fter a series of twists and turns, negotiations and debates, the Astoria Cove project was unanimously approved by the City Council on Tuesday.
The development — which includes waterfront access, affordable housing, a commercial corridor, green space and a school — is the first to be approved under the new affordable housing stipulations made by Mayor de Blasio this year.
“Residential development in the 21st Century must be innovative, contextual and inclusive of its community,” Councilman Costa Constantinides (D-Astoria) said in a prepared statement before the Council meeting. “I am proud to have reached this goal by passing this historic agreement at Astoria Cove. For the first time in city history, the developer will be required by law to provide permanently affordable housing that is within reach of Astorians.”
About a month ago, when the proposal — submitted by development group Astoria 2030 — was brought before the Zoning Subcommittee, it was gutted by several Council members, especially Councilman Antonio Reynoso (D-Brooklyn, Queens), who said the plan was “reminiscent of the Bloomberg years.”
Shortly after the committee hearing, the developers, which include Alma Realty, presented a new plan that more closely fell in line with what Constantinides and groups such as Build Up NYC and various unions were pushing for.
The final plan sets affordable housing at a record 27 percent, which will be permanently reserved for low- and middle-income households and guarantees construction will be done with the help of union workers.
In addition, developers will pay for and build a ferry station for future use, an idea Astoria 2030 said they were willing to work with from the very beginning.
The compromises made by the Astoria Cove developers even impressed Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, who originally advised the Department of City Planning and the City Council vote against the plan as is.
“This agreement shows what we can achieve when the private and public sectors work together,” Constantinides said. “This agreement provides real benefits to the neighborhood and will help further link our booming communities along the East River.”
But while the Council, unions and development activist groups celebrate, affordable housing proponents maintain more units should have been set aside to accommodate the surrounding area which includes Astoria Houses — a New York City Housing Authority complex.
“We’re happy and very thrilled that our allies in labor got a good deal, but in terms of the affordable housing we could have done better,” Maritza Silva-Farrell, a senior organizer for Alliance for a Greater New York, said when the plan was announced earlier this month.
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