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DOWNTOWN JAMAICA

DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE

STRATEGIC INVESTMENT PLAN

Prepared for the New York State

Downtown Revitalization Initiative

New York City

March 2017

DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE

DRI LOCAL PLANNING COMMITTEE

HON. MELINDA KATZ, CO-CHAIR Borough President Queens CAROL CONSLATO, CO-CHAIR Director of Public Affiars, Con Edison ADRIENNE ADAMS Chair Community Board 12, Queens CEDRIC DEW Executive Director Jamaica YMCA REBECCA GAFVERT Asst. Vice President NYC EDC DEEPMALYA GHOSH Senior Vice President External Affairs & Community Engagement, Child Center of New York IAN HARRIS Co-Chair Jamaica NOW Leadership Council CATHY HUNG Executive Director Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning DR. MARCIA KEIZS President York College/CUNY HOPE KNIGHT President & CEO Greater Jamaica Development Corp. GREG MAYS Executive Director A Better Jamaica REV. PATRICK O’CONNOR Pastor First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica VEDESH PERSAUD Vice Chairperson Indo-Caribbean Alliance ROSEMARY REYES Program Manager Building Community Capacity/ Department of Cultural Affairs PINTSO TOPGAY Director Queens Workforce 1 Center DENNIS WALCOTT President & CEO Queens Library CALI WILLIAMS Vice President NYC EDC MELVA MILLER Project Lead Deputy Borough President Office of the Queens Borough President This document was developed by the Jamaica Local Planning Committee as part of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and was supported by the NYS Department of State, Empire State Development, and Homes and Community Renewal. The document was prepared by the following Consulting Team: HR&A Advisors; Beyer Blinder Belle; Fitzgerald & Halliday, Inc.; Public Works Partners; Parsons Brinkerhoff; and VJ Associates.

DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword i Executive Summary iii PART ONE: JAMAICA DOWNTOWN VISION PLAN Section I: Downtown Profile and Assessment I- Section II: Community Vision, Goals and Strategies I- Section III: Action Plan I- Section IV: Management Structure I- Section V: Public Involvement I- PART TWO: JAMAICA STRATEGIC INVESTMENT PLAN Statement of Community Vision II- Section I: Profiles of Priority Projects Proposed for DRI Funding II- Section II: Profiles of Projects Proposed for Other Funding II- Section III: Summary Table II-

JAMAICA | i “A thriving downtown can provide a tremendous boost to the local economy The Downtown Revitalization Initiative will transform selected downtown neighborhoods into vibrant places for people to live, work and raise a family, which will also help attract new investments and business for years to come ” — Governor Andrew M Cuomo Recognizing that companies are increasingly seeking to relocate and invest in vibrant, walkable downtowns in an effort to attract and retain a talented workforce, Governor Cuomo launched the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), a $100 million effort to improve the vitality of urban centers across New York State Ten communities were identified by the Governor’s Regional Economic Development Councils (REDCs) to participate in the DRI because their downtowns were deemed ripe for development into vibrant areas in which to live, work and raise families Ten million dollars will be invested in each of these communities Led by former Secretary of State Cesar Perales and supported by current Secretary of State Rossana Rosado, the DRI is a multi-agency approach to downtown revitalization conducted by staff from the Department of State Office of Planning and Development and the Homes and Community Renewal Office of Community Renewal The State facilitated a community planning process to develop the key ingredients needed for successful downtown revitalization:

• a vision for the downtown;
• goals and strategies to accomplish the vision;
• an action plan; and
• a strategic investment plan that identifies specific catalytic projects that align with the unique vision of their downtown area The program emphasizes using DRI investments to reinforce and secure additional public and private investment within and near downtown neighborhoods, building upon growth supported by the REDCs To fully leverage the impact of the DRI, Local Planning Committees identified projects that totaled in excess of the available DRI funds to ensure a continued pipeline of projects ready for funding within the community in the event that alternate funding sources are identified for projects; additional State funds become available; or projects drop from consideration The most transformative and catalytic projects from those identified for each downtown will receive DRI funding With the assistance of the State, leadership from within the communities, and public and private investors, these ten communities will become vibrant communities where people will want to live, work and raise families FIGURE i-1 NEW YORK STATE DRI LOCATIONS

FOREWORD

Source: New York State Department of State

DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE

DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE

HISTORICAL CONTEXT & OPPORTUNITY

Jamaica’s origins date back centuries to its use as a Native American trade route Jamaica grew rapidly in the early 20th century as the Long Island Rail Road and the expansion of the subway provided direct access to Manhattan Between 1920 and 1940 Jamaica Avenue commercial real estate boomed with department stores, the first modern supermarket in Queens, and the Valencia Theater, one of five Loews “wonder theaters” in New York City Starting in the 1930s, Jamaica and its surrounding communities played a key role in American musical culture, with notable locals including jazz and hip-hop artists Billie Holliday, John Coltrane, Run-D M C , and LL Cool J Beginning in the late 1960s, major economic and cultural shifts associated with suburbanization and urban disinvestment contributed to a gradual decline in Jamaica’s downtown New shopping centers in growing Nassau County lured major retailers, including Macy’s, away from Jamaica; anchor businesses relocated their headquarters; and an overall decline in New York City municipal services during this period of financial strain worsened physical conditions Crime became a major issue in the Downtown in the 1980s The State responded with a series of major investments beginning in the late 1980s, including the opening of the York College campus in 1986, the completion of the IND subway (now the E line) on Archer Avenue in 1988, the opening of the U S Social Security Administration office on Jamaica Avenue the same year, and in 1997, of the U S Food and Drug Administration Northwest Regional Laboratory on the York College campus FIGURE i-2. DOWNTOWN JAMAICA Source: Adolfo Vazquez

JAMAICA | v Since 2000, Jamaica has seen renewed attention on its downtown Over the past 15 years, there has been a substantial drop-off in crime, paired with significant public investment Major investments include the $350 million AirTrain terminal that connects Jamaica to JFK Airport; an expansive rezoning in 2007 that promoted density around the AirTrain terminal; and more recently a $153 million commitment from the City of New York through the Jamaica NOW! Action Plan, a year-long community planning process led by the NYC Economic Development Corporation and the Office of Queens Borough President Melinda Katz that recommended 21 initiatives to support equitable growth in Downtown Jamaica This activity has drawn over $1 billion of planned or completed private investment, leading to more than 1,500 new apartments, 2,000 hotel rooms, and 200,000 square feet of commercial space completed and pending Over this same period, the community has seen substantial population and job growth, and Jamaica’s cultural diversity, where no ethnic or racial group constitutes a majority and dozens of nations are represented among new residents, continues to stand out even among the historically diverse Borough of Queens

A COMMUNITY-INFORMED PROCCESS

Jamaica’s Strategic Investment Plan builds on a history of local planning, including recent engagement and priorities established by the Jamaica NOW! Action Plan Members of the Local Planning Committee (LPC) – composed of residents and civic leaders – served as the leaders of this process and created a unified vision for the role that DRI investment should play in building Jamaica’s future To fuel this vision, the LPC guided a community engagement process, which included five LPC meetings, and one Public Open House Key takeaways from the discussion included: a need to focus on job growth, job preparation, and job readiness, ensuring Jamaica residents benefit from ongoing growth, and the importance of investing in projects that leverage Jamaica’s unique characteristics and assets to attract visitors and employers to help activate the downtown at all hours

COMMUNITY VISION STATEMENT

DRI investment will build upon recent investment to expand economic opportunity for local residents and entrepreneurs; strengthen Downtown Jamaica’s cultural and commercial assets; celebrate Jamaica’s unique character; and support the development of a vibrant, connected, and inclusive mixed-use downtown core, for the benefit of the local community and the greater Jamaica area

JAMAICA | vii The primary focus area of Jamaica DRI is the Core Downtown, which is roughly bounded by Hillside Avenue to the north, South Road to the south, Sutphin Boulevard to the west, and 170th Street to the east In addition to the Core Downtown, two broader catchment areas were considered during the planning process, the Greater Jamaica Catchment Area bounded by Union Turnpike to the north, Linden Boulevard to the south, the Van Wyck Expressway to the west and 188th Street and Farmers Boulevard to the east; and the Southeast Queens Catchment area defined as all zip codes beginning with “114 ”

DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE Investments in Downtown that are consistent with this Vision will catalyze economic growth and increase Downtown’s appeal to residents, workers, students, and visitors; increase the time and resources they spend in Downtown; and attract private investment, further strengthening the Downtown experience To this end and in recognition of Downtown Jamaica’s existing assets and challenges, the LPC identified three primary goals for DRI investment: 1 Expand career opportunities and strengthen career pathways DRI investments should ensure that revitalization benefits those currently living Downtown by giving them the skills they need to succeed in growing industries, and providing avenues for local entrepreneurs to build their businesses, and create jobs 2 Activate Downtown through programming and marketing DRI investments should support the development of a vibrant, active Downtown that draws new visitors to the Downtown and appeals to Greater Jamaica residents 3 Connect major centers of activity DRI investments should contribute to the creation of a cohesive Downtown that is attractive, well connected and easily traversable by all Downtown users These goals are aligned with the goals articulated by the New York City Regional Economic Development Council (NYC REDC) for the continued economic growth of the local and regional economy Specifically the areas of alignment include goals to improve the quality of FIGURE i-4. JAMAICA DRI PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE Source: Fitzgerald & Halliday, Inc

DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE FIGURE i-5. OVERALL PROJECT MAP

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Table i-2 Priority Projects Recommended for Other Funding Sources

Project Name Project Description

11 Fund Capital Enhancements for JCAL’s STEAM Academy Fund capital enhancements to support the growth of the STEAM Academy (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) at JCAL The STEAM Academy is designed to teach local youth skills in product design and creative industries, and investment in physical infrastructure will provide a permanent home for the program and equipment to supplement donated materials 12 York College Campus Expansion Advance development of key sites on York College’s campus by assessing partnerships with health care, cultural, or high-tech partners Expansion would satisfy York’s growing need for classroom and student services space, and provide broader economic or community benefits for Greater Jamaica 13 Develop a Healthcare Workforce Strategy Develop a coordinated workforce strategy to identify, expand, and market job training and job placement programs around key growth professions in the health care sector 14 Develop a Hospitality Workforce Program Leverage the local hotel development boom to provide job training, job placement, and small business support services to capture economic gains locally 15 Reclaim the Historic Valencia Theater Reclaim the historic Valencia Theater as a cultural anchor and events space for Downtown Jamaica

DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE

IMPLEMENTATION

Unlike other DRI communities, Jamaica is not a municipality but a neighborhood of the City of New York and the Borough of Queens While the City of New York will play a significant role in project implementation, responsibility for project implementation will reside across a variety of local and regional organizations with an interest in improving the Downtown As one of the most vibrant mixed-use communities outside of Manhattan, Jamaica has a strong network of local economic development and civic organizations that can oversee implementation, although coordination among project leads will be essential To that end, the Office of Queens Borough President Melinda Katz will serve as an informal organizing entity responsible for monitoring project implementation, facilitating communication among project leads and partners, and serving as a central touchpoint for New York State funding entities Timeframes for project implementation are projected to proceed as follows if granted DRI funding: