Council OKs Rezoning For 314-Unit Elmhurst Project

While the sweeping rezoning in Long Island City grabbed the spotlight at yesterday’s City Council meeting, an Elmhurst development scored a quieter win of its own.

The council on Wednesday approved the rezoning from manufacturing to residential of 78-01 Queens Boulevard, where Andrew Esposito’s Apex Development Group plans to replace a bank and parking lot with a 314-unit mixed-use development.

The plan drew heavy criticism at the community board level, where more than 30 members voted against it. The proposal ultimately passed after negotiations with council member Shekar Krishnan, who pushed for deeper affordability and community amenities.

“Doing nothing in a housing crisis is not an option,” Krishnan said before yesterday’s vote, citing skyrocketing rents and stagnant wages for residents in his district.

“The deal we are voting on today demonstrates that development can be done differently, anchored in affordability, community partnership and accountability,” Krishnan said.

The final agreement sets aside 25 percent of units for households making an average of 55 percent of the area median income, a step deeper than the standard 60 percent required under the city’s Mandatory Inclusionary Housing law.

Two additional features helped secure Krishnan’s support — a community center with a swimming pool and a small public park. The pool will be operated by the nonprofit Commonpoint Queens. The project will also dedicate 5,000 square feet of land as open park space with benches, accessible to the public.

Apex’s partner Sunlight Development bought the lot in 2023 for $9.5 million. Apex plans to spend about $195 million to develop the property using the 485x tax abatement program. The original rezoning application extended beyond Sunlight’s property and sought to rezone three neighboring parcels but those properties were ultimately excluded from the rezoning.

Esposito said the process reflected a model for how rezonings should unfold — with negotiation but also an eye toward feasibility.

“If you agree to the wrong things, it could really hurt the financeability of ever building a project,” he said. “This one, we’ll actually be able to deliver.”