Tussle over Flushing Commons revisions

Dozens of Flushing community members turned out to hear updated plans and voice their support for the redevelopment of Municipal Lot 1; however, the changes to the project are creating a tussle within the community.
Michael Meyer, President of TDC Development, whose group was chosen by the city to develop the area three years ago, told the community members at the Flushing Chamber of Commerce’s April luncheon that an unprecedented escalation in construction costs caused the group to make some changes to the project.
During the presentation, Meyer and his team of experts detailed the changes for the proposed development known as Flushing Commons as well as provided the audience with an overview of what the project will bring to the area.
The current plans for the project will bring 325,000 square feet of retail space, 500 residential units, office space, a hotel, 1,600 parking spaces as well as 50,000 square-feet dedicated to community space with a focus geared to youth activities.
“It’s going to have a huge impact in terms of Flushing,” Meyer said. “It is really going to be an agent for change and transformation of the area.”
However, some of the proposed changes, which included decreasing the original number of parking spots from 2,000 to 1,600, increasing the rate for parking over time and knocking out nearly 30,000 square feet of community space, have angered some community members.
“I don’t support them [the developers],” said City Councilmember John Liu, who represents the area. “The community hashed out an agreement with the city two years ago and through these presentations the developer seems to be throwing out the entire agreement.”
Meyer said that the 1,600 spots were still more than the community requested and that while parking rates would rise, they would still be lower than market rate elsewhere in the city. Business and community leaders backed Meyer and voiced support for the project to go forward.
“We are at the moment in history where we have the chance to make history and upgrade the image of Flushing,” said Chamber President Myra Baird Herce. “I always say as citizens we are supposed to leave our town better than we found it, and this project will make Flushing an international city where folks from the Mets games and tennis matches would say, ‘wow this is a great place to go.’”
In addition, former Queens Borough President Claire Shulman, who is leading the Flushing/Willets Point/Corona LDC, echoed support for the project to continue.
“It is my hope after all the negotiations and all of the agreements are made that this project will go forward because it is very important for the future of downtown Flushing,” she said. “I think the borough of Queens is the future of the city of New York. I think we are taking primary interest away from the borough of Manhattan.”
Liu countered that the developer’s alterations to some of their plans was extremely troubling, and he does not see the project going forward with the revisions.
“The agreement is what it was two years ago; a deal is a deal,” he said. “When people try to renege on a deal, then it’s a no go.”