BEING PLAYED LIKE A FIDDLE WITH LIC IN THE MIDDLE

“the mayor’s commitment to hitting numerical goals {in affordable housing} has created a potential difficulty for city negotiators in their dealings with developers, who are aware of the targets. For some housing experts, the situation was akin to an apple vendor advertising to customers: Must sell out by the end of the day; make me an offer”

You want to know why a big developer like TF Cornerstone gets a seemingly great deal on city-owned land such as Water’s Edge?  Or why the Anable Basin Rezoning includes an audacious 5,000 units, and 70-story tower?  The quote above from The New York Times this week is your answer in a nutshell.  It’s also the reason that minimal concessions for the rest of the community are offered and developers are allowed encouraged to build sky high.  As we’ve been saying for years, it’s affordable housing uber alles, and quality of life for everyone else matters little.

In all honesty, you cannot blame the developer – if I was in a position to get a sweetheart deal from the city I’d take it every time.  That’s capitalism, I think.  Nevertheless it’s sad to read elsewhere what we’ve been harping about for years: the net effect of developers playing the Mayor like a fiddle is to make life worse for almost all.  Growth at what price?

//QUEENS Paideia School will hold an Open House this Saturday from 10:30am – 1pm.  Those interested in an affordable local alternative to public schools in Long Island City should check it out.  Here’s our story on the school and details about the Open House are in the link below.

//INDOOR Playground Coming to 49th Avenue – Mini Land Play is opening up two doors down from Shady Park this Saturday. For kids aged 5 and under. At $12-$15 a day it’s a lot cheaper and closer than Disney World. See link below

//CODA: Long Island City High School Boys Gymnastics team went 6-0 during the regular season and captured the City Championship last Thursday!

De Blasio Bolsters Affordable Housing but at What Price? – “Housing experts say that lack of transparency makes it difficult to determine if the city is getting the best deal”

Paideia Open House – this Saturday, March 10

Mini Land Play – where your child’s fantasies come true, de plane de plane

Dursts 10 Halletts Point Nears Completion – a 22-story, 405-unit tower – probably the largest ever in Astoria – “is the first of a seven-building mega-development led by the Durst Organization”  Needless to say, applications for the affordable housing portion are now open

LIC’s Latest Rental Offers 85 Apartments from $2,031 – on Northern Blvd, at the base will be Silver Star Mercedes dealership

MoMA PS1’s Courtyard Will Get a Kinetic, Participatory Installation This Summer – winner of it’s Young Architect’s Program announced this week

Ex-Cons Open Black History Pop-Up Museum in LIC – “The museum was researched, created and installed by students in a pre-GED program for young adults with criminal pasts”