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A luxury development in LIC is to blame for viral subway flooding video: MTA

In a statement, MTA said construction site “did not have the proper pumping system in place”

A rendering of Skyline Tower (Credit: Skyline Tower LIC)
A rendering of Skyline Tower (Credit: Skyline Tower LIC)

After a video of a man being swept away on the subway platform by a wall of water went viral, the Metropolitan Transit Authority has found a novel scapegoat: a luxury developer in Long Island City.

 

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Ok this one is scary. Wall gave out last night during a rush of water while a train was coming and took someone out #subwaycreatures

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According to a statement issued by the MTA, “severe and dangerous flooding” was caused when “a private developer building a residential tower adjacent to the subway station… allowed the construction site to become inundated with water after their contracted relocated utilities and did not have the proper pumping system in place to act as a temporary drainage system,” Gothamist reported.

The tower in question is set to be the tallest in Queens at 964 feet, and also aims to be the first condo in the borough project north of $1 billion. In October of last year, when developer Chris Jiashu Xu got approval to begin sales, Modern Spaces’ Eric Benaim was optimistic.

“It’s like Queens has finally made its mark in real estate,” Benaim said.

Just a few months later in Queens, Amazon abandoned its HQ2 plans in Long Island City because of resistance from residents, local community groups and politicians. Now, politicos are closely watching the Queens District Attorney election between real estate favorite Melinda Katz and Democratic Socialist of America-backed candidate Tiffany Cabán, which headed to a manual count last week. [Gothamist] — Georgia Kromrei

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Long Island City