A packed house on Monday listened to City Planning Commission Chairman Carl Weisbrod talk about future projects in the borough.
Photo By Michael V. Cusenza
A packed house inside the second-floor conference room at Borough Hall on Monday night greeted the chairman of the City Planning Commission, who was peppered with questions from elected officials and community board staff, mostly about the commission’s plans for affordable housing in Queens.
“We’ve got our hands full, and we’re delighted to be in Queens,” said Carl Weisbrod, chairman of the CPC.
In addressing Weisbrod, who sat next to her for the duration of the Borough Board meeting, Queens Borough President Melinda Katz said, “Senior housing is a priority in [my] office, and we’d love for you guys to consider that as a priority.”
Joe Conley, chairman of Community Board 2, which represents the communities of Sunnyside, Woodside, Long Island City a portion of West Maspeth, said he has indicated to the CPC on numerous occasions that CB 2 would welcome affordable housing plans, but that he has yet to receive an answer.
“You’ll know if we decide if [a project] doesn’t make sense,” Weisbrod replied. “You’ll certainly be among the first to know if it does make sense… we’re looking at parts of Long Island City—it’s very much on our radar.”
Also on the CPC agenda, according to Weisbrod, is Sunnyside Yards, 150 acres of below-grade railroad tracks and vacant land. On Monday, community leaders delivered thumbs down to a plan to relocate the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center to the Yards site.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity, and the city remains focused on it. But it’s premature to say anything more about [Sunnyside Yards],” Weisbrod said. “But yes, we’ve been thinking about it literally from Day One.”
After it was recently revealed that 27 percent of the housing in the enormous Astoria Cove development would be affordable, City Councilman Peter Koo (D-Flushing) asked Weisbrod if that number would become the new benchmark going forward.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a benchmark for all,” Weisbrod noted before adding, “There’s a real risk with mandatory inclusionary zoning. We not only want to create housing, but the population that can live in that housing.”
Asked to define “affordable housing,” Weisbrod grinned knowingly, as if he’d been asked the question many times, but still found it difficult to nail down an answer in broad terms.
“I admit, affordability is sort of beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” he said. “Various income categories translate into what the monthly rent can be. But it’s a very wide range.”
By Michael V. Cusenza
