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November 21, 2016

New Environmentally Friendly Municipal Lot to Open at Queens Borough Hall

Contact:
Shavone Williams
718-391-1583

Dan Leibel
718-391-1251

New York, NY – The New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) today broke ground on a new municipal parking lot at Queens Borough Hall. City and State officials including Borough President Melinda Katz, DOT Borough Commissioner Nicole Garcia, Queens Chief Assistant District Attorney Jack Ryan, State Senator Leroy Comrie, State Assemblyman Michael Simanowitz, Councilmember Karen Koslowitz, and Community Board 9 Chair Raj Rampershad, and Department of Buildings Commissioner Chandler joined representatives from DDC and its partner agency, the Department of Transportation (DOT), to celebrate the start of the project, which will bring improvements to the 122,360 square-foot parking field.

project team and borough president breaking ground
Members from DDC’s project team join Queens Borough President Melinda Katz (center) at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new municipal lot expected to be finished in fall 2017.

“I’m pleased to break ground on this municipal lot, which will provide Queens residents a new sustainable space to access Queens Borough Hall and other government buildings nearby such as the Post Office and Queens County Criminal Court,” said DDC Commissioner Feniosky Peña-Mora. “In support of mayor de Blasio’s vision for a healthy City, the lot is planned to be bicycle friendly and will feature ample green space once completed.”

project team and borough president breaking ground
Rendering of the new Queens Borough Hall municipal lot scheduled to be completed in fall 2017

"Queens Borough Hall and the Queens Criminal Court are places where the people’s business is conducted, so it is important that there be sufficient parking available so that the people of Queens can easily access these buildings,” said Queens Borough President Melinda Katz. “The long-awaited, new municipal parking lot at Queens Borough Hall will alleviate current parking and traffic issues in the neighborhood and allow for more efficient processing of government business while also offering numerous modern amenities, including charging stations for electric vehicles.”

“I am pleased to work with DDC and Borough President Katz to bring municipal parking back to serve both Queens Borough Hall and the Queens Court Systems,” said Nicole Garcia, DOT Queens Borough Commissioner. “Among the many tools NYC DOT uses to create safer and less congested streets, municipal parking facilities can provide communities like Kew Gardens space that relieves the demand for on-street parking.  With 302 spaces, parking in and around the borough’s vital civic center will be significantly improved.”

The $8.5 million project will provide spaces for 302 automobiles. The location of the lot is conducive to streamlined pedestrian access to Queens Borough Hall and the Helen Marshall Cultural Center, another DDC project, which was ceremonially opened in September.  The municipal lot will also be the new home of over 120 species of plants and trees, bringing greenery for residents and employees to enjoy when they come to Borough Hall.

The project will be among the first in the City to use recycled asphalt from milling projects in the five boroughs.  Rain gardens will be scattered around the lot to reduce the storm water load on the local sewer and sewage treatment systems.  Approximately 117,500 gallons of runoff is expected to be diverted from the City’s storm sewer system. Catch basins will be installed in the lot to fight ponding in areas with unfavorable topography. Additionally, the lot will include designated spaces with charging stations for electrical vehicles.  

New retaining walls, fences, and LED lights will be installed to improve the lot as well.  Meticulous landscape design will provide space for ADA compliant walkways for those who need them. WXY Studio is on board as the architectural consultant for the project and Tully Construction has been hired as the general contractor. The LIRO Group was selected to manage construction with the DDC.  The project is expected to be completed in fall 2017.




About the NYC Department of Design and Construction
The Department of Design and Construction is the City’s primary capital construction project manager. In supporting Mayor de Blasio’s lenses of growth, sustainability, resiliency, equity and healthy living, DDC provides communities with new or renovated public buildings such as such as firehouses, libraries, police precincts, new or upgraded roadways, sewers, water mains in all five boroughs. To manage this $15 billion portfolio, DDC partners with other City agencies, architects and consultants, whose experience bring efficient, innovative, and environmentally-conscious design and construction strategies to city projects. For more information, please visit nyc.gov/ddc.