Senator Gianaris Urges City to Include Park Space As Long Island City Grows

LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y. – Senator Michael Gianaris urged the Departments of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and Transportation (DOT) to renovate public land located underneath the Queensboro Bridge ramps between 23^rd Street and Thompson Avenue, turning it into public space. This would reflect a proposal made in a 1999 Department of City Planning study.

“Long Island City is one of our fastest growing neighborhoods and we must ensure community needs are met as we grow,” said Senator Michael Gianaris. “More public park space must be part of the planning process and utilizing this parcel would be a great way to start.”

The DOT operates the land adjacent to several parcels where the city is considering further development. In Senator Gianaris’ letter, he points to the success of other under-bridge parks in western Queens.

“Court Square has seen explosive growth over the past several years with no investment in our fragile infrastructure. These 3+ acres of underutilized public land have not adapted to the bustling 24/7 neighborhood of today,” said Pedro Gomez, President of the Court Square Civic Association. “We have the opportunity to creatively adapt these lots to create a world-class urban park that will serve our community for generations to come. We are grateful for Senator Gianaris' support on this very important issue!”

Neighbors of the Queensboro Bridge, led by the Court Square Civic Association, will hold a rally on Saturday in support of dedicating this space to a public use. The rally will be held at 12:00 pm at the corner of Dutch Kills Street and Jackson Avenue in Long Island City.

The Senator’s full letter appears below:

September 21, 2018

Maria Torres-Springer, Commissioner       

Department of Housing Preservation and Development

100 Gold Street  

New York, New York 10038      

Polly Trottenberg, Commissioner      

Department of Transportation

55 Water Street, 9th Floor
New York, New York 10041

Dear Commissioners:

            I write regarding proposed development along Jackson Avenue in Long Island City. Local residents are concerned that development along this corridor is occurring at such a pace that community necessities are being overlooked. Your agencies have the opportunity to address this situation by utilizing land underneath the Queensboro Bridge ramps on the publicly-owned parcels between Thompson Avenue and 23^rd Street for public space, reflecting a 1999 proposal from the Department of City Planning.

            This land, currently used by the Department of Transportation (DOT), should be put to public use. We have seen success with under-bridge parks elsewhere in our community. For example, the space underneath the Triborough Bridge is used very effectively as park space. We have the same opportunity in Long Island City to create a public space where it is so desperately needed.

            Long Island City is a fast growing neighborhood. It is a testament to the desirability of our community that so many people are flocking to western Queens but we must ensure our neighbors have the resources needed to keep Long Island City a welcoming place where people can live, work, and thrive.

            I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to your response. Please reach out directly should you have any questions.

Sincerely,

/s/

Michael Gianaris

New York State Senate