Public testimony: Sin Suli opposes rezoning with notarized petition from property owners

Hi, my name is Sin Suli.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak before you.

I lived in Queens for the past 35 years, and I respectfully oppose this rezoning.

I'm not opposed to a development.

I think that New York City is all about housing and development.

I totally agree with that.

But I do think that I've been a renter almost my entire life until about six years ago.

However, our concern is the scale and context of this project.

This building, this site is surrounded by three to five, six-story family houses and low-rise condominiums.

Now, architect Applica mentioned that there's a high-rise prime building next to it, about the same height, but that is facing Jackson Avenue, and that is not affecting any other low-rise condos around it.

It's not affecting them.

Now, once this project is approved, this 11-story high building will be overpowering, overshadowing everybody.

This means a wall in your face.

It's literally...

wall in your window and taking away open space, your backyard, balconies.

Actually, I should mention that just looking at the rendering, it just makes me upset.

That was deceitfully modified to make the building look smaller, and they cut out all the balconies next to it.

All the balconies will be useless.

We spent, a lot of us spent the life savings to buy a home on this block, just only to find out that there's a block, literally.

There's no space between buildings in your face.

Some people tell me that, don't waste your time.

Developers always win.

I'd like to, if I may, use an analogy of David against Goliath.

We are regular people.

We have day jobs.

We are not architects.

We are not lawyers.

However, I brought 100 Davids with us.

This is signed petitions notarized by the property owners and renters, mostly owners.

I think we represent about 80% owners who strongly oppose this.

Thank you.

Council member one.