Downtown Far Rockaway Redevelopment Project

Public Scoping Meeting for an Environmental Impact Statement | September 20, 2016

Agenda

Background

Community Outreach

Downtown Far Rockaway Roadmap for Action

Timeline

Environmental Review

Next Steps

Background

The area presents a unique opportunity:

Close to transit, beach, and bay

2.5 miles to JFK, less than ½ mile to St. John’s

Hospital

Outside of the flood zone

Significant current City investment and support

for City action

It has also faced many challenges:

Distance/geographic isolation

Lack of local employment options

Almost no new development in past 20+ years

Lack of open space, poor pedestrian circulation

Revitalization limited by large underutilized sites

Downtown Far Rockaway is the historic commercial core of the peninsula

Community Outreach

Included local/state elected officials and community, business, and nonprofit stakeholders

Between November 2015 and January 2016 the group developed a set of goals and recommendations to support the revitalization of Downtown Far Rockaway

In October 2015, Council Member Richards convened the Downtown Far Rockaway

Working Group

Community Outreach

On January 19, the Working Group and the City co-hosted a public meeting

Over 100 community members from across the peninsula, as well as representatives from

EDC, DCP, DOT, HPD, DPR, SBS, and DOHMH in attendance

Participants gave insight into challenges and opportunities, as well as recommendations for

shaping the future of Downtown Far Rockaway

Goals and Recommendations

1. Re-establish Downtown Far Rockaway as the commercial and transportation hub of the peninsula

2. Reposition the area as a mixed-use district, including new mixed-income housing

3. Activate the public realm with new connections and public open space

4. Improve the quality of life for residents through access to community services, education and quality jobs

5. Build the capacity of community organizations and support local businesses

In February 2016, the Downtown Far Rockaway Working Group sent a letter to the

Mayor outlining broad goals and specific recommendations for the future of

Downtown Far Rockaway

In May of 2016, the City and the Working Group

co-hosted a public open house to show progress

and gather additional feedback

Roadmap for Action

The Roadmap for Action, released in August 2016, is the response to the Working

Group’s letter to the Mayor

Roadmap for Action

Identify opportunities for new mixed-income housing with a range of

affordability levels and preserve existing affordable housing

Improve transportation infrastructure and transit resources and transform public space with new connections and open plazas

Strengthen existing commercial corridors and small businesses, attracting a broad mix of retail offerings, and improving connections to jobs, workforce training, and education

Expand and build upon community services and cultural assets to improve the quality of life for residents and attract visitors

Explore tools to unlock development potential and foster a broad and vibrant mix of commercial and residential uses, including mixed-income housing

The Roadmap for Action is a comprehensive strategy for revitalization

Housing

Transportation and Public

Space

Economic Development

Community Services and

Culture

Land Use and Zoning

Outreach Timeline

2016

7 Working Group

Meetings

January: Public Meeting

Early Feb:

Recommendations Letter delivered to Mayor

Mid-Feb: State of the City Announcement

Mid-May: Public

Open House

August 19: Roadmap for

Action released

WE ARE HERE

APRIL ‘16 JULY ‘16 OCTOBER ‘16 OCTOBER ‘15

September 14: Public Info

Session

September 20: Public

Scoping Hearing

Timeline

10

Environmental

Review and

ULURP

2016 2017 2018

Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

August 19th: Public Announcement, release of Roadmap for Action, release of Scoping Notice

Fall: Release DOT Site Request for Proposals

September 20th: Scoping Hearing

Winter 2017 – Summer 2017 (7 months): ULURP

Other City

Investments

Storefront Improvements

Library Construction

Streetscape/Infrastructure Construction

Sorrentino Rec Center Construction

September 14th: Public Info Open House

Environmental Review

Project Area

Project Area

Project Area

Rezoning Area Boundary

Project Area

Rezoning Area Boundary

Project Area

Proposed Downtown

Far Rockaway Urban

Renewal Area (DFRURA)

Project Area

Project Area

Proposed Downtown

Far Rockaway Urban

Renewal Area (DFRURA)

Rezoning Area Boundary

Disposition Sites

Project Area

Proposed Actions

Zoning map amendment to change existing R5, R5/C1-2,

R5/C2-2, C4-2, C8-1, and M1-1 Districts to R5, R5/C2-4, R6, R6/C2-4, C4-2, and C4-4 Districts

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Proposed Actions

Zoning text amendments to:

- Establish the Special Downtown Far Rockaway District

- Establish a Mandatory Inclusionary Housing Area within the

Special District

- Establish a City Planning Commission special permit to

establish appropriate restrictions on Use Group 5 transient

hotels in the Special District

Disposition authority to dispose of 2 city-owned sites for

redevelopment

Proposed Actions

Establishment of the

Downtown Far

Rockaway Urban

Renewal Area

Acquisition authority to

acquire property within

the Urban Renewal

Area

- This is the only area

within which the City

may seek to acquire

property

Framework for the Analysis

It is expected that the Proposed Actions will affect future

conditions within the proposed Project Area

To account for future conditions, the analysis will consider a

Reasonable Worst Case Development Scenario (RWCDS) that represents an illustrative development program of uses, size,

design massings allowable under the proposed actions

Using RWCDS, the EIS will determine and disclose the upper

range of environmental consequences of that worst-case program

For the environmental review, the analysis year will be 2032

Reasonable Worst Case Development Scenario

Uses No Action Condition

With Action Condition

Increment For Analysis

Residential (DUs) 8 3,035 3,027

Retail (GSF) 90,932 243,867 152,935

Community Facility (GSF)

5,000 91,947 86,947

Vacant (GSF) 334,634 0 -334,634

Open Space (SF) 0 35,669 35,669

The incremental development between the future No Action

condition and the With Action condition on the development

sites is the basis for the environmental review

Development Sites

Project Area

Rezoning Area Boundary

Development Sites

Project Area

Proposed DFRURA

Rezoning Area Boundary

Development Sites

Project Area

Proposed DFRURA

Rezoning Area Boundary

Disposition Sites

Development Sites

Project Area

Proposed DFRURA

Rezoning Area Boundary

Disposition Sites

Projected Development Sites

Development Sites

Project Area

Proposed DFRURA

Rezoning Area Boundary

Disposition Sites

Projected Development Sites

Potential Development Sites

Development Sites

Project Area

Proposed DFRURA

Rezoning Area Boundary

Disposition Sites

Projected Development Sites

Potential Development Sites

This program will be the basis

of the Draft EIS analysis

framework. It does not mean

that’s what will necessarily be

built. Rather, it is the outer

envelope being assessed for

the potential for adverse

environmental effects.

Illustrative Ground Floor Plan for Proposed DFRURA and

DOT/MTA Disposition Site

Community Facility Use Community (Retail) Use Residential Use Project Open Space

Proposed DFRURA Illustrative Rendering with Maximum

Building Envelopes (Looking North)

Illustrative Rendering: View from Central Plaza to Library

Illustrative Rendering: View of Central Plaza from

Subway Station

Illustrative Rendering: View of Proposed DFRURA, Hassock

Street from Redfern Avenue (Looking South)

CEQR Scope

Land Use, Zoning, and

Public Policy

Socioeconomic

Conditions

Community Facilities

- Schools

- Day Care

- Libraries

- Police & Fire

- Health Care

Open Space

Shadows

Historic & Cultural

Resources

Urban Design & Visual

Resources

Natural Resources

Hazardous Materials

Water and Sewer

Infrastructure

Solid Waste

Energy

Transportation

- Traffic & Parking

- Pedestrians

- Transit

Air Quality

GHG and Climate

Change

Noise

Public Health

Neighborhood

Character

Construction

The EIS will examine the following technical areas

Next Steps

Public comments on the Draft Scope of Work Final Scope

of Work for EIS Analysis

Comments may be submitted at this scoping meeting, or by

email to:

ebrunner@cityhall.nyc.gov

or by regular mail to the address below:

Mayor’s Office of Sustainability

Attn: Esther Brunner, Deputy Director

253 Broadway, 14th Floor

New York, NY 10007

Email/written comments will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on

Monday, October 3, 2016