CityView Tower proposal (79 stories)
Oct. 28, 2016 By Hannah Wulkan
Development has been on the rise in Western Queens in recent years, bringing with it rising prices and transportation issues.
Residents will have the chance to voice their concerns on these issues on Sunday, at the second “Community Conversation About Jobs, Homes and Small Business,” hosted by the Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce, community group Woodside on the Move and the Artist Studio Affordability Project.
The meeting, which will be held Sunday at Woodside on the Move at 39-42 59th Street at 3 p.m., will follow up on a similar discussion on September 18, where nearly 200 residents gathered in Sunnyside and discussed issues of gentrification and overdevelopment.
“It’s a collaboration between groups concerned about over development and fact that a lot of development is not catered towards longtime residents who are invested in neighborhood, and a chance to talk about concerns and begin a longer conversation,” explained Amy Paul, the Executive Director of Woodside on the Move.
She said that the purpose of the meeting would be to discuss concerns and brainstorm community driven solutions.
“Most seniors who come in to our office are seniors who make less than $20,000 per year, and even the affordable developments don’t come close to catering to their needs,” Paul said.
“And with the increased development, a lot of small business owners are feeling strapped and don’t know how to negotiate their leases, and we’re seeing more transportation crowding and issues,” she added, mentioning that the L train shutdown will only increase problems with the 7 train.
Paul said that this discussion is the beginning of a much larger conversation, and it would mostly be a chance to begin to discuss the most pressing issues to the community, many of which are due to development encroaching on Western Queens.
“All these neighborhoods in Western Queens are sandwiched between Long Island City and Flushing where there is massive development, and right now there is a little bit of time to talk about it before the development and gentrification moves here,” Paul said.
Details
Sunday, October 30
Woodside on the Move
39-42 59th Street
Time: 3 p.m.
Rendering of development at former 5 Pointz site
