A massive redevelopment project in Queens that includes a seven-story soccer stadium for the professional New York City Football Club and 1,400 “affordable” apartments was scheduled to receive final approval from the City Council on Thursday.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards joined Borough President Eric Adams and local City Council member Francisco Moya on Wednesday to celebrate the progress of the project in the borough's Willets Point neighborhood.
“We scored a goal!” said Richards, an avid supporter of the project. “We're bringing world sports to the world's most diverse borough. We're rooting for NYCFC to win. Queens is ready to take the trophy!”
New York City teams play their home games at nearby Citi Field and Yankee Stadium in the South Bronx.
The 25,000-capacity venue is scheduled to open by 2027 and will be the first dedicated soccer venue in the Big Apple's history.
Equally important to Willets Point's redevelopment will be 2,500 new homes, 1,400 of which will be subsidized or below market rate, making it the largest addition to housing in 40 years, according to the borough president.
Approximately 15% of the affordable units will be set aside for homeless people.
“That's poetic justice,” Richards said.
The new jobs associated with the Willets Point redevelopment will help “lower” the borough's 4% unemployment rate, which is currently among the lowest in the city, the borough president said.
“These jobs will help surrounding communities hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic,” Richards said.
Following council approval of the second phase of the Willets redevelopment, a celebratory press conference will be held on the steps of City Hall Thursday afternoon.
Attendees who helped kick off the project online included representatives from NYCFC and soccer fans, developer affiliates and Sterling Equity, elected officials, housing advocates, union members and more .
