The City Council has advanced a major rezoning plan for Long Island City, aiming to create nearly 14,700 new homes over the next ten years. The decision came after the Council’s Committee on Land Use and Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises approved the proposal, following a $1.5 billion investment pledge from the Adams administration.
The plan includes provisions for 4,300 affordable apartments and 3.5 million square feet of commercial space. Before moving to a final vote by the full Council, the proposal will return to City Planning for review.
Changes made by the Council include stricter affordability requirements and limits on building heights in certain areas. In Queens Plaza West, developers are required to set aside 20 percent of units for households earning an average of 40 percent of area median income (AMI), with eligibility capped at 130 percent AMI. This approach follows the city’s “deep affordability” option under its Mandatory Inclusionary Housing program.
City Council member Julie Won played a significant role in negotiations, withholding her support until several city commitments were secured. These included maximizing affordable housing on both public and private land, creating a continuous waterfront park linking Gantry Park to Queensbridge Park, investing in sewer and stormwater infrastructure, building new schools, adding open space under the Queensboro Bridge, and repairing public housing at Queensbridge Houses.
According to city officials, these financial commitments will fund “a connected waterfront,” convert five acres beneath the bridge into green space, upgrade sewers, add more than 1,300 school seats through new facilities, and make repairs at Queensbridge Houses.
Mayor Eric Adams’ administration is expected to approve five neighborhood rezonings before his term ends. Another significant rezoning in Jamaica is also set for approval soon by the City Council; it could result in up to 12,000 additional apartments in that part of Queens.
These zoning approvals come amid debates about three proposed ballot measures that would reduce City Council power over housing and land use decisions. The measures are seen by some council members as limiting their ability to negotiate for greater affordability or secure capital investments during land use reviews.
Julie Won commented during Wednesday’s subcommittee meeting: “The ballot measures would make it impossible to negotiate at this level.” One measure proposes establishing a three-person appeals board with authority to override City Council decisions on large-scale rezonings like Long Island City’s. While this wouldn’t prevent council negotiations outright, some believe it could weaken their influence over city investments tied to development projects.
The current rezoning targets a 54-block section previously zoned mainly for low- or medium-density manufacturing—an area left out of earlier plans despite decades of redevelopment elsewhere in Long Island City. The changes allow residential construction along with retail and light-industrial uses.
Several city-owned sites—44-36 Vernon Boulevard, 44-59 45th Avenue and 4-99 44th Drive—will be transferred for development as part of this initiative. Historically these parcels have been included in larger development visions such as YourLIC—a joint effort involving MAG Partners, Plaxall, Simon Baron Development and TF Cornerstone—which once covered much of Anable Basin including locations Amazon considered before abandoning its HQ2 project there in 2019.
Additionally, New York City is negotiating with Con Edison regarding property needed to complete a contiguous waterfront between Gantry Plaza State Park and Queensbridge Park. Earlier this week Julie Won criticized Con Edison for delays but expressed appreciation Wednesday for their cooperation with city efforts.
