Will Protests Stop a NYC FC?

Some behind-the-scene stuff happened last week that could impact a potential soccer-specific stadium (SSS) in Flushing, Queens. Last Thursday night, local business owners from the Iron Triangle, the industrial land space next to Shea Stadium, attended a City Council meeting to voice their disapproval of the city's plan to redevelop the area. According to Newsday, Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants to build 5,000 housing units, a 400,000-square-foot convention center, a 700-room hotel, a school, retail and office space, and a park. To do that, the land must be rezoned from industrial to mixed commercial and residential use. The review process is expected to begin in February or March and last seven to eight months. Property owners do not want to sell and state that 200 business and 2,000 jobs will be lost due to redevelopment. What they forget to mention is that redevelopment will create 20,000 construction jobs and 6,100 permanent jobs. Not to mention the improvements in quality-of-life for area residents. City has offered to help businesses relocate, provide job training for displaced workers, and might use eminent domain to take the land. Anyone that has been to Shea should already have an idea of the 70-acre Iron Triangle, but the photo above gives an idea of how large it is (click photo for full size). Redevelopment of the Iron Triangle will only help a possible SSS to be built in the area. Currently, most of the Iron Triangle does not have a sewer system, streetlights, or paved streets. The Iron Triangle is also full of auto shops that have not been maintained and some have been illegally built. Redevelopment will allocate city money for construction projects, make the area more attractive to private investments, and improve infrastructure. I am against the use of eminent domain in the majority of cases, but the Iron Triangle's case is an exception. No homeowners will be displaced and the benefits far outweigh the harm.

The city wants this redevelopment to happen, so they are lobbying local groups to support their plans. I think that this is where NYC FC supporters can come into the picture. By writing letters as concerned citizens to City Council members, we can help improve an abandoned section of our city while increasing our chances at building a SSS. The Iron Triangle situation is exactly the reason why many feel that a soccer-specific stadium will never be constructed within the five boroughs. We have all seen how similar protestations have halted construction of stadiums in Manhattan's West Side. By supporting the Mayor's redevelopment project, we can show that things can get done in New York City and eliminate a hurdle in bringing the MLS to the Big Apple.

For more info, check out this NY1 video.