TESTIMONY
Richard Lobel on the Proposed Rezoning at 2117 37th Avenue in Long Island City, Queens
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6 min
Richard Lobel presents a case for rezoning 2117 37th Avenue, aiming to replace current M11 zoning with M15 to allow construction of a seven-story mixed-use building.
- The proposed building to occupy roughly 84,000 square feet, with 21,000 square feet for commercial use and 63,000 square feet for light manufacturing.
- The rezoning would transform the zone from M11 to M15, facilitating larger building bulk, eliminating parking requirements, and enhancing the area's developmental potential.
- The project has unanimous support from Community Board 1, the Queens Borough President, and city planning.
- The building plans to incorporate sustainable measures, such as the use of solar panels, efficient lighting, and water retention systems.
Richard Lobel
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Thank you, Chair Riley.
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Council member is Richard Lobel of Sheldon Lobel, PC for the applicant.
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We're here today to discuss the 2117 37th Avenue rezoning.
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I note that the current screenshot is of a different rezoning.
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I think we're changing that over.
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So while that is loading, I'll briefly discuss our project description.
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So this rezoning consists primarily of two lots which front 37th Avenue in Long Island City Queens.
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The current zoning next slide is an existing M 11 district.
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Which is proposed to be resilient to an M15 district.
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This would allow for the development of a new seven story mixed manufacturing and commercial building.
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The development site is roughly 17,000 square feet.
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The proposed building would be roughly 84,000 square feet with a total height of a 113 feet and would set back above 82 feet from 37th Avenue on 20th Street, 2020th Street and 22nd Street.
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20 Second Street.
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The proposed uses at the building would be 21,000 square feet plus or minus for commercial use and 63,000 square feet for light manufacturing.
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We would also propose, although that required 58 parking spaces, which would service the occupancy visitors to the building.
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The next slide shows the zoning map.
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And the zoning map really demonstrates here why this is entirely appropriate.
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Most of the zoning tough to see, but in the circled portion, to the north of 37th Avenue is M11, which is a very limiting zoning district.
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It has a low f a r high parking requirement.
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It doesn't really contribute to development here within the industrial business zone, while to the south of 37th Avenue is an M13 district, which although allowing building bulk at the same level as the M15 is proposed, has an owner as partner requirement.
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So the proposal here would be to allow a an M15, which would allow for a 5 f a r and remove the parking requirement to allow this building to be used in a productive manner.
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The next slide is a tax map demonstrating the boundaries of the rezoning, again, coterminous with the both the rezoning area of the development site as well as the adjacent gas station.
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And fronting on 37th Avenue for a distance of roughly 191 feet.
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Next slide, which is the area map which really well demonstrates why this rezoning is entirely appropriate.
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As you can see from the map, the area is heavily industrial with light manufacturing and industrial uses.
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37th Avenue here is a wide street which can easily handle the proposed increase in bulk and 20 21st Street to the west of the site.
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Is also a wide street.
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So you have the benefit of a corner lot with with frontage on a wide street and within a hundred feet of another wide street.
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In addition, you've got the Ravenswood houses to the north, roughly a block north of the site, which provides ample opportunity for walk to work.
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Job creation, which is a goal of the city, as well as of the community board who voted 25 nothing in favor of this rezoning.
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Finally, there are bound there are abundant transportation options of the site.
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The site is in the transit zone and, again, would allow for productive use, the user of the site, parts authority, long standing New York City business with many locations throughout the city and indeed the country.
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Which would allow be able to consolidate many of their operations within this proposed building.
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So it's kind of an exciting opportunity for the applicant as well as for the local area.
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The next slide, an eagle eye view of the surrounding area, you can see that currently the site is underutilized.
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There are the dense Ravenswood houses to the north, roughly 31 buildings at 6 stories each.
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So there is density within the area and within the surrounding 1 to 2 blocks.
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The next several slides are the building plans.
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The first, a rendering which was commented on by the community board as being potentially attractive addition to the local neighborhood.
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The next slide has the sub seller parking and the seller parking on the slide after sorry.
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Two slides.
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Including 58 parking spaces on the lower 2 levels.
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The next slide is the ground floor, which contains both retail uses as well as a lobby for the commercial uses above.
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In addition, there is a 20 22nd Street here has a loading dock 2 loading docks off of 22nd Street from existing curb cuts, and the interest of the parking area is on 37th Avenue.
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The next slide I should say slides 2 the next slide are floors 2 through 5, which contain the roughly 63,000 square feet of industrial uses at the site.
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Primarily to be used by parts authority for their manufacturing of kits, which are shipped nationwide in order to allow for local businesses to use them for repair of transmissions.
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And then the top two floors floors 6 and 7, both contain office uses again roughly 21,000 square feet.
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That really concludes the majority of the presentation.
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Again, we hope that the council will join in with the unanimous vote of Community Board 1, the Queensboro president and city planning.
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And approve what we find to be a meritorious application.
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And with that chair, we're happy to answer questions.
Kevin C. Riley
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Thank you, Richard.
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You didn't get a chance to go into it.
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But just briefly, can you just outline the buildings, incorporate sustainability for
Leo Schaff
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sure?
Richard Lobel
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Actually, if you if you can forward the slides past the building plans past, the stand building measure is great.
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Okay.
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So the next slide has the proposed sustainability measures, which was a topic of conversation of Community Board and Queensboro president.
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We are allowing for renewable energy at the site through the use of solar panels.
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A top of the building, the building envelope is triple insulated.
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With full height windows to allow for maximum natural lighting and to minimize the use of artificial lighting.
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There are energy and technology integration systems within the building, high efficiency heating, LED lighting and such, and we are including water effectiveness measures.
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Including low flow fixtures and rainwater retention tanks.
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So the building itself allows for an attractive envelope and one which is also environmentally sensitive.
