Project rendering courtesy of Aufgang Architects
New York Mets owner Steve Cohen is enhancing his bid to build a casino by pledging 450 affordable housing units. Queens Future LLC, a joint venture between Cohen and Hard Rock International, and Slate Property Group announced on Wednesday plans to develop a 100 percent affordable building on a parking lot at 54-19 100th Street in Corona, Queens. The development will only be built if Cohen is awarded one of three gaming licenses to build “Metropolitan Park,” a proposed $8 billion sports and entertainment complex next to Citi Field.
“From day one, Metropolitan Park has been Queens-focused, with a comprehensive vision that addresses community priorities and economic needs,” Cohen said. “In addition to creating 23,000 good paying local jobs, we have been committed to working with local community organizations to improve the quality of life for our neighbors.”
The housing project would be built on a parking lot about two miles from Citi Field and the site of Metropolitan Park. The partnership’s proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) calls for units to be affordable for at least 60 years and to cater to a range of incomes, with a significant portion designated as deeply affordable.
Project officials say the development will prioritize local and diverse hiring during construction, creating opportunities for underrepresented groups, including communities of color and women. The proposal is part of the Metropolitan Park team’s $1 billion commitment to improving quality of life and supporting economic growth in the surrounding area, according to QNS.
Queens Future says it will provide funding for an undisclosed local nonprofit, which will partner with Slate to manage the affordable housing complex.
“Hard Rock and our partners are dedicated to enhancing the lives of residents in Queens through thoughtful development that integrates community needs,” Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International, said.
“Our partnership with Slate Property Group highlights our shared vision to address the affordable housing crisis while fostering local economic opportunities.”
Metropolitan Park would transform 50 acres of parking lot next to Citi Field into a sports and entertainment complex featuring a hotel, live music venue, restaurants, 20 acres of public space, a “Taste of Queens” food hall, and a renovated Mets-Willets Point subway station—all anchored by a Hard Rock Entertainment-run casino.
The proposed 20 acres of new public park space and five acres of community athletic fields and playgrounds would bring “more new parkland than Bryant Park, the High Line, and Union Square Park combined,” as 6sqft previously reported.
The design would also honor the history and architecture of the World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, as well as the history of the New York Mets.
Other key components of the plan include upgrades to public infrastructure and transportation, including expanding waterfront access and improving walkability and cycling access.
In March, the City Council voted 41-2 in favor of zoning changes for the project, clearing a major hurdle in the approval process. All six community boards within the project area have already approved the plan.
While the project site currently consists of parking lots, it is legally designated as city parkland, which requires the state to “alienate” the site to allow development.
During a four-hour public hearing in December, some residents voiced concerns about potential environmental impacts and gambling addiction. In response, the project’s funders pledged $25 million toward community health care investments, including addiction and mental health services in Flushing.
They also committed $163 million to nonprofits serving communities across the borough through the Community Impact Fund, as 6sqft previously reported.
While Cohen’s proposal has secured victories at the city and state levels, it still faces competition from a number of other high-profile projects vying for one of the three downstate casino licenses.
These include the Bjarke Ingels-designed Freedom Plaza near the U.N., “The Avenir” complex across from the Javits Center, a casino atop Saks Fifth Avenue, a Jay-Z-backed Caesars Palace casino in Times Square, and a proposal in Coney Island.
Like Metropolitan Park, Freedom Plaza would include 513 affordable homes and The Avenir calls for more than 100 affordable housing units.
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