Image source: NYDN

The proposed hotel in Edgemere, Far Rockaway is still making news. The NY Daily News reports that the city missed out on a chance to purchase the property at Rockaway Beach Blvd and Beach 44th St (GMAP), which could have been made part of the Edgemere Urban Renewal Plan. In the words of City Councilman James Sanders Jr., “The city fell asleep on this one.” Consequently, it was bought by Amritpal Sandhu, and now the La Quinta Inn chain plans to build a six-story hotel on that empty site.

The local community is not sitting back while all of this happens around them. Members of the Frank Avenue Civic Association of Edgemere hope to put pressure on Sandhu – who said the hotel will serve airline workers and travelers to NYC looking for cheaper accommodations – and change his mind about the project. At the same time, US Rep. Gregory Meeks’s office is contacting La Quinta “before the community can decide whether a project of this scale or a new corporate neighbor is a good fit.” The district manager of Community Board 14, Jonathan Gaska, said they “were hoping the site would be used for neighborhood retail.”

From what we have seen, hotels can be a contentious issue in some parts of Queens, most recently in Fresh Meadows.

Edgemere hotel property was eyed by city for urban renewal plan [NYDN]
Proposed Edgemere hotel sparks debate in the Rockaways [QueensNYC]
Fresh Meadows residents celebrate as city rejects hotel plan [QueensNYC]


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