Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: December 18, 1996

Release #657-96

Contact: Colleen Roche (212) 788-2958 or Deirdra L. Picou (212) 788-2971


MAYOR GIULIANI AND QUEENS BOROUGH PRESIDENT SHULMAN
ANNOUNCE DESIGNATION OF DEVELOPERS FOR THE ARVERNE URBAN RENEWAL AREA IN QUEENS

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and Queens Borough President Claire Shulman today announced the designation of the developers for the Arverne Urban Renewal Area, the largest tract of urban renewal land in New York City. Two teams, The Briarwood Organization and a joint venture between Jobco Incorporated and Halmar Construction Corporation, have been selected to develop a mix of residential and commercial /retail space at the western end of the 308-acre oceanfront property in the Rockaways.

The Mayor and the Queens Borough President also announced that the consulting firm of Hamilton, Rabinovitz & Alschuler (HR&A) has been designated to conduct a six-month Market and Economic and Feasibility Assessment of the area. Also participating in the announcement were City Council Member Juanita E. Watkins; Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Planning Fran Reiter; Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Lilliam Barrios-Paoli; Economic Development Corporation President Charles Millard; and various other public and community officials.

"After more than twenty-five years of delays, I am pleased that this important partnership between the City and the private sector is progressing. This project will not only provide homes, but will also create a commercial base that brings with it needed jobs for people of this community," Mayor Giuliani said.

"In a time dominated by talk of what we cannot do, this plan and the designation of these developers is an example of what we can do. This is the first step towards turning this once abandoned neighborhood around," the Mayor said. "We are working in partnership with the local community to implement a comprehensive blueprint for rebuilding and revitalizing this unique place in the Rockaways."

The Briarwood Organization will build 161 two-family market-rate homes on twenty acres of vacant land. Jobco Incorporated and Halmar Construction Corporation will construct up to 75,000 square-feet of new commercial/retail space in the urban renewal area. The commercial site is located on Beach 73rd Street, Rockaway Beach Boulevard and Beach 69th Street.

The 161 attached and semi-attached market rate two-family homes will be built along Beach 73rd and 74th Streets, Shorefront Parkway and Rockaway Beach Boulevard and on infill sites between Beach 59th and 61st Streets. The homes will be sold for an estimated $210,000 to $225,000 and will take advantage of Arverne's unique location, offering ocean views and easy access to the beach. Offstreet parking will be provided for every unit.

Deputy Mayor Fran Reiter said, "Given the strong community sentiment for creating local job opportunities, we are also moving forward with the feasibility study to determine how best to develop Arverne's remaining 259 acres. The team we have put together will work with representatives of the local community and the City to formulate development alternatives that are economically feasible and have community support."

The City of New York, along with Borough President Claire Shulman's office, will invest up to $7 million for necessary infrastructure improvements such as new streets, sanitary sewers, storm sewers, water mains and sidewalks necessary to support the development of the residential and commercial sites.

"Today's announcement is good news for Rockaway. After a quarter century of planning and promises, something good is happening before the dawn of a new century," said Queens Borough President Claire Shulman. "Thanks to the support of the Mayor, developers with a proven track record and my office, we are ready to start a project that will eventually transform vacant land into market rate housing, with retail development, schools and parks."

In the late 1800's, the Arverne Urban Renewal Area was a thriving summer bungalow community. Arverne's popularity as a seaside resort area gradually faded as other summer destinations became increasingly accessible. By the 1970's, the City had demolished hundreds of acres of decaying bungalows to prepare the way for the development of the area. The most recent effort in 1990 was a privately-financed, 7,500 unit residential development plan, approved by the Board of Estimate but never realized because of the onset of adverse market conditions.

The Briarwood Organization, Jobco Incorporated and Halmar Construction Corporation were selected by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) as a result of a Request For Proposals which was issued on March 29, 1996.



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