Goal! NYCFC soccer stadium in Queens set to be approved by City Council
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 will join Mayor Eric 𒉰Adams and local Councilman Francisco Moya on Thursday to celebrate the breakthrough on the project in the Willets Point section of the bo✱rough.
“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 ho𓂃me games at nearby Citi Field and Yankee Sඣtadium in the South Bronx.
The 25,000-person venue is expected to open by 2027. It would be the Big Apple’s first-ever soc♐cer-specific venꦕue.
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 homele🎶ss 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.
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“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.
Thos🌄e 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.