By Jeremy Walsh
The Department of City Planning has more changes in mind for North Corona. In a preliminary recommendation, officials unveiled plans to reduce the maximum density of many residential blocks in the area.
“There have been teardowns of single-family homes which are being replaced by four- and five-story buildings that are not fitting into the streetscape,” said John Young, the Queens Planning Office director, at a Community Board 3 meeting last week.
The initial rezoning occurred in 2003, when the city altered the zoning of 120 blocks, changing old R6 zoning to R6B on side streets between 34th and 35th avenues, which cut down on the maximum floor-area ratio and maximum height of new buildings in the area.
R6 zoning allows for a maximum floor-area ratio of 2.43, expanded to 4.8 with the inclusion of a community facility in the building. It allows for buildings up to 70 feet tall. R6B zoning cuts that to a 2.0 floor-area ratio and a maximum height of 50 feet.
Now the DCP wants to rezone 110 blocks, including another large swathe of R6 blocks, with the intention of cutting back on development out of scale with the neighborhood, officials said. The rezone also focuses on the Northern and Astoria boulevard corridors, where planners hope to encourage mixed-use developments and taller buildings.
Residents complained that Northern Boulevard, with its tire and auto shops, is not currently a commercial district inviting to pedestrians.
“We want to make Northern into a 'Main Street' that really would be walkable,” Young said, noting that the zoning provides for ground-floor commercial space with six or seven floors of residential above along Northern and Astoria.
CB 3 member Ed Moseley wondered if the zoning proposal was in response to Borough President Helen Marshall's request after learning of a developer's plans to build a 14-story hotel at 114th Street and Northern Boulevard.
“Our commitment was that in 2003, people asked us to come back with a proposal for residential blocks,” he said, denying that the hotel plan had anything to do with the proposal.
Reach reporter Jeremy Walsh by e-mail at jwalsh@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 154.
