NEW YORK--The City Council Zoning and Franchises Committee voted to approve the Astoria Cove development with additional affordable housing.
The project includes about 1,700 units of housing, retail space, and a school. The new deal means 27 percent of the floor space for housing will be set aside for affordable units.
“We’re going to have real affordability with this project,” said Council member Costa Constantinides, whose district encompasses the development.
Astoria Cove is the first development to go through the review process under Mayor Bill de Blasio’s housing plan.
Developers originally proposed making 20 percent of the units affordable, which met the legal zoning requirement. Council members and community organizations said that was not enough.
The committee vote was set for Wednesday morning but last minute negotiations pushed on to the afternoon.
The committee unanimously approved the project with the additional affordable housing. Developers also committed to providing a ferry dock that had been proposed.
“This was a tough negotiation,” Constantinides said.
The full Council will vote on the project Thursday and it is expected to pass.
