Queens Community Board 1 approved a mixed-use development in Long Island City on Tuesday night, with the stipulation that the 10-story building include affordable housing at lower income levels.
The 44-01 Northern Boulevard LLC holding company is planning to build the 355-unit building on Northern Boulevard between 44th and 45th streets, according to documents presented to the community board.
The proposed building will also include 36,000 square feet of floor retails and 156 parking spaces, with about 88 to 100 units of affordable housing.
Richard Bass of the Akerman law group presented a plan to rezone the block from a manufacturing district to an R7X and R6B zoning, which would include a commercial floor plan. Bass pushed for an option two Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) plan with an average area median income of $62,000 for a family of three.
The Community Board’s Land Use Committee decided that they would recommend greenlighting the development with the stipulation that it use an option one MIH plan, which would offer fewer units of affordable housing at $47,000 on average, a lower level of income than the original offer.
According to the U.S. census borough 39.2 percent of households in CB 1 are rent burdened. The median household income is $51,000.
The board voted for the plan with 23 in favor, eight against and one abstention.
“If you look at the dollar ratio to what people in the community make compared to what the rents are in option two, [those] rents are a bit higher. People within the community couldn’t afford option two in most cases,” said CB 1 District Manager Florence Koulouris.
Next the plan will go to Borough President Melinda Katz’s office for review before if heads to the City Council.
Rawlings Architects will design the new building.
