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The new stadium will probably, in itself, be a sufficient impetus for the private sector to re-develop the Willets Point area. Personally, I agree that this place could use any help it can get. That being said, the city should not use eminent domain. Just let the market for development in the area run its course. We need to get back to the days when eminent domain was reserved for those projects that traditionally qualified as public use (roads, schools, public housing, etc) Enough with using government power to directly favor one private party over another.
Posted by Ed Brandwein
on May 3rd, 2007 at 12:32 pm -
With all of the contamination cleanup and rezoning issues, there’s nothing the “market” can do in ITri without major government intervention anyway.
Posted by David
on May 3rd, 2007 at 12:42 pm -
You obviously don’t read Queens Crap very carefully because we are against eminent domain geared toward turning privately owned land over to private developers. It’s not about whether or not it looks “shiny” or “pretty.”
Posted by Queens Crapper
on May 9th, 2007 at 11:31 am -
I’d like to think I read pretty closely! What I’m getting at is that even in non-eminent-domain-related issues, you tend to be opposed to development as a matter of principle — which is OK; not necessarily my point of view, but that’s certainly your right and a valid position. For example: Your opposition to new luxury condos in Elmhurst, which I would defend on the grounds that they tend to replace some truly hideous industrial architecture. But don’t worry, I agree with you more often than not.
Posted by Steve
on May 9th, 2007 at 11:37 am -
What luxury condos in Elmhurst?
Posted by Queens Crapper
on May 16th, 2007 at 3:23 pm -
I was thinking of this stuff.
Posted by Steve
on May 16th, 2007 at 3:28 pm -
You consider those “luxury” condos? Yikes!
Posted by Queens Crapper
on May 16th, 2007 at 5:35 pm -
They cost like $750,000, so they’d better be!
Posted by Steve
on May 16th, 2007 at 5:56 pm -
Hmmm… Almost as attractive as those two adjacent buildings on the south side of QB on 67th
…The one with that Blue Stucco, next to the ongoing construction with those shiny green bricks. What were they thinking? While I wasn’t around here in 2001/02, if this is the same building they’re referring to here (not sure if there are any other large blue buildings I’ve missed), I guess it’s better than the alternative that they mention:
Posted by LarryB
on May 16th, 2007 at 8:28 pm -
That blue building you’re thinking of is indeed the Viscaya, aka the Blue Whale. It’s silly, but like the Elmhurst one, I just can’t bring myself to hate it. Meanwhile, when’s the Green Monster next door finally going to be finished? They’ve been building that for at least a year, maybe more.
Posted by Steve
on May 17th, 2007 at 1:44 am
Coming soon: The new Flushing
Posted by Steve on Wednesday, May 2nd, 2007
Flushing does not fall under the arbitrary definition of “Central Queens” employed by this site, but the plans Michael “Mike” Bloomberg announced today to completely transform Willets Point are so earth-shattering that they should be of interest to everyone around here. Huge things are going on right next door, and all of Queens will probably be affected in one way or another.
Personally, I love the idea. It’s long overdue, though the Mets’ new stadium, opening in 2009, is the obvious time to do it. Mets fans know all about the hideous, perplexing land mass that is Shea Stadium’s surrounding area, all chop shops and dirt and crumbling industrial structures. Luckily, most people who attend games don’t even have to look at it, because it’s thoughtfully separated from the ballpark by a vast parking lot. Almost everybody gets to Shea by subway or by driving directly from the highway through Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. When the Mets announced their new stadium plan a year or so ago, probably the one thing that most impressed me — much more than the Coors Field-esque architecture — was that as a result of being built in the aforementioned parking lot, Citi Field would front on an actual street. It was an obvious opportunity. Now it looks like that opportunity may become reality.
I used to live near Chicago, where going to a Cubs game usually involves a lot more than watching baseball. In Wrigleyville, you eat, you drink, you catch a live band. Over the years, the working-class neighborhood has become one of Chicago’s hottest places to live, home base for the city’s legendary improv scene and gay community. That’s largely thanks to the Cubs and the thousands of fans forced to spend time in the neighborhood in order to get to Wrigley Field. Operating on the same theory, new stadiums have recently transformed the surrounding neighborhood in cities like Seattle and Pittsburgh, with a little help from the local government. There’s no reason the same thing can’t happen in Flushing. Willets Point could also become a great gateway to Flushing’s vibrant Chinatown.
When Flushing becomes a destination independent of the Mets, the rest of Queens will benefit from its reputation and proximity — especially us, being so close. And here’s the best part: The “develop don’t destroy” people don’t have much to complain about, as there’s nothing to destroy. It really is one of New York’s least-attractive neighborhoods. I couldn’t help but notice that Queens Crap, which normally opposes pretty much all development, has been largely silent on this issue. Telling! I hear the auto-body operations in Willets Point aren’t happy about this — and nobody hates eminent domain more than me — but I think in the end, capitalism will take care of it and the businesses will take the money and run.
It’s going to be exciting to head to the game in 2009 and see what’s happening. And considering where ticket prices at Citi Field are likely to end up, there’d better be something else to do.
