Development in Dutch Kills, LIC

Aah, the rezoning of Dutch Kills. A quieter saga, but of epic proportions nonetheless. It seems that finally when the rezoning is set for May, to help curb the hotelification of DK, a group of commercial property owners called The Purple People are standing up against it, claiming that it will destroy the growth of business in the community.

“Inhabiting the purple and blue shaded area of the rezoning map, the group says rezoning, as is, will cause a loss of 826,000 square feet of industrial space, 2,066 jobs and millions of dollars in annual tax revenues to the city.

The Dutch Kills rezoning has been on the drawing board for years. When the Department of City Planning (DCP) introduced a final plan in May 2006, it looked like a reality. Joy Chen, DCP liaison to Community Board 1, said the plan should be certified and ready for review by the board in late May. It would rezone a 40-block area that is now mostly zoned manufacturing into more mixed-use residential zones.”

• The down-zoning of Dutch Kills [Queens Gazette]

10 Court Square announces its arrival, Long Island City

A few weeks ago, the Post reported on the Skidmore Owings & Merrill-designed commerical tower for Rockrose, that’s going up next to the Citicorp Tower in Court Square. The building, surprisingly entitled 10 Court Square looks like it takes up almost an entire city block, having bought out most of the building owners since 1988. It’s delivering a whopping 800,000 SF to the face of Jackson Ave, conveniently located at the site of the Jackson Ave beautification project.

Reported in June »