City planning commission approves $1B Silvercup West project

Silvercup Studios cleared another hurdle for the company’s $1 billion Silvercup West expansion project as the City Planning Commission unanimously approved the proposal.
&#8220We’re excited that Silvercup West is taking the next step forward in the public review process with today’s approval by the City Planning Commission,” said Silvercup CEO Alan Suna on Wednesday, July 12.
The project, which will take place just south of the Queensboro Bridge, will feature eight new soundstage studios as part of a larger two million square foot complex containing an office tower, two high-rise apartment facilities, many different shops, a waterfront esplanade as well as ample public open space.
&#8220We’re grateful for the City Planning Commission’s thoughtful insights, which we believe have made this a better project and we look forward to the City Council’s review of the proposed plans next month,” Suna said. &#8220We’re confident they will see the merits of this project, which will be an economic development engine for the city and the borough of Queens, bringing thousands of jobs and supporting the thriving film and television business in New York City.”
One of the new developments to come out of the approval spurred on by various local community leaders was Silvercup agreeing to allot nearly 15 percent or 150 residential units for affordable housing.
&#8220I think the project is great for Queens,” said City Councilmember Eric Gioia, who represents the area where the project will take place. Gioia said that he has been pushing for more affordable housing for the middle class throughout Queens and Silvercup’s project reflects many of the things he is trying to accomplish in the borough.
&#8220We’re pleased to be working with HPD (Department of Housing Preservation and Development) to create affordable housing within the Queens community that will help further the city’s affordable housing programs,” Suna said.
In addition to the economic boom for the film and television industry, Silvercup’s project is also expected to generate 2,200 construction jobs, 3,900 long-term jobs and 2,500 indirect jobs, and many of the jobs will be available for residents in the local community.
If the land use review process does not suffer any hiccups, construction on the new project could begin as early as the end of this year with completion expected by the end of 2009.