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"I See the Stars Lining Up for Queens" says  Robert Yaro, President of Regional Plan Association at a Queens Chamber of Commerce Meeting 2/17/2012

Presentation to Queens Chamber of Commerce, Government Affairs Committee

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Robert Yaro, President, Regional Plan Association   Robert Yaro, President, Regional Plan Association, discusses developments for Queens   Jack Friedman, Executive Director, Queens Chamber of Commerce     Full video coverage and follow up Q&A are available in the left column in 7 segments of approximately three to five minutes each. robert_yaro_regional_plan_association_20120217_9935 robert_yaro_regional_plan_association_20120217_9907 robert_yaro_regional_plan_association_20120217_9908 robert_yaro_regional_plan_association_20120217_9909 robert_yaro_regional_plan_association_20120217_9929 robert_yaro_regional_plan_association_20120217_9905-9906 robert_yaro_presents_to_regional_economic_development_council_20111004

Long Island City, NY February 17, 2012 - [ NOTE: Robert Yaro will speak at the Long Island City / Astoria Chamber of Commerce meeting on March 15, 2012. The meeting will begin at noon at The Waterfront Crabhouse, 2-03 Borden Ave, LIC. The topic will be "Preparing for the Next Decade of Growth in Long Island City"  Reservations at LICChamber.org at the Optin ]   Regional Plan Association is celebrating its 90th Anniversary. In 1929, they created a regional plan for New York which formed the basis of our roadways, bridges, parks, airports and other infrastructure for the state. A second regional plan was created in the 1960's. A third regional plan was developed in the 1990's for about 60 million square feet of space on the West Side. This included the recommendation to extend the 7 Subway line to the West Side.   On February 17, 2012, Robert Yaro, President of the RPA, addressed the Government Affairs Committee of the Queens Chamber of Commerce.  Topics included: New Convention Facility in Queens Sale and Re-development of Javits Center Moynihan Station   The Queens Chamber of Commerce writes "Prominently featured in the Governor Andrew Cuomo's State of the State address was an endorsement of Regional Plan Association's longstanding proposal to develop new convention facilities in Queens and then to remove the outmoded Javits facility and redevelop its 18-acre site into a major mixed-use waterfront community. This proposal would provide a range of important economic and other benefits to the city and state, including both short and long-term job creation." Based in Manhattan, RPA promotes plans, policies and investments needed to improve the quality of life and competitiveness of the New York Metropolitan Region, America's largest urban area.    Robert Yaro is President of the Regional Plan Association. He also Co-chairs the Empire State Transportation Alliance and the Friends of Moynihan Station, and is Vice President of the Forum for Urban Design.   Mr. Yaro serves on Mayor Bloomberg's Sustainability Advisory Board, which helped prepare PlaNYC 2030, New York City's new long-range sustainability plan.    On March 15, 2012 Robert Yaro will present to the the Long Island City / Astoria Chamber of Commerce on the topic: Preparing for the Next Decade of Growth in Long Island City. Space is limited.  Please make early reservations via the Optin Form at LICChamber.org.     OurLIC attended the presentation by Yaro to the government affairs committee of the Queens Chamber of Commerce. OurLIC conducted a Video Conversation with him to learn his views of the developing Long Island City. A full video of Yaro's presentation, along with his conversation with OurLIC is presented with this article.  In addition to the video, a full powerpoint presentation of Yaro's presentation is available. Finally, Robert Yaro was a guest of the Regional Economic Development Council which prepared a strategic report for Governor Cuomo.   Jack Friendman and the Queens Chamber of Commerce have been a long time advocate for the development of a convention center in Queens. [ OurLIC Video CONVERSATION with Jack Friedman, Executive Director of The Queens Chamber of Commerce 4/11/2011 ]   The focus of the presentation by Yaro were the multiple Convention Center development initiatives by New York State and New York City for Queens and Manhattan, including the impact on transportation.   HIGHLIGHTS The stars are lining up for a number of important investments in Queens, and for Economic Development. Last year, the RPA produced a reseach based report on the future development of the Airports. They recommended a major expansion of Kennedy Airport, and the central terminal. The Governor is agressive about moving forward with development plans, including the construction of a large convention center at Aqueduct Raceway. Mayor Bloomberg's decision to build 12 million square feet of commercial space at Hudson Yard. Other cities around the world have been moving large convention centers out of their central business districts. Most were also creating small conference facilites in the central business districts.  Started to develop the concept for NYC in the 1990's. Three locations in Queens were identified as candidates for a major convention center to replace the Javitts Center. In the mid 1990's Senator Moynahan proposed a that Penn Station be expanded into the Post Office across 8th Avenue. A new, in-town, high end conference and convention center is being proposed the location behind the Post Office.  It is 420,000 sq ft. Candidate locations in Queens as replacement for the Javitts Center included Sunnyside Yards, Willets Point, and Aqueduct Raceway (State owned property). Governor Cuomo came through with a proposal to develop the Convention Center at the Aqueduct Raceway,  The proposal is with Genting Malaysia Berhad ( Genting Group ) out of Malaysia that has also developed Racino ( Resorts World Casino / Jamaica ) on the site. Genting's proposal includes improving the A Train's service, including express service. The F train represents another opportunity because of existing, unused tunnels. That is moving ahead. The upper level of the F Train is only used at one third of its capacity. There is a pantheon of BIG economic development projects for Queens that are moving ahead. The JFK Airport expansion The Convention Center at Aqueduct The new Cornell Campus at Roosevelt Island The economic development spin off from Cornell's Applied Sciences campus will likely be in Long Island City where the old factories and buildings can be put to use. The transportation system needs to adapt to these new developments. Willets Point has been zoned for a small conference center. Tokyo has three large convention centers plus small intown conference centers. Sunnyside Yards were discounted as a location because of the cost of decking over the space. Genting has proposed a 3.8 million square foot facility with 3,000 hotel rooms and a major entertainment facility.  It will be built in two phases.  It is a $4.0 billion project. Long Island City Observations Long Island City has had a tremendous amount of development over the last generation. Just seeing the begining of industrial, commercial and economic development, and new activities. There is special opportunity because of the Cornell Engineering Campus going on Roosevelt Island.  The city wants to encourage spin off development in Long Island City, The model that the city is looking at is the development of Boston around the MIT campus in Cambridge. The new companies and start up businesses that are likely to come out of the Cornell location will be in Long Island City.  Yaro says "We have to get the zoning right.  We have to get the access right." Business people should take this opportunity to become involved in the public discussion. Yaro urges local business people to look at East Cambridge to understand how Long Island City can become attached at the hip to the Cornell Campus.   Robert Yaro will speak at the Long Island City / Astoria Chamber of Commerce meeting on March 15, 2012. The meeting will begin at noon at The Waterfront Crabhouse, 2-03 Borden Ave, LIC.   OurLIC RELATE NEWS SPECIAL REPORT: Special NYC Regional Economic Development Council Meets 10/4/2011 Robert Yaro as guest speaker was guest speaker.  His presentation was video recorded and is presented as part of this OurLIC article as well as the the article 10/4/2011   New York City Regional Economic Development Council Submits Final Strategic Plan and Priority Projects including International Convention & Exhibition Center for Queens International Convention & Exhibition Center: Queens offers the city’s most appropriate location for a new international convention and exhibition center, with accompanying hotel accommodations, which will add an important new destination for the city’s tourism industry. A full build out of such a facility will exceed 3.8 million square feet of convention and exhibition space.     Robert Yaro, President, Regional Plan Association Robert Yaro, President, Regional Plan Association, discusses developments for Queens Jack Friedman, Executive Director, Queens Chamber of Commerce Robert Yaro, President, Regional Plan Association Robert Yaro, President, Regional Plan Association

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