Below are summaries of these reports
Willets Point Planning Study
Summary of 1991 EDC Report
The Study was a result of
the Willets Point Business Association’s 1989 petition to Borough President
Claire Shulman for sewers and streets. The Borough President requested a
study be performed by the Economic Development Corp. Urbitran Associates,
Inc. was selected to prepare an in depth look at the needs and potential for
Willets Point.
Highlights of the reports recommendations:
“Willets Point is an important and valuable
industrial resource area for NYC”
(Page 1)
“The lack of adequate infrastructure is the
most obvious impediment to the success of Willets Point. There are no
Sanitary sewers and without them, land owners are unwilling to invest in
improvements…"
(page 4)
From the analysis of the existing conditions…
1) The area is most suitable for development
by owner occupants
2) the area is most suitable for industry.
(page 4)
“The goal of the study is to offer plans which
will permit the city to provide the basic services to Willets Point that
most businesses can expect…”
(Page 13)
To foster development in the area, the report
recommends that the following actions be taken as a minimum
×
Construct sanitary and storm sewers
×
Reconstruct streets and sidewalks
×
Change the street system
×
Rezone strip along Northern to M1-5 to
add incentive for development
×
Create a task force to track violations
and work with City agencies to encourage enforcement.
(Page 7)
Willets Point has many assets which, provided
that infrastructure is improved, would promote further industrial growth.
The area’s M3-1 zoning is coveted by industrial companies and a large labor
pool of manufacturing workers live in the surrounding neighborhood. “The
goal of the study is to offer plans which will permit the city to provide
the basic services to Willets Point that most businesses can expect
while maximizing the employment and revenue benefits to the City.”
(Page 14)
SUMMARY
In summary, the study
concludes that the best way to begin development is with the simplest plan.
“The degree of a project’s complexity can affect its likelihood of being
implemented. It is therefore desirable to keep the development schemes as
simple as possible” “None of the three development schemes anticipate direct
development on the part of the city.” (Page 58)
“Willets Point
characteristics that impede development are:
1. lack of utilities,
2. the disorder and unsightliness of many existing businesses and
3. the inefficient and crumbling street system.
All of these factors must
be addressed before further Willets Point development can take place.”
(Page 34)
“Willets Point is most
suitable for development by owner occupants.”
(Page 34)
“Willets Point is most
suitable for industrial and industry related commercial uses.”
(Page 34)
The basic premises are
simple for redevelopment:
The area has been
deprived by the CITY of the basic services required for natural
development to occur. The best way to begin development is with a
simple approach; provide the services required and allow the
property owners a chance to develop their own property. There have been
many attempts to redevelop the area. All have failed because none of them
considered the property owners as part of the solution and were too grand in
scale. Give this area the necessary services and it will become a thriving
part of Queens generating jobs and income by itself.
