With 2023 fast approaching, QNS is looking back at the top stories throughout 2022.
Below are some of our top stories from the month of November, including the City Council approving the $2 billion Innovation QNS project, three guilty pleas in a towing scheme, a triple homicide in Springfield Gardens and a feature on a Queens College student who helped develop software for NASA.
The developers behind the $2 billion Innovation QNS megaproject got the green light to remake a five-block area of southeast Astoria after the full City Council voted to approve the rezoning applications 46-1 on Nov. 22.
When the shovels hit the ground on the largest private affordable housing project in Queens history, it will be a far different project than the one the developers drew up a half-decade ago.
In order to gain the support of Councilwoman Julie Won, the Innovation QNS team — Silverstein Properties, BedRock and Kaufman Astoria Studios — agreed to surrender office and community space to create an additional 299 affordable housing units. Their “exhaustive negotiations” with Won, Speaker Adrienne Adams, and the mayor’s office yielded more than double the number of affordable units that were originally offered, as well as an unprecedented package of community benefits.
In remarks prior to the final vote, many of her colleagues praised Won for standing her ground after Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Mayor Eric Adams announced their support for the project after the developers offered 40% affordability.
The final approved proposal has 45% affordability. Richards praised Won for her “fierce advocacy on behalf of her constituents” to ensure Astoria families benefit the most.
The project will now head to the mayor’s office for final approval in the city’s arduous public review process that he vowed to address in the near future.
Three former police officers pleaded guilty to running an illegal towing out of the 107th Precinct in Fresh Meadows.
James Davniero, 43, of Bayside, pleaded guilty on Nov. 17 to conspiring to participate in a scheme to steer vehicles damaged in collisions to a licensed tow trucking and automobile repair company in contravention of the NYPD’s Directed Accident Response Program (DARP), in exchange for thousands of dollars in bribes.
Former NYPD officers Michael Oerri, 33, of East Islip, Long Island, and Osma Giancarlo, 40, of Deer Park, Long Island, pleaded guilty to conspiring to participate in the scheme on Nov. 16.
“These three officers abused the public’s trust and disgraced their NYPD badges by lining their pockets with bribes,” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said. “This office will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to vigorously investigate and prosecute corruption by those who are sworn to enforce and uphold the law.”