Yesterday, we noted the state of things in Willets Point, where the city is planning as massive retail and residential complex. Today, we turn to return to Queens for a check-in on the status of the $800 million, five-acre Flushing Commons development. The diagnosis: not doing so well. The Daily News reports that the developers are going back to the drawing board after "a burst of outrage from local leaders" and that the local City Council Member is calling it (a) "at a standstill" and (b) "dead in the water." The development would rise on the site of a huge municipal parking lot a block from Flushing's Main Street. Apparently, one flash point is that plans for a 50,000 square food community center were tossed by the developer. Another is that the number of parking spaces was cut from 2,000 to 1,600. The cost, meanwhile, has shot up from $500 million to $800 million. The big development would include 325,000 square feet for "local and national retail shops," plus 500 units of housing and a hotel.
· Flushing Commons changes spur outrage by local leaders [NYDN]
· The flushing of Flushing Commons [Queens Crap]
· Flushing Commons [nyedc.com]
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