The City Planning Commission has green-lit the OneLIC Neighborhood Plan, a comprehensive vision for Long Island City that is set to dramatically increase housing and job opportunities in the area. With Mayor Eric Adams at the helm, this initiative is seen as a significant pivot for the bustling Queens neighborhood, as reported by the NYC Mayor's Office. OneLIC is the latest effort under Mayor Adams's tenure to address the city's housing shortage, adding nearly 15,000 new homes and creating over 14,000 jobs with a considerable focus on affordability and inclusivity.
Under the umbrella of the OneLIC plan, an estimated 4,300 of the proposed homes are slated to be income-restricted, a push to make sure to affordably accommodate roughly 10,000 New Yorkers. The plan also seeks to revitalize certain zones in Long Island City, updating outdated zoning that has hitherto acted as a barrier to both housing and waterfront accessibility. According to the NYC Mayor's Office, this rezoning is "the largest residential rezoning that this city has pursued" and a historic counter to the current housing crisis.
Alongside housing, the OneLIC Neighborhood Plan has a strong commercial angle, aiming to generate a significant number of jobs by creating over 3.5 million square feet of commercial and industrial space. In sync with this economic development, a unified waterfront with improved public access and amenities is also on the blueprint, promising to transform the neighborhood's relationship with its shorelines. The collaboration extends to the New York City Economic Development Corporation, which is currently exploring mixed-use possibilities for a city-owned site on Vernon Boulevard, indicating a diversified approach to community development.
Engagement with the community has been a key element of the plan. The City Planning Commission's decision was backed by favorable recommendations from Queens Community Boards 1 and 2, and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards. In an effort to ensure to actively involve local voices, the Department of City Planning undertook a two-year public engagement process involving public meetings and hearings, as explained in a statement obtained by the NYC Mayor's Office.
In a statement, Mayor Adams highlighted the transformative potential of the OneLIC initiative, emphasizing that the plan will allow Long Island City to "write the next great chapter in its history," particularly by increasing housing opportunities and enhancing the cultural and economic landscape. The Mayor's administration is no stranger to housing accomplishments, having set records for creating affordable rental units and advancing pro-housing proposals in recent years. OneLIC is expected to add to this legacy, working alongside other plans like the recently passed "City of Yes for Housing Opportunity," aimed at building 80,000 new homes over the next decade and a half, as reported by the NYC Mayor's Office.
Civic and business leaders such as Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. and Laura Rothrock, president of the Long Island City Partnership, have lauded the plan's approval, recognizing it as a milestone in the neighborhood's ongoing evolution.
