Council committee hears demapping for proposed JFK logistics warehouse; developers promise jobs and stormwater controls

The New York City Council subcommittee on zoning and franchises opened a public hearing on LU357 (C240151MMQ), an application by a private developer to demap and dispose of portions of three unbuilt map streets—Oak Street, 140th Road and Byron Street—so a proposed logistics warehouse could be built in the JFK Industrial Business Zone.

Applicant representatives said the development would be a two‑story, approximately 136,000‑square‑foot warehouse about 37 feet tall, with an internal design that the team said is compatible with electric vehicles and will include on‑site electric vehicle charging. The applicant told the subcommittee the site is currently used as surface parking and that the project team had met with Community Board 13 and local civic groups; Community Board 13 voted unanimously in favor.

Developer counsel Eric Palatnik said the project team expects construction to begin in roughly 12–14 months, after a purchasing agreement for the mapped streets and other approvals. On environmental mitigation, the applicant said the site will include detention tanks to capture stormwater, bioswales, and increased sewer infrastructure in coordination with Department of Transportation street improvements in the surrounding area.

Council members raised questions about flood risk and stormwater. "We are in close proximity to marshland," the majority whip noted; the applicant said detention tanks and water‑collecting roofs are included in the design and that the team expects to over‑design stormwater systems to reduce downstream impacts. The applicant said the project is in a floodplain and that the team will install detention and reuse systems so "every single bit of rain that lands on this property will end up in a stormwater detention system on this property," according to counsel.

Economic and workforce commitments were emphasized. The applicant described a hiring and workforce outreach approach and noted partnerships with nonprofit Urban Upbound to conduct outreach, job training and placement. Bishop Mitchell Taylor of Urban Upbound described prior work with the developer on other projects and said the organization expects to deliver placement programs that aim for wages in a range the organization called "between $22 and $27 an hour" for construction roles and to focus on converting construction placements into permanent jobs where possible. The applicant said they anticipate roughly 65 permanent full‑time jobs and about 100 construction jobs tied to the project.

The developer said the site will include sewer and curb upgrades, street trees and lighting in coordination with DOT, and that DOT is planning larger street improvement work in the area. On truck traffic and parking, the applicant said the warehouse will generate far fewer daily vehicle movements than the current bus‑parking pattern on the site and argued the project would reduce circulation of older diesel buses that currently park on site.

No public witnesses testified at the LU357 hearing. The subcommittee closed public testimony and laid the item over for further consideration.