NEW YORK | Anable Basin (15 Towers~10.7 msf) | 400-730 FT | FLOORS

[BuildThemTaller]

Originally Posted by NYguy

The density I like, and the fact that we have four different developers working on individual pieces makes this more likely to succeed. There's one more planning meeting to be held before this is even presented to the City as a plan to be approved. But you just know the NIMBYs will be screaming about a 70-story building, I don't care how many affordable units you try to cram into it. It will be Amazon part II. But this needs to get done, and could be done in a fraction of the time it will take to build out Sunnyside Yards. It's New York City. There will be pockets of density and tall buildings. People need to get over that.

The commitment to building affordable units only on land that is currently publicly owned seems like a significant concession to me, as is the significant amount of green space. The land there is not accessible as is. Creating space that is open to the public and with a lot of affordable housing should be an easy win. It's not like these kinds of developments are out of place in that part of LIC/Hunter's Point.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by BuildThemTaller

The commitment to building affordable units only on land that is currently publicly owned seems like a significant concession to me, as is the significant amount of green space. The land there is not accessible as is. Creating space that is open to the public and with a lot of affordable housing should be an easy win.

You would think that it would be enough, but it won't be. The thing about Amazon pulling out, they NIMBY movement somehow thought they would be in charge of whatever eventually got built there, even though there was an earlier approval in the works that suggested they would not. But where you would have had millions of square feet of jobs, will now be mostly condos. And that's all they will see. I've been looking at some of the statements, and they're already turning on some of the politicians who made a circus of the Amazon debacle. But the thing is, this land was always going to be developed, and it was never going to be what the NIMBYs wanted.

I think the open space as you said is generous, as will the plan to extend the waterfront promenade...








I think the 1 msf office building that TF Cornerstone is planning on the city sites is one of the 2 wide buildings in the center, the one closer to the waterfront. So at least 2 office buildings in the mix. It looks like the large DOE building still stands in that plan. That's something the community wanted, we'll see where that goes...





Compared to the original, pre-Amazon plan...

[NYguy]

https://licpost.com/tf-cornerstone-says-...-market-rate-housing-on-city-owned-sites

March 9, 2020
By Christian Murray

TF Cornerstone is currently working with the EDC–an arm of city government– to develop two of the three publicly owned sites on 44th Drive—by the East River.

It is putting together plans to develop 44-99 44th Drive, the “Waterfront site’ that includes a city-owned parking lot and the former Water’s Edge property–as well as the “DOT site” at 5-40 44th Drive.

TF Cornerstone has no involvement with the Department of Education building, the third publicly-owned site on the block that is currently home to a 600,000 square foot industrial building, which is partially occupied by DOE employees.

“We are committing to not pursuing any market-rate or luxury residential uses for these sites,” said Ebony Young, vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility at TF Cornerstone in a statement. “There will be no luxury housing on public sites.”

.....TF Cornerstone did provide some information as to what it plans for the two sites, which total about 4.5 acres.

The company said it plans to allocate half of the DOT site for public open space– creating a community commons that could be used for public gatherings, markets and a variety of similar purposes.

The other half of the DOT site would include a new public school that faces on to the open space. The developer did not make clear whether office space or other uses would be part of that half of the site too.

TF Cornerstone didn’t provide much detail in terms of the “waterfront site,” other than saying the two sites are focused on creating significant public space.

“We are also very focused on bringing good jobs to Long Island City through the creation of new commercial spaces that will feed into the existing business ecosystem in Queens,” Young said.

https://twitter.com/mayakauf/status/1237370184354140162

Yesterday @tfcornerstone pledged to not build any luxury/market-rate housing on the 2 plots of public land it is developing on Anable Basin

But their current plan is a million-square-foot office tower, not residential.

Some public ideas for the DOE building...


http://wqclt.org/

This public building is currently being under-utilized by the Department of Education, and is being eyed by local developers who are hoping the city will give them the land to develop a privately-owned waterfront area. It is just a few blocks away from Queensbridge Houses, the largest public housing project in the country, which has already been impacted by the fastest-growing neighborhood development in America: gentrified Long Island City.

We believe the land should remain public, and are working with multiple local groups to bring back much-needed deeply, truly affordable manufacturing space, a new school, artists studios, a rooftop garden, a commissary commercial kitchen for street food vendors, a food co-op, music studios for the local community, a community tool lending library, and more.

• Video Link

[NYguy]

https://licpost.com/developers-unveil-bi...ont-up-to-12-million-square-feet-planned

Developers Unveil Big Plans for LIC Waterfront, Up to 12 Million Square Feet Planned








May 21, 2020
By Christian Murray

A group of developers looking to build on a 28-acre section of land surrounding Anable Basin provided an overview of their plans at a Community Board 2 Land Use Meeting Wednesday night.

The developers announced that they are looking to build 10-to-12 million square feet of space on the 28-acre area with buildings that range in height from 400 to 700 feet, the equivalent of 30 to 60 story structures.

The plan would focus heavily on commercial space, and the project would be developed over a 10 to 15 year period. The developers aim to get the property rezoned next year.

The plan includes 7 acres of open space, space for three schools and ½ million square feet for arts and cultural space and similar uses. The plan would also include a pedestrian/bicyclist bridge over Anable Basin that would connect 5th Street on both sides of the water.

The developers said that about 50 percent of the 10-12 million square feet would be for commercial use. The proposal would also include mixed-income housing, although the number of units was not disclosed at the meeting.

The plan–presented by a development team consisting of TF Cornerstone, Plaxall, Simon Baron Development and MAG Partners—incorporates the sites where Amazon HQ2 was slated to be built as well as some adjacent parcels.

The developers—with the exception of TF Cornerstone—each own a portion of the 28 acre area. TF Cornerstone is looking to develop two city-owned lots on 44th Drive, which are part of the 28-acre area.

“We want to create a true mixed-use district with all the community resources needed to make it a place to live, work, play and thrive,” said Paula Kirby, managing director of Plaxall, whose family has operated a plastics factory and owned property in Long Island City for 70 years.

The developers said the project provides Queens with the opportunity to develop an economic engine at a time when New York City—and the borough especially—has taken a financial hit. They said it would generate a significant number of high-paying jobs.

The development team said that the scale and height of their buildings would also be in context with other Long Island City districts–such as Court Square and Hunters Point South.

“We believe this is appropriate for this location,” said Eleanora Bershadskaya, a Senior Associate at TF Cornerstone.

TF Cornerstone, she said, is developing parcel C at Hunters Point South, with one of its two towers reaching 550 feet.

Furthermore, the properties in the Court Square section of Long Island City are of a similar size. For instance, One Court Square—also known as the Citigroup Building–is 50 stories tall and about 670 feet tall. The Skyline Tower, which is going up at 23-15 44th Dr., will be 778 feet high and 68 stories.

The developers were asked about the scale and density of the plans given the pandemic. They said that they are planning for the long term and that there will be demand.

“We think density makes New York City great and we remain committed to that,” said Ashley Cotton, with MAG Partners. “We think immigrants, young people, professionals and college grads will continue to come here.”

The group went into detail about the open space, noting that it would provide a connection to Hunters Point South and sets the stage for a corridor that could eventually go to Queensbridge.

The plans call for a junior soccer field, a tot lot and a track at the northern section. Then farther south, provisions are made for a plaza, esplanade, kayak launch and more.

Kenny Greenberg, a member of the Land Use Committee, asked why the city-owned sites on 44th Drive were not being exclusively used for public use. He noted that community activists and elected officials—such as Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney—have called for the city-owned parcels to be used for a public purpose.

Bershadskaya, with TF Cornerstone, said that the developer has taken into consideration what has been said and changes have been made.

The initial plans for the parcels– that were put out as an RFP by the Economic Development Corp– called for 1,000 residential units along with commercial space and various amenities.

The sites, Bershadskaya said, will no longer be used for residential purposes. The sites will be for commercial use only and will include public space and a public school.

[chris08876]

Best news of 2020, next to 9 DeKalb rising.

Queens is rising! Her majesty has entered the room.

[NYguy]

Mostly the usual idiots in the commentary...
https://licpost.com/developers-unveil-bi...ont-up-to-12-million-square-feet-planned

[NYC2ATX]

The nitpicky person in me really wants the Court Square skyline and the riverfront skyline to eventually merge into one large skyline, and this is a big step towards making that a thing!

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by NYC2ATX

The nitpicky person in me really wants the Court Square skyline and the riverfront skyline to eventually merge into one large skyline, and this is a big step towards making that a thing!

There's no doubt in my mind that's gonna happen. When I look at current pictures of LIC to the waterfront, I think of midtown Manhattan before all of the waves of development made it one continuous mass.

[tdawg]

This is pretty amazing but I have to question the timing. I mean, we're in a recession (at least). Fingers crossed that it comes to fruition.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by tdawg

This is pretty amazing but I have to question the timing. I mean, we're in a recession (at least). Fingers crossed that it comes to fruition.

Well they’re trying to get the zoning in place, a lengthy process of its own. Better to get that underway (they’re planning to have it complete by next year), so when conditions present themselves, they can just build without having to fight through an uncertain approvals process. We already saw how that went with Amazon.

[BuildThemTaller]

Originally Posted by tdawg

This is pretty amazing but I have to question the timing. I mean, we're in a recession (at least). Fingers crossed that it comes to fruition.

The fundamentals are what they are. Working from home was an option for the last decade. And yet, NYC, Chicago, and Silicon Valley all saw massive investment in residential and commercial development in the core business districts. This downturn and the pandemic will go away in time as all others have.

What Anable Basin/LIC is to Midtown is the same thing that Jersey City is to Downtown. It will always be cheaper than Manhattan and just a stop or two away on the train. This will be developed. Having a plan in place allows the developers to move forward when the markets are ready to commit.

[tdawg]

^ or 1 stop on the ferry as well.

[Hudson11]

"looks good to me"

downvoted to oblivion. lol.

[chris08876]

Whats for sure is that the demand will be there. Any alternative from a price standpoint to Manhattan is to be desired. I think overtime, same will happen with Harlem and the South Bronx. Already happening as we speak, but will accelerate. Queens and the Bronx are on fire! Big uptick in permits in the Bronx on a side note.

[NYguy]

https://therealdeal.com/2020/06/03/owners-of-lics-lake-vernon-notch-win-in-tug-of-war-with-durst/

Owners of LIC’s “Lake Vernon” notch win in tug-of-war with Durst
Group led by Bruce Teitelbaum plans big development on former Amazon site

TRD New York
Jun. 03, 2020

Investors behind part of a planned 12 million-square-foot development on the Long Island City waterfront are claiming victory in a decade-long fight for control of the site.

The group led by Bruce Teitelbaum that owns the “Lake Vernon” site near the Anable Basin won a favorable ruling last week in their foreclosure case with the Durst family.

The Durst Organization holds the mortgage on the site, 44-02 Vernon Boulevard, and filed to foreclose in 2009. Teitelbaum’s group said it has been trying to pay back the loan for years, but the two sides have disagreed on how much is owed.

Last week, a state Supreme Court judge agreed with the amount — $69.3 million — set by a court-appointed referee last summer, which Durst had challenged.

Durst spokesman Jordan Barowitz said the company disagrees with the judge’s decision and plans to appeal.

The legal wrangling over the property hasn’t prevented Teitelbaum and his partners — including MaryAnne Gilmartin’s MAG Partners — from moving forward with a planned mixed-use development on a 28-acre site that includes other properties owned by TF Cornerstone, Plaxall and Simon Baron Development. Teitelbaum, the husband of uber-lobbyist Suri Kasirer, was appointed Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s chief of staff in 1997 and was a confidante of Giuliani’s for years.

After Amazon in February 2019 abandoned an effort to build a portion of its second headquarters on the Anable Basin development site, the owners made plans to develop as many as 15 buildings on the site.

The builders’ task force presented a plan to the local community board last month that broadly outlines 10 million to 12 million square feet of development over the next 10 to 15 years. Half of that total is expected to be commercial, with the other 50 percent split between residential and non-residential uses.

The developers are aiming to start the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure to rezone the property in 2021.

“It’s a terrific development site, and if it proceeds it will be for the city and for the community,” Neveloff said. “I think post-Covid, having the opportunity to put people to work building it and with all the permanent jobs is a great thing.”

[NYguy]

https://www.qchron.com/editions/central/...19e3bac-76eb-5ee6-a1e1-c6441d9234b6.html

Your LIC proffers waterfront update
CB 2 gets details for jobs, green and open space and environmental plans





by Michael Gannon
Editor May 28, 2020

On May 20, however, Your LIC, made up of landowners and developers Simon Baron Development, L&L MAG, TF Cornerstone and Plaxall, offered its most detailed plan to date in a presentation to the Land Use Committee of Community Board 2.

“While our neighborhood workshops had to take a temporary pause, the team continues to work with the community and believes a comprehensive plan for the LIC waterfront presents a generational opportunity for inclusive growth for Queens and a model for economic development in New York City,” a spokesman said in text provided by Your LIC, adding that the project takes on added importance after COVID restrictions.

“It will help expand live-work communities outside of Manhattan and kickstart the creation of tens of thousands of jobs at a time when the city is facing record-high unemployment, with Queens particularly hard hit,” he said.

[Busy Bee]

There is no corporate animosity towards her, that's just a conservative fantasy, one you've apparently fallen for.

Originally Posted by PhyllisJerry2

Idk who else would go for 1M sf in Queens, especially after that debacle.

Even if this made sense, it wouldn't be true. Just silly.

[NYguy]

Right, office space in the city isn't leased based on one's politics. Whatever amount of office space is approved here will be phased in. And whatever corporation decides to take it will get whatever benefits Amazon was going to get from the City because it's not in Manhattan.

[NYguy]

https://queenseagle.com/all/van-bramer-rips-new-lic-development-proposal-at-old-amazon-site

Van Bramer rips latest LIC development plan at old Amazon site

July 07, 2020

Five days after denouncing a major Astoria development plan, Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer is ripping another large-scale project proposed for his Western Queens district, this time at the erstwhile Amazon site.

In a letter to local anti-displacement groups, Van Bramer said he opposes the current plan to develop a 12 million-square-foot mixed-use complex at Anable Basin, the Long Island City location once designated for a new Amazon corporate campus.

After Amazon backed out of the deal in 2019, a coalition of four developers stepped in and proposed a project that features various residential towers rising as high as 700 feet as well as parks and dedicated arts and entertainment spaces. Advocates have urged Van Bramer to reject the proposal, known as YourLIC, arguing that it would price out residents in the surrounding area.

“There is no question that this project as proposed would cause rents to rise in the surrounding community,” Van Bramer said in his letter. “There are far too many luxury apartments included and the proposed affordability is simply unacceptable.”

The developers — TF Cornerstone, Simon Baron Development, L&L MAG and Plaxall — have hosted public workshops on the YourLIC project, but the COVID-19 shutdown has kept the events virtual, limiting community engagement, Van Bramer said.

“Zoom meetings are no substitute for in person town halls where people can discuss, review and debate such a monumental project,” he said.

Van Bramer said he supports shifting publicly owned land at Anable Basin to a community land trust model — a goal of many local groups, including the Western Queens Community Land Trust. Some of the land is owned by Plaxall.

“I have said before and I will say again that all of the publicly owned land in this site should be used exclusively for the public,” Van Bramer. “Not handed over to developers for profit, and I strongly support a community land trust on this site.”

“I do believe that something should happen on this land, but this proposal isn't that something,” he added.

Van Bramer’s letter marks the second time in five days he has come out against a large local development project. On July 2, he blasted a $2 billion mixed-use project proposed for the southeastern Astoria portion of his district.

The proposal, known as “Innovation QNS,” is backed by developers Silverstein Properties and BedRock Real Estate Partners and would take over a five-block commercial stretch from 37th Street to Northern Boulevard/43rd Street between 35th and 36th Avenues.

The Long Island City and Astoria projects both require rezoning approval from the City Council, which traditionally votes in lockstep with the local member on land use issues.

[NYguy]

Some screen grabs from the last workshop....I need them to add at least a 900 footer to this. There will be too many towers of similar height in Queens the way things are shaping up. It needs a dominant tower like Brooklyn is getting.


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