Astoria's Innovation QNS Developers Share Changes Amid Skepticism

ASTORIA, QUEENS — The developers pushing a "cultural hub" that would reshape a section of Astoria revealed a set of changes to their proposal on Wednesday, though they largely failed to placate community board members who remained wary of the project.

Dubbed Innovation QNS, the $2 billion proposal would rezone five blocks from 37th Street to Northern Boulevard, between 35th and 36th avenues — bringing 12 new buildings with 2,800 apartments, offices and cultural venues, a grocery store and other amenities to an "underutilized" area of southern Astoria, developers say.

As they prepare to enter the city's lengthy review process for rezonings, the developers — a joint team of Kaufman Astoria Studios, Silverstein Properties and BedRock Real Estate Partners — spoke to Community Board 1 on Wednesday to give updates on the project.

Another 27-story tower; no more school

Most notably, developers revealed that they had increased the number of 27-story towers from one to two, as part of an effort to shift the project's density toward Northern Boulevard, and away from Astoria's residential side streets.

That change came in response to community concerns about excess bulk on 35th Avenue, said architect Eran Chen. Other changes include widening a pedestrian passage near Steinway Street by narrowing nearby buildings, and adding a dog run and other passive lawns.

"All of these little things, I think, have much improved the plan that we had before," Chen said.

But board members were surprised to learn that prior plans for a 600-seat grammar school had evaporated in recent days, after the city's School Construction Authority informed the developers that it was no longer interested in building one on the corner lot that developers had set aside.

The 2,845 apartments built through Innovation QNS will include 2,120 rented at market rate and 725 affordable units. Those apartments will be affordable to families making 60 percent of the area median income, as dictated by Option 1 of the city's mandatory inclusionary housing program — but developers hinted that they were open to tweaking that plan.

"We assume there will be some discussion," said Jerry Johnson, an attorney for the developers.

Missing details

Throughout the meeting, board members pressed the developers to divulge information that they said remained absent from the presentation — including the price levels of the market-rate apartments, the size of each unit and details about developers' outreach to affected groups.

The heights of the proposed buildings — which would top out at 280 feet tall — also remained central to the debate. Elizabeth Erion, who chairs CB1's land use and zoning committee, suggested that the tallest towers would be more suitable in a built-up area of Long Island City.

"I’m concerned about the heights, and I think most people in the community are concerned about the heights," Erion said.

Board member Jeffrey Martin also complained that the promised two acres of open space is largely "interior to the development," making it unwelcome to the general public. Chen, the architect, countered that the other community facilities around the green spaces would help make them inviting — and later added that the buildings had been made taller partly to maximize open space.

"The community doesn’t benefit if the tower has another floor or two floors less," Chen said. "But it does absolutely benefit [from] the open space."

Currently under review by city agencies, the Innovation QNS proposal will be finalized by the end of March, at which point it will kick off the monthslong "ULURP" review process, developers said. The community board will recommend whether the city should approve the project, but a final decision will likely be made by the City Council early next year.

If approved, construction will last about 10 years and wrap up around 2032, according to planning documents.

Kayla Levy contributed reporting.

Previous coverage:

• Astoria Residents, Organizations Clash At Innovation QNS Hearing
• Developers Unveil $2B Plan For Astoria 'Creative District'