APPENDIX B

Visualizations of a Long Island City Central Business District
Over the next 20 years, the character and density of the proposed Central Business District for Long Island City will be determined by a combination of private market forces and public planning and investment decisions. However, one of the impediments for private investment and civic support is the difficulty in envisioning a high-density mixed-use center in LIC's core. The image below, prepared by the Thompson Design Group and based on assumptions developed by a team of planners and developers convened by Regional Plan Association, represents one potential configuration of a new Central Business District.[48]

As one of many possible outcomes, it is intended to stimulate ideas of what the center could be, rather than a blueprint for what it should look like. Key assumptions for this scenario include the completion of an intermodal station that would serve the LIRR, NJ Transit and possibly Metro-North; a rezoning that would allow additional density in the Central Business District; continued limits on commercial density outside of the Central Business District; a substantial portion of residential, as well as commercial, development in the core area; and major enhancements to open space and streetscapes, including a new park in the center and an attractive pedestrian-friendly boulevard along Jackson Avenue (see accompanying picture).

Alternative build-out scenarios for a Long Island City Central Business District
The Group of 35's proposal to create a Long Island City Central Business District with 15 million square feet of new commercial space depends on both market forces and the implementation of the policies and investments called for in this report. The exact timing, shape and density of development will be determined by a complex interplay of these factors, including cycles in the real estate market, changes in the type of space and amenities demanded by new and existing industries, the details of land-use decisions, the design of buildings and public spaces, and the scope of infrastructure improvements. The Thompson Design Group's rendering of a Long Island City Central Business District (shown on previous page) represents one potential outcome. The two simulations depicted on the next page represent other possible ways that new development could be distributed and still achieve a threshold of 15 million square feet. These renderings represent a range of siting, design and development possibilities that would result in a vibrant center on the scale of other regional centers in Jersey City, White Plains and Stamford.

These following scenarios, developed by the Environmental Simulation Center, are based on proposed zoning envelopes and assumptions for feasible site assemblage. They were developed for Regional Plan Association and the Group of 35, with input from Jonathan Rose and Companies, the Thompson Design Group and Richard Kaplan. Buildings shaded in dark gray represent existing buildings. Those in light gray represent new buildings. The scenarios are intended to primarily show different ways that density could be distributed, and make no assumptions about building facades or streetscapes.

Scenario One depicts a Central Business District with 15.4 million square feet of mixed-use space, 4.4 million in existing buildings and 11 million in new buildings. It includes a second tower paired with the current Citicorp building, a second density concentration at Queens Plaza and the remaining space distributed throughout the district. This scenario could develop gradually over the next 20 years and is consistent with a Central Business District that retains some high-end production (such as printing) and includes a substantial portion of "live-work" space for small technology companies and artisans.

Scenario Two has more aggressive assumptions both for commercial demand and the public sector's role in site assemblage. It assumes 18.1 million square feet of space, 3.4 million in existing buildings and 14.7 million in new space. Residential and production activity could still be part of the mix, and new development would still be phased in over time as infrastructure and amenities are improved. However, the City would need to take a more active role than in Scenario One for land acquisition and planning for open space.

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NOTES

48. Participants in the RPA team included the Environmental Simulation Center, Johathan Rose and Companies, Richard Kaplan and the Thompson Design Group. [back]