Developer Triangle Equities is is advancing its project for a 465,730-square-foot self-storage facility in South Ozone Park through the city planning process as Community Board 10 gave a thumbs-up to the proposal on Thursday night.
The facility will also act as a Terminal Logistics Center that will operate between the site on South Conduit Avenue adjacent to Kennedy Airport, according to Josh Weingarten from Triangle Equities.
“What were developing is – on the ground floor and second floor – a primarily warehouse and storage for freight and air cargo tenants that benefit from the location adjacent to JFK Airport,” Weingarten said.
According to Weingarten, the company is taking advantage of the city Economic Development Corporation’s Freight NYC program, which helps foster commerce in and around the airports.
On the ground floor there will be about 60,000 square feet of warehouse and 30,000 of “truckport,” according to Weingarten, and the tenant here will be able to access this part of the building from both 131st Street and South Conduit Avenue.
A ramp will connect the ground floor to the second floor to allow trucks unload within the facility.
“This is important because both the city, state and the Port Authority have recognized the need for more air cargo space adjacent to JFK Airport,” Weingarten said. “The state and the city want to increase the flow of air cargo goods coming through JFK because it has a catalytic impact on job creation and the local economy. There’s lots of jobs in a lot of related businesses that are supported by [commodities through JFK].”
Freight NYC’s goal is to create 5,000 jobs.
While rail and maritime logistics are the the main emphasis of Freight NYC, the program aims to invest in distribution infrastructure.
There were concerns from the public regarding air quality being impacted by trucks moving in and out of the facility, to which Weingarten pointed out that the majority of vehicles moving would be coming from 150th Street, closer to the airport.
He also said that the facility meets – and in some cases exceeds – city Department of Buildings standards for emissions to both protect workers within the facility and the community.
