Council Member Won remarks on LIC development context and community concerns

Thank you so much, Chair Lewis.

Good afternoon.

My name is Julie-Won, and I currently represent Council District 26, which includes Long Island City, Sunnyside, Woodside, and Astoria.

Long Island City is one of, well, it is the fastest growing neighborhood in the country and also in the Borough of Queens.

And over the past 25 years, we've experienced unprecedented residential development of mostly luxury apartments without sufficient investment in critical community needs like schools, parks, and sewers.

We have seen severe flooding within this past month.

We don't have enough school seats that's starting tomorrow.

We have over 100 students who are on wait lists to get into their own schools, and our parks are overrun and underdeveloped.

And since being elected, I've welcomed new opportunities to build new housing in District 26.

My neighbors and I have set a standard that balances development with community infrastructure investments.

Prioritizing real affordability for current and future neighbors.

And through our community-driven planning processes, we've created a complete vision for Long Island City that has centered community needs alongside 15,000 units of housing.

As we hear today from the applicant team of 213146th Avenue, I'm excited by the opportunity to continue bringing new mixed-income housing to Long Island City, but we must make sure that this proposal responds directly to our community needs.

Throughout the public review process, Community Board...

Two, and the neighbors of the project have shared their concerns and recommendations, including deep affordability and family-sized units, density that is in context with the low-rise homes of the east and the large apartment buildings to the west of the site,

space for light and air between the new development as well as the existing buildings, especially the condo.

A community serving use of the ground floor that is low cost or free, improved pedestrian safety and additional street greenery, reduced parking spots.

And I look forward to hearing more from our community members here today from their priorities and how the applicant.

Plans to incorporate them in the proposed project.

This weekend, living in Long Island City, I saw that there are many flyers, even on the ground, from our neighbors who are declining to support this project.

So if you want to see a copy of that, I have that as well.

And I want to let you know that we've had over 30 emails in opposition of the project as well.

Only two constituents have emailed support for this project.

So I look forward to hearing this public, for the public to testify today.

But it's going to be really important for us to make sure that we come to an equal understanding with all of our constituents who are upset and want to see something different than what is currently proposed.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Council Member.

I will now call the applicant panel for this proposal, which consists of Richard Lobel and

Everyone else could state their name for the record.

Council, can you please administer the oath?

Why don't we all raise your right hand and say your name for the record, please.

Ashley Fina.

Richard Lobel.

Nick, Nick Labaris.

Pansky.

Thank you.

Please keep your right hand raised.

Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth in your testimony this morning in response to council member questions?

I do.

I do.

I do.

Thank you.

Thank you.

You may begin your testimony, which is limited to 10 minutes.

You should start to conclude your presentation at 8 minutes.

If the entire panel can restate your name and the name of your organization.

Thank you.