NYC Begins Long Island City Rezoning That Could Create 15K Homes

The city has kicked off a 54-block rezoning in Long Island City, Queens, aimed at turning an industrial portion of the neighborhood into residential.

The Long Island City Neighborhood Plan, known as OneLIC, was proposed in October 2023 and calls for a rezoning to allow as-of-right residential development in the mostly industrialized zoned area along the Long Island City waterfront between Queensbridge Houses and Hunters Point.

The project aims to create nearly 14,700 new homes — including at least 4,000 income-restricted affordable homes — 14,400 new jobs, and more than 3 million square feet of commercial space, according to the Department of City Planning (DCP).

After an 18-month community engagement process with the DCP, local City Council member Julie Won announced Monday the project’s application was complete and would start its public review process.

“I will fight to ensure the final OneLIC neighborhood plan delivers resiliency, sustainability and longevity, through commitments on deeply affordable housing, pathways to affordable home ownership, thousands of additional school seats, a connected waterfront, new green spaces and more,” Won said in a statement Monday.

Won’s requirements for the project included: affordable housing units at a range of income levels; a connected waterfront esplanade from Queensbridge Park to Gantry State Park with at least 40 feet of green space and new public spaces; an investment into sewage and plumbing infrastructure; the development of new schools in the neighborhood; and investments into maintenance and upgrades at Queensbridge Houses.

The rezoning — which includes city-owned sites at 44-36 Vernon Boulevard, 44-59 45th Avenue and 4-99 44th Drive — would also allow high-rise apartments and condo complexes along the waterfront and near Court Square, as well as along 44th Drive, the Gothamist reported.

“With its central location, great transit access and diverse economic base, Long Island City is exactly the kind of place where we should add new homes,” DCP Director Dan Garodnick said in a statement.

“This plan updates zoning in parts of the neighborhood still limited by outdated and restrictive rules, allowing more housing and jobs while creating a more accessible and resilient waterfront,” Garodnick added. “These thoughtful changes, along with significant neighborhood investments, can set Long Island City on the path towards a more affordable, equitable and prosperous future.”

Following Monday’s announcement of the project’s certification, OneLIC will enter the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, in which the plan will undergo public hearings held by local community boards, the City Planning Commission and the New York City Council.

The final plan will be voted on by the City Council this fall, according to the announcement.

The Long Island City rezoning comes as part of Mayor Eric Adams’s larger effort to boost housing across New York City under the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity plan.

That includes Adams’s project in Coney Island, Brooklyn, where he pitched 1,500 new homes, a renovation of the Riegelmann Boardwalk, a $42 million renovation of the Abe Stark Sports Center and improvements to the neighborhood’s streets and sewers, as Commercial Observer previously reported.

Isabelle Durso can be reached at idurso@commercialobserver.com.