Plans to build a platform over rail yards in Sunnyside are facing heavy delays as a design team continues to study whether the project is feasible.
More than a year ago, the city’s Economic Development Corporation tapped FXFOWLE Architects [TRDataCustom], Parsons Brinckerhoff and HR&A Advisors to study whether building a platform on top of the tracks for a mixed-use development is financially feasible. The results of the study were supposed to be released this past summer, but the team isn’t likely to reveal the results for several months or even a year, Crain’s reported.
Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled the possible development during his State of the City address in 2015.
At the time, he envisioned building platforms on top of portions of a 180-acre rail yard that is used by Amtrak, New Jersey Transit and the Long Island Railroad. The mayor said 11,250 affordable housing units could be built on the platform. At the time, Gov. Andrew Cuomo opposed the idea, insisting that there were other uses for the property, including possibly replacing the Jacob Javits Center with a convention hall in Queens. That idea, at least, seems to be off the table as the state moves forward with expansion plans at the current Javits Center location. [Crain’s] — Kathryn Brenzel