Life in Astoria is complete! We have a Thai grocery now (11th Street near 34th Ave). I am still struggling to think what this development could bring in commercial terms that we don't already have?

Barry T.
Our community is only going to support a plan that will keep Astoria affordable and livable. This plan is poised to make the entire area much more expensive, which will drive out all the people that have been living and working here their whole life. Far from "revitalizing" the community, your plan promises to flip it; a local coffee shop a block away isn't going to be able to compete with the trendy coffee shop that's on the actual QNS premises, and the people who already live here won't be able to afford the expensive prices these boutique shops will demand. If you want our support, please give specific numbers: - How much will commercial rent be, per square foot? - How long will their leases be? - What guarantee that their rent won't be raised significantly 5, 10, 20 years from now? - Please break down the affordable apartments by size, price, and who qualifies. We need to know exactly what you mean by "affordable housing." - Please break down the market-rate apartments in the same manner. - You claim apartments will be "permanently affordable". Please explain what legal mechanisms will be built into the leases to ensure they are permanently affordable. - Please explain the open / community spaces you are promising. How will that work? Who will have access to them? Can anyone from the community book a space, and if so, for how much?

There's a hardware store literally across the street from where the development would be. There are barbershops all over Astoria. There's an urgent care facility on Steinway. The only thing I shop outside Astoria for is Thai groceries. I don't suppose you'd consider getting one of those?

It's perfectly fine the way it is. This level development would only bring in chain businesses, and we don't need those.

No

Affordable places for people to live