A massive Queens redevelopment project that includes a 7-story soccer stadium for the professional New York City Football Club and 1,400 “affordable” apartments was expected to receive final approval from the City Council on Thursday.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards joined Mayor Eric Adams and local Councilman Francisco Moya on Wednesday to celebrate the breakthrough on the project in the Willets Point section of the borough.
“We’ve scored a goal!” said Richards, a staunch proponent of the project. “We’re bringing the world’s sport to the world’s most diverse borough. I’m rooting for NYCFC to win the championship. Queens is ready to collect its trophy!”
The NYC team has been playing home games at nearby Citi Field and Yankee Stadium in the South Bronx.
The 25,000-person venue is expected to open by 2027. It would be the Big Apple’s first-ever soccer-specific venue.
Equally important to the Willets Point redevelopment is 2,500 units of new housing, of which 1,400 units will be subsidized or below market rate — the largest addition of housing in 40 years, according to the borough president.
About 15% of the affordable units will be set aside for homeless individuals.
“That’s poetic justice,” Richards said.
The new jobs connected to the Willets Point redevelopment will help “kick down” the borough’s 4% unemployment rate — currently the lowest in the city, the borough president said.
“These jobs will help the surrounding neighborhoods that were the most impacted by the COVID pandemic,” Richards said.
A celebratory press conference will be held on the steps of City Hall on Thursday afternoon following the Council’s approval of phase 2 of the Willets Redevelopment.
Those in attendance who helped kick the project through the net include reps from NYCFC and soccer fans, developers Related Companies and Sterling Equities, elected officials, housing advocates and union members.
