Against a backdrop of tangled roadways and subway lines, local leaders donned white construction hats for a groundbreaking ceremony marking the kick-off of a new project they believe will set to revitalize Long Island City.
The $76.4 million Queens Plaza Streetscape Improvement Project, which was funded primarily by federal stimulus-related capital, will improve traffic conditions and pedestrian and bicycle safety through the addition of new sidewalks and curbs, better lighting and more greenery. The project will also feature a 1.5-acre open space with artist-designed benches and a protected bikeway and pedestrian walkway.
“This project will make this community more attractive, accessible and desirable, bringing more people and businesses to this area,” said Congressmember Carolyn Maloney in a statement. “Best of all, it will transform Queens Plaza into a welcoming gateway for the greatest city in the world.”
The Queens Plaza Streetscape Improvement Project is part of the Five Borough Economic Opportunity Plan, a strategy aimed at improving the city’s economy through the creation of more jobs and affordable neighborhoods. The Queens Plaza initiative and the Jackson Avenue Streetscape Project, another revitalization plan that started in the area last fall, together are expected to create more than 1,700 construction-related jobs when they are completed in 2011.
“Making investments in infrastructure and streetscape today in order to set the stage for growth is a critical component of our Five Borough Economic Opportunity Plan,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Robert Lieber. “We’re taking steps today that not only create jobs, but also go further to transform Long Island City’s business district and attract continued private investment in the long term.” To make the area ‘greener,’ both infrastructure improvement projects will feature native plantings that are non-invasive and low maintenance. More than 500 trees will also be planted. “These two greening initiatives will beautify and strengthen Long Island City as a premier business district, as a residential community and as a cultural center. The new Queens Plaza Park will transform an ocean of asphalt into a lush green oasis at the heart of Long Island City,” said City Planning Commissioner Amanda M. Burden in a statement. The city will also be developing a 30-acre site in nearby Hunter’s Point South that will feature 5,000 affordable residential units, waterfront parkland, new neighborhood retail and a 1,200-seat school.
