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Right now the area to the west of Shea Stadium is home to about 220 small businesses. The area now is an ugly wasteland. The repair shops and automobile scrap yards have contributed to the pollution in the 65-acre landscape and the surrounding waters.
The city is trying to encourage or force these businesses to relocate. And they're not happy. Some say they have no intention of leaving. When they are gone - and it will happen - the city plans to build a 400,000-sqare-foot convention center along with a 700-room hotel, 5,000 housing units, a school, retail space and a park.
Recently U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) added his very important support for the plan. "After decades of false starts and stops, I think it's finally full speed ahead," he said.
The congressman was joined by Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, former Borough President Claire Shulman, City Councilman John Liu (D-Flushing) and members of Environmental Defense and the New York League of Conservation Voters. He said that federal funding already exists for such projects.
Again, as we noted last year, the city should go to great lengths to ensure that the businesses being asked to relocate are fairly compensated. But one or two holdouts should not be able to stand in the way of progress. The planned development will create much needed housing and hundreds of new jobs. As it stands now, the area is a polluted eyesore.
When the redevelopment of Willets Point is completed, it will connect Flushing Meadows Corona Park, including the new Mets stadium and the USTA National Tennis Center, with downtown Flushing. The area is already well served by transportation, including the No. 7 subway, the Long Island Rail Road and several major highways, and is just a stone's throw from LaGuardia Airport. It has the potential to become one of the most important commercial centers in the city.
The city is trying to encourage or force these businesses to relocate. And they're not happy. Some say they have no intention of leaving. When they are gone - and it will happen - the city plans to build a 400,000-sqare-foot convention center along with a 700-room hotel, 5,000 housing units, a school, retail space and a park.
Recently U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) added his very important support for the plan. "After decades of false starts and stops, I think it's finally full speed ahead," he said.
The congressman was joined by Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, former Borough President Claire Shulman, City Councilman John Liu (D-Flushing) and members of Environmental Defense and the New York League of Conservation Voters. He said that federal funding already exists for such projects.
Again, as we noted last year, the city should go to great lengths to ensure that the businesses being asked to relocate are fairly compensated. But one or two holdouts should not be able to stand in the way of progress. The planned development will create much needed housing and hundreds of new jobs. As it stands now, the area is a polluted eyesore.
When the redevelopment of Willets Point is completed, it will connect Flushing Meadows Corona Park, including the new Mets stadium and the USTA National Tennis Center, with downtown Flushing. The area is already well served by transportation, including the No. 7 subway, the Long Island Rail Road and several major highways, and is just a stone's throw from LaGuardia Airport. It has the potential to become one of the most important commercial centers in the city.