The $3 billion Willets Points plan in New York City that will transform 23 acres into a mixed-use development has gained approval from the City Council. Construction will be done in two phases and will include a mall, rooftop farm, retail space, a hotel and thousands of apartment units.
The project is expected to create 12,000 construction jobs, and generate billions in economic activity. The city has either spent or earmarked about $400 million on the development including the purchase of the land in the northern Queens neighborhood and funded key infrastructure improvements such as sewage and paved streets to an area that was one of the few remaining pockets in the city with neither.
According to a Crains New York report, the city has either spent or earmarked about $400 million on the development during the past five years, including the purchase of 23 acres of land in the northern Queens neighborhood and infrastructure improvements. Last year, the city reached a deal with developers, the Related Cos. and Sterling Equities, to design, construct and operate the massive development.
(http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20131009/REAL_ESTATE/131009874)
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