Q&A
Council Member Kevin Riley questions applicants about 14th Avenue rezoning proposal
0:48:58
ยท
3 min
Council Member Kevin Riley conducts a Q&A session with the applicants of the 14th Avenue rezoning proposal in Queens. He inquires about the breakdown of market-rate and affordable units, unit sizes, construction timeline, and MWBE participation in the project.
- The project includes 94 total units, with 28 being affordable under MIH Option 2
- Unit distribution: 15% studios, 50% one-bedrooms, 30% two-bedrooms, and 5% three-bedrooms
- Construction is expected to start in about a year, following demolition of an existing commercial building
- One of the applicants, June's Construction, is a certified MWBE contractor, ensuring significant MWBE participation in the project
Kevin Riley
0:48:58
Thank you.
0:48:59
Can you break down the size of market units for us?
Frank St. Jacques
0:49:04
In in terms of, square footage?
0:49:07
Or
Kevin Riley
0:49:07
No.
0:49:07
Just a breakdown of units available.
Frank St. Jacques
0:49:09
Oh, the number of units?
0:49:11
Yeah.
0:49:11
Sorry.
0:49:11
There's there's 94 total, 28 of which are MIH.
0:49:15
And let me just do the quick math.
0:49:17
I apologize.
0:49:17
I don't have that right in front of me.
0:49:19
It's about 60 ish, our our market.
0:49:23
So it's it's 30% is the set aside for MIH option 2.
Kevin Riley
0:49:30
Can you do you have the distributions from studios to 3 bedrooms for those units?
Frank St. Jacques
0:49:36
I'd the, and I can provide this in in writing.
0:49:41
The breakdown, is bear with me 1 moment.
Kevin Riley
0:49:47
You can have a seat.
0:49:48
We just have to swear you in real quick.
0:49:50
Go ahead.
UNKNOWN
0:49:51
Can you please raise your right hand and state your name for the record?
Andrew Esposito
0:49:55
Andrew Esposito.
UNKNOWN
0:49:56
You swear to
Kevin Riley
0:49:56
Andrew, I'll turn the microphone.
0:49:58
Thanks.
UNKNOWN
0:49:59
Do you swear to tell the truth enough about the truth in your testimony today in response to member council member questions?
Andrew Esposito
0:50:04
Yes, sir.
Frank St. Jacques
0:50:06
So the the breakdown is actually shown on on the slide.
0:50:08
Apologies for taking a moment to find it.
0:50:11
It's about 15% studios, fifty percent one bedrooms, thirty percent two bedrooms, and a few 5, a 3 bedroom, so 5% of 3 bedrooms.
Kevin Riley
0:50:21
Why is the 3 bedroom so minimal?
0:50:24
Like
Frank St. Jacques
0:50:25
typically, one and two bedrooms are are the the most common units.
0:50:31
You know, there's there's, less market for 3 bedroom units.
0:50:35
You know, many developments I've worked on don't include 3 bedrooms.
0:50:39
So this was, you know, in response to the established, neighborhood character of of surrounding College Point to to provide, some, 3 bedroom units to account for for larger families.
Kevin Riley
0:50:54
Is this project shovel ready?
0:50:56
If not, when do you anticipate construction to start?
Frank St. Jacques
0:51:00
Actually, defer to Andrew.
0:51:01
It's there there is, an existing, commercial building on the site, that is owned by the applicant.
0:51:09
It would require demolition, we'd say about a year before for for pre w redevelopment?
Andrew Esposito
0:51:16
Yeah.
0:51:16
I mean so the answer to your question is it's not shovel ready because of that building.
0:51:20
Commencement of construction, shovels in the ground probably a year, demolition short of that.
0:51:26
Upon hopefully successful completion of this process, we'd start design for, you know, formal design of the building construction documents.
0:51:33
It's like a six to nine month process, and we would commence at that time.
Steven Bari
0:51:36
So
Kevin Riley
0:51:36
And you plan to develop, not sell the site.
0:51:38
Right?
0:51:38
Correct.
0:51:39
Okay.
0:51:40
How do you attempt to address the borough president's recommended goal for MWBE and local hiring?
Frank St. Jacques
0:51:45
It turns out the, 1 of the applicants, June's Construction, is a registered MWBE, registered with contractor.
0:51:54
Thank you.
Andrew Esposito
0:51:56
Yeah.
0:51:57
So he he's also the reason I'd like to say more and my lawyers might say you say too much, but he's my partner and the and owner with us.
0:52:04
He's also a contractor and an m an MWBE certified contractor.
0:52:08
So we'd be building the building ourselves and all the subs would be between his company and and subcontractors under him.
0:52:14
So the entirety of the project, almost, we expect to be MWBE, which is great.
Kevin Riley
0:52:18
That's good.
0:52:19
Okay.
0:52:20
I have no more questions.