The Durst Organization has just stopped construction on its sprawling megaproject on Hallets Point in Astoria, saying the taxes are “crushing” without the 421-a tax exemption. But developers are still rushing to build along the waterfront in the western Queens neighborhood.
Developer Wayne Fried has filed applications for a seven-story, mixed-use building at 30-07 Vernon Boulevard, right next to Hallets Point and the East River. The 70-foot-tall building would replace a two low-slung warehouses between Welling Court – the local street art haven – and 30th Road.
Its 65 units would be spread across 46,417 square feet of residential space, creating average units of 714 square feet. Apartments would begin on the second floor, with 10 to 11 units per story, and the ground floor would host a 6,500-square-foot retail space.
Parking would be split between three floors. A 35-car garage would fill part of the first floor, and there would be 48 more parking spots in a bi-level, subterranean garage. Since zoning only requires 33 parking spots for the apartments, the extra 50 spots will either serve customers of the ground floor commercial space or become a commercial garage.
Flushing-based architect Chang Hwa Tan will design the building.
The only downside of demolishing the warehouses is that the muralists who paint Welling Court will lose a big piece of their canvas. The developer, who’s based in Flushing, picked up both warehouses for $5.7 million in 2014.
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