Editorial

Gazette Applauds LIC Development

Within a three-day period last week, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Queens lawmakers reaffirmed strongly their support of an ongoing program to develop Long Island City’s (LIC) economic potential and revitalize and improve the area environmentally for the benefit of its residents.

The Gazette wholeheartedly commends the mayor and the officials for continuing to support the effort to develop LIC into a thriving central business district, especially during a period of economic hardship at every level of government, which has increased competition for funding to a high degree.

This newspaper finds it very encouraging and gratifying that these officials are keeping their promises to spur commercial improvements, expanding job growth and better quality of life for local residents and throughout the county.

Congressmembers Joseph Crowley and Carolyn Maloney initiated the most current report of good tidings for Long Island City nine days ago with their joint announcement of a $2.5 million federal grant for the redesign and rebuilding of Queens Plaza, a project aimed at easing the traffic congestion at the foot of the Queensborough Bridge and improving air quality in a broader area.

Two days later, Bloomberg, accompanied by Borough President Helen Marshall, District Attorney Richard A. Brown, Councilmember Eric Gioia and others, unveiled another shorter-term program to keep the streets clean and the walls graffiti-free in the plaza while reducing quality-of-life crimes, by using sentenced offenders performing community service.

Why all this attention to Long Island City?

The area, which throughout New York City history has been one of the most viable economic engines in the city, was wisely chosen by the Bloomberg administration for special attention because of its proximity to Midtown Manhattan, its access to public transportation and an existing nucleus of commercial facilities which, with improvement, have the potential to be major job-creating enclaves.

To help develop this potential, the administration in 2001 rezoned a 37-block area to allow up to 15 million square feet of commercial development and additional residential development.

The latest $2.5 million infusion of federal funds will be used to design a new transportation network to replace the chaotic conditions that exist at the present time. Part of the plan will improve the neighborhood’s pedestrian, bicycle and bus connections between offices, retail outlets and the many cultural institutions in the area.

When these plans were announced several years ago, we viewed them with some skepticism, since many similar plans in other areas of Queens and the city had been announced earlier, but were not followed through.

But we’re happy to see the ambitious followup that has been made. Beyond that, we are encouraged that similar efforts can be made to develop the economic potential and improve quality of life in other parts of the borough. While we view the Long Island City development project as a major undertaking when considered on its own merits, we also view it as an example of what can be done in other established commercial and retail districts such as Flushing and Astoria, and underdeveloped areas such as southeast Queens and the Rockaways.

Bloomberg has made a commitment to develop the other boroughs, unlike some previous mayors who were overly Manhattan oriented, and we commend him for it.

Congratulations are also in order for Crowley and Maloney, who are aggressive advocates for their districts and for the borough. Despite our deficit-ridden times they continue to succeed in winning grants that are essential for Queens’ future

We also tip our hats to the borough’s other legislative representatives who are ever alert to secure funds to help improve the quality of life in Queens County.