Remember Silvercup West, the massive three-tower extension of Long Island City's famed film and television production studio? Probably not. That's because chatter of the undertaking has been on the outs for the past, oh, six years. But now, Queens Courier and Q'Stoner report that the $1 billion expansion is back on the table. The studio has filed special permit renewals with Queens Community Board 2's land use committee. If actualized, the project will bring a 2.2 million-square-foot complex with eight sound studios, an office tower, 1,000 apartments, a 1,400-space parking garage, and cultural and retail space to the site just south of the Queensboro Bridge.
The undertaking won the consent of the community board, borough president, City Planning and the City Council when it first premiered in 2006. Permits for the project then lapsed in 2010. It seems the delay is due to the site's current occupants, a 79-megawatt generating station operated by the New York Power Authority, a city salt pile, and a historic terra cotta building. The generators must be decommissioned and removed, and Silvercup will move ahead with restoring the nearly 100-year-old terra cotta building at 42-10 Vernon Boulevard. Because approvals for the project are already in place, this project may move forth imminently, and the timing really couldn't be much more appropriate.
· Silvercup Studios seeking permit approvals again for delayed expansion [QC]
· Silvercup Studios Look to Renew Permits For $1 Billion Development [Q'Stoner]
· All Silvercup West coverage [Curbed]
Loading comments...