By Alexander Dworkowitz
A Queens developer is seeking to rezone the property where a wholesale appliance and plumbing business sits in an industrial area of Flushing in order to build a large condominium on the site.
New Millennium Construction and Development Corp. has filed an application with the city Department of City Planning to change the zoning for 134-03 35th Ave., a 43,146-square-foot lot on Prince Street. It is currently the home of the United Plumbing & Electric Corp.
New Millennium wants the property, now under M1-1 zoning, which allows industrial and manufacturing uses, to be coverted into a C2-2/R6 district, which allows commercial development as well as a residential high rises.
The Flushing-based company plans to erect a building of one- and two bedroom condominium apartments, said Community Board 7 District Manager Marilyn Bitterman, whose organization has met with New Millennium.
New Millennium is planning to have retail space on the first floor as well as room for community facilities, Bitterman said. The exact height of the building has yet to be determined, although it is expected to be at least 10 stories.
Chris and George Xu, developers with New Millennium, did not want to discuss the project publicly.
Anthony Morali-M/G Architects has been hired to design the new condominium, the second major development planned by New Millennium in Flushing.
The company also plans to construct an 18-story hotel and condominium tower at the site of the current Sears, Roebuck & Co. store at 137-61 Northern Blvd. The $30 million project will begin after the Sears lease runs out in 2005, Chris Xu said.
Underground parking is planned for both developments.
The two projects are part of a building trend in old manufacturing zones both north and west of the immediate downtown Flushing area.
In 1998, the city changed the zoning for part of Flushing west of Main Street, and several firms have plans to build apartment housing there.
Boymelgreen Developers, a Brooklyn firm, also has plans for a large development on Northern Boulevard. The company purchased the dilapidated RKO Keith's Theater from Tommy Huang in November, and a spokesman for the company has said Boymelgreen will bring both stores and apartments to the structure by increasing its height while preserving the building's landmarked lobby and staircase.
Joseph Morsellino, an attorney representing New Millennium, said in a letter to the city the Prince Street project would provide “needed housing in the area.”
“This area is no longer desirable for manufacturing as indicated by the number of businesses that have left their sites and have been replaced with nightclubs and similar uses which do not relate to a viable manufacturing area,” Morsellino wrote.
In their meeting with New Millennium, Community Board 7 members recommended leaving room for a supermarket aimed at attracting English-speaking customers in that part of Flushing.
“We indicated as maybe part of their retail they should have a supermarket, an American supermarket,” Bitterman said,
New Millennium is able to finance its projects from profits made from building dozens of three- and four-family homes in Flushing and Corona, Chris Xu said.
Reach reporter Alexander Dworkowitz by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300 Ext. 141.
