulevard and within the surrounding area,” reads a portion of the commission’s findings.
In addition, the city found that the project would not have an adverse impact in areas like air quality and open space in its environmental review, dated April 6.
The project needs to go through the ULURP process to be built as planned, which includes review and approval by Community Board 2, the Queens Borough President, and eventually the City Council.
Madison Realty Capital has looked to bring a large-scale development to the site for several years, with a 2016 report announcing the firm’s plans to buy nearly all the properties on the block bordered by 69th and 70th Streets.
The company has acquired two of the five lots needed for their development, records show, including the former Gulf Oil gas station site at the corner of 69th Street and Queens Boulevard, now vacant land.
The firm filed demolition permits for a one-story building, once the site of a Mexican restaurant and next to the former gas station, in February.
Aerial view of the project site (Perkins Eastman Architects via DCP)
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18 Comments
I live down stream from this building. What is going to happen when they all flush the toilet at the same time during a downpour? My line is going to back up and my basement will flood and the city will give a rats a$$.
And somebody at DEP will be probably laughing if a rat actually comes up with the sludge.
Sand lounge AND putting green? Wow.
Where will the children go to school what buses and trains will they take into Manhattan where will they shop everybody at Stop & Shop will the sewer system be able to accommodate all of these people what about the quality of life for all of us that have lived in this neighborhood some for over 50 years just watching it slowly deteriorate before our eyes homeless shelters forcing people to move out to Long Island North Carolina people that have paid taxes for years how could they change the zoning now who is getting paid off doesn’t anybody care about the working class our schools are already overcrowded the amount of cars in the area are unbelievable that’s what you get for being a hard-working American and you have no say in the matter just like when they put the homeless shelter at the Pan Am Hotel. What a shame and don’t tell me that the amount of people and cars are not going to affect the environment in that area
New housing not any the homeless can afford inthe meantime we will continue enriching the friends of Jimmy Van Bramer and Mayor DiBlasio by paying with our tax dollars to the tune of $350 DOLLARs per night to house a homeless person or family. Why can’t the city invest in housing for these people, because the Mayor and JVB won’t make any money on it.
I love how these articles make so clear that “market rate” and “affordable” are definitely not the same thing in NYC, even here in Woodside, which is better than most. This development is going to make the parking situation in Woodside even worse than it is now. How about this new rule: The design of every new apartment building in Queens must include one off-street parking space for each apartment unit in the building. Instead of the “sand lounge” (What is that, exactly? A sandbox for adults?), how about a parking deck?
These developers need to be accountable for the negative impacts they leave behind. Current residents do not want this. It is gratuitous.
wait until the FAA finds out about this — this is right in the path of the planes –
Should be big parkng lot. We can sleep in our cars.
They must have lost a bet. Homeless mans jackson ave. Another one.
Our city needs more housing
It’s claimed no adverse effects to air quality or open space. What about the impact on the local schools in the area, which are already overcrowded? The impact on traffic in the area which is horrendous at best. 69th street is extremely busy all day long. I can’t imagine how this gigantic complex will affect it?
This is totally ridiculous. Where are the other 319 cars going to park. There is no need to go as high as 14 stories. The Big Six only has 1 building that is 16. This is in the flight path of LaGuardia Airport
then go to Marcia Kramer and report this to her she gets to the bottom of things –
I hope monies are allocated by deBlasio for sibway improvements
I bet another homeless shelter wait and see
Great, just what we need. No infrastructure to support such a development. Not enough Bus nor Subway service as it is, Queens Boulevard has become even more of a transportation disaster due to the new “Lane Configuration” that we have seen. No shopping, retail industry is dead or dying in the area. What goes on with our City Government, they are destroying whatever “Quality of Life” that these communities once had? City Hall is so corrupt that they are willing to sell their Souls to the Real Estate Developers for their “Thirty Pieces of Silver”.
talk to your friend Mr. JVB he approves of all of this
Is there a way to apply for these apartments now?