Tall & Urban News

New York City has officially launched the public review process for the OneLIC Neighborhood Plan, a major rezoning proposal that aims to deliver nearly 14,700 new homes, including approximately 4,000 permanently affordable units, and create over 14,000 jobs across Long Island City, Queens. Announced by Mayor Eric Adams and the Department of City Planning on 21 April 2025, the plan marks the fifth neighborhood rezoning initiative under the current administration and supports the broader goal of producing over 50,000 new housing units citywide in the next 15 years.

Spanning from the East River waterfront to Crescent Street and Queens Plaza North to 47th Avenue—extending to 39th Avenue between 21st and 23rd Streets—the OneLIC plan would update zoning codes to allow for new mixed-use developments while applying Mandatory Inclusionary Housing requirements for the first time in this neighborhood. These rules mandate that new residential projects include income-restricted units, supporting affordability in a community where forty-six percent of renters spend more than thirty percent of their income on rent.

A centerpiece of the proposal is the creation of over 3.5 million square feet (325,160 square meters) of new commercial and industrial space, generating an estimated 14,400 jobs. The city also plans to activate underutilized city-owned sites such as 44-59 45th Avenue, which is set to deliver 320 affordable homes, and 44-36 Vernon Boulevard, currently occupied by New York City's Department of Education, where mixed-use redevelopment is being explored through a Request for Expressions of Interest.

Waterfront access and resiliency form a major part of the vision. The plan will revamp outdated public access conditions through a new Waterfront Access Plan, with updated zoning tools and coordination among private and public stakeholders to create a unified, publicly accessible shoreline between Gantry Plaza State Park and Queensbridge Park. This will include active street uses and new green spaces.

The plan has been shaped through nearly two years of public engagement, including 15 public meetings and over 5,700 comments and 2,350 survey responses. The Department of City Planning has published a comprehensive plan booklet alongside the start of the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, a seven-month approval process that includes input from Queens Community Boards 1 and 2, the Queens Borough President, the City Planning Commission, and the New York City Council.

The OneLIC plan also integrates tenant protections and homeowner support. These include citywide expansion of the Homeowner Help Desk and HomeFix 2.0 programs, legal aid and education for renters, and funding support for local organizations through the Partners in Preservation initiative.

This plan adds to the Adams administration’s broader housing strategy, which includes the Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan, Jamaica Neighborhood Plan, and the Bronx-Metro North Station Area Plan. To date, the administration has committed USD 24.5 billion in housing capital through a ten-year plan, aiming to tackle New York City’s ongoing housing crisis through record production and preservation of affordable units.

Learn more at NYC.gov