De Blasio Maps Out Plan for Jamaica Revamp

NEW YORK CITY—The de Blasio administration on Wednesday unveiled plans to revamp the Jamaica section of Queens into a thriving residential and commercial neighborhood. Titled the Jamaica Now Action Plan, the blueprint contains 21 strategic actions intended to revitalize and grow the neighborhood, of which 16 are scheduled to be implemented within the next three years at a cost of $153 million.

The action plan grew out of the Jamaica Now Planning Initiative, a nine-month process that consisted of more than 30 community meetings. “Jamaica's diversity, close-knit neighborhood fabric and anchor institutions provide a strong foundation for tremendous growth and opportunity,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday. “Hundreds of residents from the Jamaica neighborhood told us what's needed to capitalize on the area's incredible potential, and will work with our elected, community, and private partners to make sure the community becomes home to vibrant commercial corridors, inviting public spaces, improved transit networks, and a diverse economy that provides quality jobs for local residents.”

City officials hope to support the creation of 3,000 new housing units, 500,000 square feet of retail space and 800 hotel rooms in Jamaica via the plan. Among the initiatives is the development of affordable one- to four-family homes, condominiums, cooperatives and small affordable rental buildings across approximately 11 city-owned sites in South Jamaica.

There's also a plan to incentivize absentee property owners to activate vacant and derelict sites near the current AirTrain/Long Island Rail Road transit hub. The idea is to encourage development of new housing, retail and business incubator space along the corridor near the hub.

Additionally, the plan calls for improvements to the streetscape along Jamaica Avenue along with efforts to encourage entrepreneurship and improve public safety. The New York City Economic Development Corp. has a request for proposals out on redevelopment of the 168th Street Garage, thus creating a 59,000-square-foot development site for mixed-income housing, retail and community center on the northeast corner of 93rd Avenue and 168th Street. The site was formerly an NYPD garage.