Bucking the trend of myriad efforts to rezone neighborhoods for taller buildings (see Hudson Square and Midtown East, to name a few), backers of a Queens rezoning proposal actually want to keep their residential buildings low. The WSJ reports that in a proactive move, the community boards that oversee East Elmhurst, a swath of land south of LaGuardia that counts Astoria Boulevard as its main artery, has already approved a proposal in an attempt to stave off the possibility of incongruous high-rise or multifamily development amid the preponderance of smaller homes. Said the local council member: "Ditmars Boulevard is the pride of the neighborhood, and these one- and two-family mini-mansions were getting torn down by developers who built four- and six-family buildings." The plan also calls for altering commercial usage on both Astoria Boulevard and nearby Roosevelt Boulevard in Corona to allow for a more healthy mix of retail shops and institutions to serve the neighborhood.
To be fair, Crown Heights is also going through the process of rezoning 55 of its own blocks in an attempt to preserve the neighborhood's low-lying character, improve affordable housing options, and up the quality and quantity of necessary commercial outlets. The Queens proposal is expected to pass muster at various levels and make it before the City Council by the end of the year.
· East Elmhurst Sees Pluses in New Zoning [WSJ]
· Vital Zoning Alert [Curbed]
· All rezoning coverage [Curbed]
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