On September 10, 2007 the City Council adopted a proposal by the Department of City Planning (DCP) to establish a Special Downtown Jamaica District and rezone 368 blocks in community boards 12 and 8. DCP, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the Economic Development Corporation (EDC), working with a wide range of stakeholders, including Community Boards 8 and 12, neighborhood residents and local elected officials, developed a comprehensive planning and rezoning strategy to replace outdated zoning that does not adequately address Jamaica’s current and future housing and economic needs. The former zoning, which generally had not been updated since 1961, failed to take advantage of Jamaica’s unique strength and role as a transportation hub.  Once a major retail and business center, investment in Jamaica’s downtown has waned due to, a great extent, inflexible and, in some locations, inappropriate zoning requirements.  The outdated zoning also did not protect the character of the one- and two- family neighborhoods surrounding downtown and residential development occurred without respect to the area’s existing scale and unique qualities.

Through numerous community meetings to collect input on the appropriate elements to address in the Plan, there was a broad consensus on the following goals:

• Respect and enhance Jamaica’s unique character
• Provide for a mix of residential, business and community activities in the heart of the downtown
• Protect the low-scale, neighborhood feel of residential areas outside of the downtown
• Encourage the provision of affordable housing
• Create a vibrant new gateway at the AirTrain station
  
  

Sutphin Boulevard at the Jamaica AirTrain Station

Overview | Public Review

Items accompanied by this symbol require the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.