Best mixed use urban design for Global Awards shortlisted
MELBOURNE: The shortlist for the best mixed use urban design has been declared.
Over 250 designs have been considered by the awards secretariat. One of the finalists in this category is shown above.
Designed by ODA, Innovation QNS is a neighborhood-focused initiative, in Western Queens, that generates two acres of open space, community health & wellness facilities, hundreds of affordable apartments, and thousands of jobs. Located on a site currently occupied by large surface parking lots, underutilized buildings, and vacant spaces, the imagined master plan will help jumpstart Astoria’s economy and revitalize Steinway Street in New York.
Building on Astoria’s rich cultural fabric including its existing cultural assets like the Museum of Moving Image and Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, Innovation QNS will “create both near- and long-term economic opportunity in Astoria, Queens by channeling $2 billion in private investment toward the creation of a vibrant, walkable, mixed-use creative district in a largely dormant corner of the community”. Planned from the ground up with the public realm as the key priority, the mixed-use district will address many of the needs of the community such as open space, enhanced streetscapes, arts and culture programming, and lifetime learning opportunities, mixed-income housing, and commercial space for innovation companies.
The product of a partnership comprising Kaufman Astoria Studios, one of the area’s largest job generators; Silverstein Properties, known for rebuilding lower Manhattan following the 9/11 terrorist attacks; BedRock Real Estate Partners, and ODA New York for the design of the master plan, the neighborhood-focused initiative is scheduled to jump-start construction in 2023, with an initial activation in 2025.
Located at the intersection of Steinway Street and 35th Avenue, centered on five blocks, the project will include:
- 2.7 million square feet over five blocks and allocating over 25 percent of the land area as publicly accessible open space
- 2,700 units of mixed-income housing, including 700 permanently affordable units and dedicated housing for seniors
- 250,000 square feet of space for innovation companies
- 200,000 square feet of neighborhood-serving retail
Moreover, the initiative, a major driver of economic opportunity in Western Queens is expected to:
- Create more than 5,400 on-site jobs – including some 3,700 during construction and more than 1,700 permanent jobs;
- Support businesses in the community by generating $50 million in new local spending annually;
- Make a portion of its space available to startups, artists/makers and community-based nonprofit organizations at below-market rents;
- Offer educational programming for Astoria residents of all ages, including job training, STEM education, and lifetime learning programs; and
- Contribute to critical investments in public infrastructure through $119 million in new tax revenue during construction and $18 million in new tax revenue annually during its operation.
The Global Award winner will be announced in December in London. (Globals)
