The 1.8 million square foot redevelopment of Flushing Commons in Queens is about to get underway, and a set of renderings from architect Perkins Eastman reveals the master plan, which will result in four new buildings, and 1.5 acres of open space. A litany of developers are involved with the project, including TDC Development, The Rockefeller Group, AECOM Capital, and Mount Kellett Capital Management.
Curbed reported on the site’s approval at the end of December, and Flushing Commons will be the last legacy development of the Bloomberg administration, which paid $20 million for the municipal parking lot that currently occupies the site. Phase I will include 150 residential units and 220,000 square feet of office space, as well as 1,600 parking spaces, though the last component will be temporary.
Flushing Commons phase I — image from Perkins Eastman
Phase II will be even more impressive; it will add another 450 units, an additional 280,000 square feet of commercial space, a 62,000 square foot YMCA, and another 15,000 square feet for community facilities. The second phase will also include the 1.5 acre town square, which will center around a fountain plaza.
Flushing Commons at full build-out — image from Perkins Eastman
The reveal by Perkins Eastman is promising, and highlights the site’s potential at full build-out; the clear focal point of the development is the public space at the center, which will provide “public gathering and event spaces,” while also enhancing “pedestrian circulation with access from nearby mass transit.”
Flushing Commons — image from Perkins Eastman
The parking component of Flushing Commons will be bulldozed to make way for phase II of the development, further highlighting the project’s positive benefits; it will transform a periphery neighborhood into a truly urban center, where vehicles are not necessary for access. Creating a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere will be crucial to ensuring the plan’s success, and it looks like Perkins Eastman’s vision is the right idea.
Flushing Commons — image from Perkins Eastman
Phase I is expected to be completed by April 2017, and phase II will break ground in 2018, with the entirety of Flushing Commons to be completed by the early 2020s. The cost of the development is $850 million, and the NYCEDC website has additional information.
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