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for larger version       CB 14 Hears Arverne East Plan
Arverne East Development, LLC's executive vice president, Susan Fine, and Eric Bluestone of The Bluestone Organization gave a PowerPoint presentation of the project. "We will be beginning soon the development of 1650 units of housing, a nature preserve and visitor's center, and our retail core to the east of Arverne By The Sea," said Fine on February 26. Of those 1650 units, there will be 100 affordable two or three family homes; 200 market rate homes; 600 units, probably co-ops, in six mid-rise buildings and 300 co-op units in low-rise buildings. Plans also call for a 100,000-squarefoot hotel to be built, for which an operator of a major hotel has already expressed interest. Arverne East will run from Beach 32 to Beach 44 Streets. Preceding any building by approximately six months, developers will work on area infrastructure such as sanitary needs and sewers. Phase One would include a linear park on Beach 33 and Beach 38 Streets with a grand concourse that leads to a smaller park with a playground. A nature preserve and approximately 700 housing units, including 300 affordable units, are also part of Phase One. "We reasonably think that we can begin construction in the beginning of the second quarter of 2009," said Bluestone. Phase Two will run from Beach 35 to Beach 38 Streets. It will contain the construction of five mid-rise buildings with approximately 500 units. Construction is expected to start in 2010. During this phase, the majority of the 250,000-square-foot retail space will be built. Phase Three runs from Beach 38 to Beach 44 Streets. Approximately 500 units will begin to be built in 2012, along with two to three family homes and one mid-rise building. More than two acres of land on the corner of Beach 35 Street next to PS 106 is being set aside for a new school. There is also talk of senior housing, but the discussions are in the preliminary stages. During a question and answer period, issues surrounding the project were discussed. Donovan Richards, representing Councilman James Sanders Jr., was among those who asked about construction jobs for Rockaway residents. While his company usually employs members of the community, Bluestone was hesitant to give exact numbers of local people who could be hired. "Approximately, at the minimum, 25 percent of the workforce [will be local]," said Bluestone, explaining that usually one person from each of the 30 trades at a site is a local resident. Bluestone further explained applicants would work at a construction site during the day and then attend special trade classes at LaGuardia Community College in the evening. "The class is $700 and all the students have at least 50 percent scholarships and most employers pick up the other 50 percent," said Bluestone. In an interview on March 6, Fine said that not everyone who applies for work at Arverne East will need to take the classes. "We will have a program where qualified people can apply," said Fine. Several residents talked about the already tight squeeze to get around the peninsula. "I can see it happening - I can't get out of my house to go to work or to the beach because too much is happening," said a Beach 35 Street woman. Bayswater resident Harvey Resnick said, "People have to get out of here." The issue of parking was also discussed. For single homes, developers said the parking ratio is one to one. There will be about 70 percent parking for the units in the mid-rise buildings. Delores Orr, the chair of Community Board 14, expressed reservations saying she felt that construction in Rockaway has reached its "saturation point." "We have units on 101 Street that are not selling, so I do have a concern," said Orr. "I'd love for it to be an idea not for 25,000 square feet of retail, but for 500,000 square feet of retail." Committee co-chair Vince Castellano felt another meeting was necessary to discuss a possible day-care center, library and senior center or a combination of the three; a supermarket; and the Department of Parks and Recreation's plans for Beach 32 to Beach 9 Streets. "Some of this has nothing to do with you," said Castellano. "But, to us it is the same package." Bluestone told The Wave that none of the plans are engraved in stone. "I'm going to take all of the plans into account as to what can actually be implemented," said the developer. "I have to discuss them with my partners to figure out what's feasible."
The development team also includes L & M Equities and Triangle Equities Development.
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