By Sadef Ali Kully
With a dozen developments underway in downtown Jamaica, plans for five mores, including another hotel, have been announced for the expanding transit hub.
In April, Borough President Melinda Katz partnered with the city to vastly develop and improve downtown Jamaica. In order to attract hotels, stores and restaurants, Katz included funding for Wi-Fi, storefront restoration and public art installations to update the area, which connects the subway, Airtrain to the airport and the LIRR.
According to YIMBY, a leading real estate news website, a few proposed developments have been or are awaiting approval for permits for commercial and residential buildings.
According to the city Department of Buildings, an eight-story, 20-unit building at 177-16 Wexford Terrace in Jamaica Estates across from Immaculate Conception Church is slowly reaching its completion. It will mostly have one-bedroom rental apartments, but the first floor will be used for commercial space.
The Great Neck-based developer, TCX Development, first acquired the property in 2013 for an estimated $800,000. The company also has unapproved permits to develop a 68-unit rental for studio and penthouse apartments down the street on Wexford Terrace, according to Department of Buildings records.
In South Jamaica, Floral Park-based O&B Properties has filed applications to build a six-unit residential building on three lots at 165th Street and 104th Avenue. According to DOB records, the existing two-story, single-family home will expand to bring in two more units, and in addition the company will build two, two-story, two-unit attached residential buildings.
Another hotel a block away from Sutphin Boulevard and Liberty Avenue is in the works according to Department of Building records. The plans propose to build a nine-story hotel and a community facility on vacant lots spanning 33,300 square feet at 145-01 101st Ave., 97-46 146th St. and 97-34 Sutphin Blvd.
The Jamaica-based developer Vision Asset Group LLC acquired the three plots for a combined $4.3 million last year.
The 100-foot-tall buildings are slated to have 398 hotel rooms, a street-level and sub-level garage for over 200 vehicles. Two of the buildings will also have community facilities and office space. There will be exercise rooms, offices, storage, laundry and a breakfast area.
The complex will have 129,491 square feet of commercial space and 30,693 square feet of community facilities.
Reach Reporter Sadef Ali Kully by e-mail at skull
