Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Willets Point announcement last week came with some nice numbers.
More than 12,000 construction jobs and 7,000 permanent jobs will come from the proposed Willets Point renovation, which includes retail space, a hotel and quicker access to the Van Wyck Expressway.
The reconstruction — to be funded by $3 billion in private investment, as well as $100 million in city capital for the demolition, remediation, infrastructure and permanent improvements — is expected to bring $4.2 billion in economic activity over the next 30 years.
In this economy, that’s music to our ears.
The only part of the plan still left open are tentative plans for affordable housing and a home for a planned convention center in the area — both of which we support wholeheartedly.
Just think of it — in a few years’ time the area that is now the Iron Triangle will be refreshed, refurbished, and buzzing with business.
What could be better than that?
