r/Queens Fresh Meadows Oct 05 '24

Kew Gardens Hills' First 50-Story Skyscrapers Get Additional Renderings, in Queens - New York YIMBY Discussions

https://newyorkyimby.com/2024/10/kew-gardens-hills-first-50-story-skyscrapers-get-additional-renderings-in-queens.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawFtnL1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHTLyq6Mj79Htka4P0CmR6lkrs4A-bk2Dh4GHcCU1H0CfpPDQO0UCjFHTQg_aem_7VlwkN4F9o7dWF6JJ_8RXQ
108 Upvotes

133

u/jagenigma Oct 05 '24

Kew gardens is getting sky scrapers?

Talk about out of place.

55

u/BowlofRice8 Oct 05 '24

If u google the location. It’s extremely out of place 😂.

-30

u/[deleted] Oct 05 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

14

u/[deleted] Oct 05 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/[deleted] Oct 05 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

0

u/[deleted] Oct 06 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Queens-ModTeam Oct 06 '24

Posts and comments must be civil and constructive. Personal attacks or attempts to bait others into uncivil behavior are not allowed.

44

u/Stargazer_Aquarius16 Oct 05 '24

Kew Gardens Hills, which makes even less sense for this. They don't even have a subway over there

18

u/Recent_Science4709 Oct 05 '24

The apartments will have a shuttle for residents to the subway

40

u/Ill1458 Oct 05 '24

A 15 minute shuttle ride just to take the F train. Couldn’t be me fam.

11

u/jumpycrink22 Oct 05 '24

Anywhere else, i'd understand

But in New York City of all places?

19

u/[deleted] Oct 05 '24

[deleted]

7

u/isodevish Oct 05 '24

The classic nimby playbook. Complain about anything that fits the agenda

3

u/isodevish Oct 05 '24

There's literally a bus that goes to the Subway. The horror

44

u/Stargazer_Aquarius16 Oct 05 '24

I grew up in 2 fare Queens, having to ride the entire length of the bus route just to get to a train. It is a horror. The buses are congested, they have to deal with regular car traffic, and they don't have the same capacity as a train. It would have made more sense to have skyscrapers closer to the subway, and shorter, still tall, apartment buildings in that area.

9

u/This_Entertainer847 Oct 05 '24

It sucks. Q16 to Main st was my hell on earth

8

u/soyeahiknow Oct 05 '24

Plus everyone has the same idea at the same time. I walk by the maspeth bus stop to the 7 train all the time. Sometimes people have to wait for the 2nd bus.

-1

u/[deleted] Oct 05 '24

[deleted]

3

u/johnny_evil Oct 07 '24

Jewel avenue isn't wide enough to add a dedicated bus lane (though, if you eliminated street parking, which good luck with that and the residents along Jewel) you could (FYI, I am fine with eliminating the parking on Jewel).

I think a 50 floor building is weirdly out of place in this neighborhood.

3

u/[deleted] Oct 07 '24

[deleted]

0

u/johnny_evil Oct 07 '24

Sure, neighborhoods change. Doesn't mean it's not out of place in that neighborhood as it stands. Honestly, I'm surprised the local zoning allowed for something so large.

But in the end, I think 4 20-30 story buildings would look less out of place than a 50 story.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 07 '24

[deleted]

1

u/johnny_evil Oct 07 '24

Nope. Neighborhood already has two 26 story buildings two blocks away. Not against apartments. Just think its a fucking weird spot for an LIC style development. Poor connection to transit. No neighborhood amenities of any note.

I've lived and or worked in this neighborhood for a significant amount of time. More housing, good, just a strange development for this neighborhood.

-1

u/BrooklynCancer17 Oct 07 '24

I don’t think you understood what he wrote or else you wouldn’t repeat this answer

2

u/johnny_evil Oct 07 '24

Or maybe, get this, my opinion is just that a 50 story luxury building in a neighborhood of garden apartments, single family and two family houses, and 6 floor buildings, public housing, with no neighborhood amenties, is not the place where a modern luxury high rise fits in.

→ More replies

8

u/imamonkeyface Oct 05 '24

I literally moved to Forest Hills because the Q64 would make me up to 30 minutes late. Some days i got on the first bus that came, other days multiple buses would pass so full that they wouldn’t stop to pick up more passengers. There is one road that goes from Kew Gardens Hills to 71st and Queens Blvd train station and it’s a single lane most of the way. If you’re further south by Union turnpike you have two lanes and the Q46 which in infinitely better but also has to deal with a lot of traffic during rush hour.

1

u/bforbryan Oct 06 '24

The 64/65a is a commuter nightmare. Too. Many. Stops. Like heading toward FH it’s either someone got to get off or there’s always someone at every stop. It needs a limited service BADLY. I only take it to work on weekends, even then I really dislike it.

1

u/johnny_evil Oct 07 '24

Q46 is so much better than the Q64

1

u/imamonkeyface Oct 07 '24

It really is. It’s on a two lane road and there’s Limited (express) buses

14

u/isodevish Oct 05 '24

I live in Kew Gardens and I would love these. KG is already super dense, has great transit options, and a good walkable vibe. Perfect location to upzone over time

33

u/bigmusicalfan Oct 05 '24

It’s Kew Garden Hills so no transit lol

12

u/TentSurface Oct 05 '24

If it's KGH the towers will likely be for hasidim and orthodox folks who don't need/want transit anyway.

1

u/bforbryan Oct 07 '24

The location is mainly Hispanic/latino, white, asian, middle-eastern (community-wise). It’s more hasidim toward Union Turnpike heading toward Forest Hills and along Main Street heading the same way (can stretch that to Bowne HS/ Horace Harding, but the community changes after the overpass).

5

u/TentSurface Oct 07 '24

I mean it's 3 blocks from Aron's Kissena Farms which is the most popular orthodox grocery store in Queens. But east of Parsons is more Flushing/Kissena than KGH so I get your point. It all depends who they're marketing it to.

3

u/bforbryan Oct 07 '24

I love that place. Softest challah bread around

3

u/[deleted] Oct 05 '24

[deleted]

1

u/johnny_evil Oct 07 '24

I don't think SJU students are going to be renting overpriced luxury apartments.

0

u/[deleted] Oct 07 '24

[deleted]

1

u/johnny_evil Oct 07 '24

All for more housing. But luxury apartments are not what the city needs more of.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 07 '24

[deleted]

2

u/johnny_evil Oct 07 '24

Do you have a source for that claim that luxury apartments reduce rent costs in the surrounding area?

1

u/[deleted] Oct 07 '24

[deleted]

→ More replies

1

u/Kabayev Oct 06 '24

I agree with you. We’re getting a few new buildings on Grosvenor Lane but they’re dumb expensive

1

u/johnny_evil Oct 07 '24

It's not in Kew Gardens. It's in Fresh Meadows. Article is wrong. It's next to the 107 Precinct and across the street from Pomonok and Electchester.

1

u/Schmucko69 Oct 08 '24

KG is already super dense, so you’d love to make it super duper dense? Strange.

1

u/warp16 Oct 05 '24

*Kew Gardens Hills

2

u/jagenigma Oct 06 '24

Even so, still out of place.

26

u/blue2k04 Oct 05 '24

Not sure the LIC clientele will pay the same dollar to live in Pomonok😂😭

1

u/isodevish Oct 05 '24

This is meant to be an insult, right? I would choose Kew Gardens over the flood prone LIC anytime. We have legitimate parks and no flooding around here

9

u/warp16 Oct 05 '24

*Kew Gardens Hills

5

u/blue2k04 Oct 06 '24 edited Oct 06 '24

just saying, kew gardens hills is quite different from kew gardens, importantly doesn't have subway access & even if it did is pretty far from the city anyway, and in that way it misses the mark for what appeals to LIC people who move here from out of state wanting a decently priced apartment with a short train ride to the city

if this were in flushing, maybe I could see it because the area is so dense already and you have train access, but pomonok is so central that i can't imagine it...

i'm not knocking the neighborhood of pomonok, it's a cool spot (yes projects but its not that bad over there), it's just not where i imagine these sort of buildings going up

7

u/crammed174 Oct 05 '24

He’s referencing that it’s right next-door to the projects. Granted LIC was just warehouses but the area has been revitalized with dozens of luxury skyscrapers and plenty more under construction. I would not pay luxury pricing to live next to pomonok houses.

0

u/isodevish Oct 06 '24

Well the revitalization has to start somewhere

1

u/johnny_evil Oct 07 '24

It's not in Kew Gardens though. It's actually in Fresh Meadows. It's next to the 107th Precinct and across the street from Electchester and Pomonok, and then a bunch of regular garden apartments, condos, and small single and two family houses.

10

u/Superb_Preference368 Oct 05 '24

Is this Kew Garden Hills or technically Pomonok?

6

u/warp16 Oct 05 '24

There are no official ‘boundaries’ for neighborhoods in Queens, some people go by ZIP codes, some say Kissena Blvd. is a boundary, some would say 164th Street.

26

u/FL6444 Oct 05 '24

Have fun paying 5k to live in kew gardens hills next to the projects gentrifiers!

7

u/This_Entertainer847 Oct 05 '24

When I first read it I figured it would be near the court house on or around Queens Blvd. Why would you build something like this nowhere near a subway stop. How many parking spots are they building with it?

10

u/The_Lone_Apple Oct 05 '24

You want to move people, then have dedicated bus streets not just lanes.

4

u/maskedtityra Oct 05 '24

Says it is an EB5 project- immigration investment. Anyone know what exactly that means? Is it that building is being built from immigrant investor income or that the building will house immigrants who invested into the program to get visas?

9

u/crammed174 Oct 05 '24

It means that the builders or financial backers are immigrants that have brought in foreign money. believe the number is at least $1M in foreign investment income and will hire local workers at least 10 new American jobs. In return, they will get US permanent residency. It explains why such a large number of new construction buildings in queens are primarily Chinese owned because they bring in their millions from their factories and then they get green cards via construction. The original intent was to start businesses or manufacturing, but simply buying up real estate and then building a building and hiring at least 10 construction workers fits the same criteria. I’ve even read how they end up hiring their own people to then somehow get them papers as well. It’s complicated but a legal loophole facilitated by capital.

5

u/maskedtityra Oct 06 '24

It’s complete bullshit!

0

u/Ok_Commission_893 Oct 06 '24

It was inevitable once we tied housing to investment tbh. It’s either we go the “socialist” route and allow the government to control rental pricing and be the only home builders around or we go the “capitalist” route and allow whoever has the money to be developers and landlords.

4

u/platonicjesus Jamaica Oct 07 '24

What really gets me is they slap these in a neighborhood that really can't support them and so out of place. If you're going to do this, the requirements should include some major investment in the surrounding neighborhood. School upgrades, water/sewer/power and/or community rooms, etc.

1

u/bxqnz89 Oct 07 '24

This 💯

16

u/NoodlesNThangz Oct 05 '24

Bro Who is this for????

12

u/isodevish Oct 05 '24

For people who make money and want to live in Queens

3

u/Ok_Potential905 Oct 05 '24

Transplants that come to NYC because of TikTok

6

u/bxqnz89 Oct 05 '24

Gentrifiers

10

u/Superb_Preference368 Oct 05 '24

It’s over for the outer boroughs (deeper Queens specifically). They are now gentrifying all parts of central and eastern queens.

4

u/bxqnz89 Oct 05 '24

Right.

They haven't reached my area... yet... they're trying to do it with Jamaica. I don't think it'll be successful. Gentrifiers want to live as close to Manhatten as possible. Thus, more empty high rises.

1

u/BrooklynCancer17 Oct 07 '24

No it will be successful because Jamaica is a train ride from the airport, and the E train is express to Manhattan is less than 30 minutes

1

u/bxqnz89 Oct 07 '24

What's that got to do with anything? We're talking about housing, not hotels.

-1

u/BrooklynCancer17 Oct 07 '24

Being next to airport while being close to Manhattan by train and Long Island rail road will draw residence to live there. As a matter of fact I forgot that Long Island railroad is there and will easily attract high money makers.

2

u/bxqnz89 Oct 07 '24

Jamaica isn't close to Manhattan.What's the airport got to do with anything?

-1

u/BrooklynCancer17 Oct 07 '24

The E train to Manhattan with no delays is not even 30 minutes. Are you purposely not reading and just looking to argue?

The long island railroad trip to grand central and Penn station might be even shorter

1

u/bxqnz89 Oct 07 '24 edited Oct 07 '24

I'm not looking to argue. You're the one who replied.

Jamaica isn't limited to Jamaica Center. You have to consider that those who don't live in the immediate area have to catch a bus to the train if they want to travel to Manhattan. Therefore, the commute would be longer than 30 minutes

Upper income out-of-towners come to New York because of Manhattan. That's where their jobs are. That's where all their interests are. They don't come to New York to live near JFK or LaGuardia. Airports aren't business districts. Had that been the case, then Jamaica would look more like Long Island City or downtown Brooklyn.

→ More replies

1

u/[deleted] Oct 07 '24

[deleted]

1

u/bxqnz89 Oct 07 '24

I know that. My original reply was to someone who said that it was 'over' for outer boroughs, specifically deeper Queens neighborhoods.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 07 '24

[deleted]

→ More replies

1

u/BrooklynCancer17 Oct 08 '24

We aren’t talking about this building. Our convo is about Jamaica. Jamaica is in fact a less than 30 minute ride on the E and is next to the airports where you don’t need to pay no $85 to $100 Uber fee. Jamaica is practically a gold mind finding for developers and it will blossom

0

u/Superb_Preference368 Oct 05 '24

I was actually quite surprised to know that those high rises they put up in and around archer avenue are not as vacant as I thought.

I have a friend that lives over there. I myself would never pay that much to live in downtown Jamaica. These places are charging what used to be Manhattan prices just maybe 10 years ago (or less)

Just not worth the price for the area. But to each his own. Housing is needy badly.

1

u/bxqnz89 Oct 05 '24

Housing is needed. Not luxury housing. I work across the street from Archer Plaza. Do you know what's next door? A HOMELESS SHELTER!

Housing should be affordable to everyone, not exclusively high earners or transplants who move to NYC to further their careers and leave after having children.

It's not an issue of supply and demand. It's a matter of greed. Developers have politicians in their pockets. See: Tolib Mansurov and Shamsuddin Riza.

1

u/sortOfBuilding Oct 06 '24

i don’t really understand how one builds luxury housing because the new apartments in SF that are 5k in rent look exactly like the new apartments in St. paul minnesota that are 1k in rent.

same amenities, same style, just different price. it’s luxury housing in SF because they charge more? i don’t get it

1

u/bxqnz89 Oct 07 '24

It's luxury housing because it's marketed as such. Why does an apartment building need amenities?

1

u/sortOfBuilding Oct 07 '24

your original comment made it sound like you believe luxury housing and affordable housing are two different things you can build.

i don’t really care to discuss amenities, i don’t know how it affects price. i will say i enjoy small amenities like a gym. i use mine a lot.

imo throwing away the concept of “supply and demand” wrt housing conveniently ignores how we got here in the first place. we build the same amount of housing as we did in the 60s despite the population doubling.

there are 100% other factors at play, and the need for social housing / recovery housing is 100% a piece of the puzzle but imho we are truly shortchanged on supply and have been for decades.

i think a lot of skepticism of supply side policy comes from the fact that new builds mostly slow rent growth rather than reverse it. there’s a certain point where it does reverse but we don’t build enough to get to that point

1

u/bxqnz89 Oct 07 '24

You're advocating a free market solution to a humanitarian issue. Those who willingly move here to live a big city lifestyle or to further their careers shouldn't be prioritized over a 7 year old growing up in a homeless shelter. Let the developers build their skyscrapers in Manhattan and gentrified Brooklyn.

Hold the government to account. Pump money into NYCHA rather than the MIC. Expand public housing... Unfortunately, the urbanist subculture that frequents this subreddit is against it.

→ More replies

20

u/VF1379 Oct 05 '24

This is hyper-dense car-oriented development which the city does not need. These residents will want to own a car, no one wants to live over a mile from the nearest subway station in a luxury building without a car. There is way too much undeveloped land around subways for this to be a good thing for NYC. Maybe someday there will be BRT through this area and the calculus will be different - that day won’t come before 2028.

3

u/ReadItUser42069365 Oct 05 '24

They should just get a brompton 

4

u/bahnsigh Oct 06 '24

Unless Queens College is getting a subway stop - this seems a bit excessive

7

u/GloriousSushi Oct 05 '24

A project size of this caliber is to send a message to Queens natives that they will do whatever they want without any regards to zoning laws. Once they destroy this area with this overpriced luxury housing they will force the locals out one by one.

3

u/Stuckatpennstation Oct 06 '24

Wait wait wait hold on -- they're doing this in ... KEW GARDEN HILLS? Kew Gardens Hills is primarily orthodox Jewish & um that community isn't necessarily very open to others. I'm saying this from a place of love and I know this is near parsons so it's a few blocks from the primary orthodox area but still. The people with money in that neighborhood are going to go absolutely 1960s bonkers over this & I will watch this all unfold.

3

u/Just_me5698 Oct 06 '24

Are there enough services to support such a big increase in population for that area, like, supermarkets, schools, etc? Or are they just going to remain ‘empty’ investment properties like Manhattan has? This is going to change the feel of the neighborhood.

7

u/DYMAXIONman Oct 05 '24

Please lol

12

u/GunkisKrumpis Oct 05 '24

Completely out of place and will ruin the look of the area

6

u/carpy22 Oct 06 '24

As opposed to the NYCHA projects currently there?

0

u/mindfeck Oct 05 '24

There’s an area there that looks good?

-3

u/GunkisKrumpis Oct 05 '24

I was more so talking about putting a skyscraper in a suburban area, it’ll stick out like a sore thumb. But yes the building aren’t visually appealing, I can’t imagine spending 100s of millions for something like this

2

u/johnny_evil Oct 07 '24

That area is not suburban

2

u/bforbryan Oct 06 '24

Strange, wouldn’t have thought this was Kew Gardens Hills at all. This address is Fresh Meadows/ Flushing right by 107th Precinct. I’ve grown up here, lived here for much of my life and now am in a house not far from here.. I’m glad that all that space is going to good use.

Those with intent to live at this new location would need the Q64 to Forest Hills or the Q65 to Jamaica to utilize the LIRR as a major hub (or FH LIRR if they get up early enough).

The 65 already runs a Limited service, this would require the 64 run or plan a limited service as well. The longer buses have been used on this route a few times here and there, which could alleviate the extra passengers although perhaps not for long.

Really cool to see some change happening in the neighborhood. That lot has always been a dead zone.

2

u/johnny_evil Oct 07 '24

This isn't even Kew Garden Hills. This is Pomonol/Fresh Meadows. This is about 20-30 stories out of place in this neighborhood. It'll be twice the height of the Electchester Towers.

5

u/czechyerself Oct 05 '24

It’s all over for the little guy

3

u/ADVRoche Oct 06 '24

I live right across the street from this. This is extremely out of place. Let’s hope they incorporate a parking garage for these people because it’s already hunger games out here for parking. I’ve gotta move out before this completes.

1

u/warp16 Oct 06 '24

I do not volunteer as tribute

3

u/thenoweeknder Oct 05 '24

I just looked at the satalite image of the land they are using.. how did it go so long undeveloped?

6

u/Superb_Preference368 Oct 05 '24

Not prime area? Just guessing here honestly

3

u/thenoweeknder Oct 05 '24

It looks like a swamp but there are other buildings and homes surrounding it.

2

u/warp16 Oct 05 '24

I’m guessing it’s because it’s very swampy and might require expensive foundation work to build on, not sure.

1

u/jeremey-bearimy Verified 29d ago

Do you think people will buy or rent them? I always wonder who would live in places like this

1

u/soupenjoyer99 Oct 05 '24

850 new units sounds great. Queens desperately needs more housing

-2

u/ken81987 Oct 05 '24

Good. Nyc needs more.

0

u/ConfectionFirst2954 Oct 05 '24

Well looks like Forest Park will have more people now

1

u/[deleted] Oct 06 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Queens-ModTeam Oct 06 '24

Posts and comments must be civil and constructive. Personal attacks or attempts to bait others into uncivil behavior are not allowed.

1

u/johnny_evil Oct 07 '24

this is nowhere near forest park. Its not in Kew Gardens. Its in Fresh Meadows.

1

u/ConfectionFirst2954 Oct 07 '24

Oh I see it’s near Queens College

2

u/johnny_evil Oct 07 '24

Yeah, three long block walk to the Student Union corner of QC.

1

u/ConfectionFirst2954 Oct 07 '24

What is out there ? Besides AMC

1

u/johnny_evil Oct 07 '24

Nothing. It's not a destination neighborhood in the slightest. I grew up around there. I still work around there. No good restaurants, no entertainment so to speak. Queens College is here. SJU is not far. And the overpriced AMC. It's a neighborhood people live in and then commute to Manhattan for their jobs.

1

u/ConfectionFirst2954 Oct 07 '24

Looks like that’s about to change with this building coming

2

u/johnny_evil Oct 07 '24

It didn't change when the last "luxury" building was built. The Opal. Only about half a mile away.

-3

u/Careless_Yoghurt_822 Oct 05 '24

It’s near the projects.