Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Willets Point Locals Sue City Over Neglect
By
John Del Signore
Published Apr 10, 2008
Modified Apr 10, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
View all 5
By
John Del Signore
Published Apr 10, 2008
Modified Apr 10, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Last year Mayor Bloomberg announced a $3 billion plan to seize 61 acres of the Willets Point district next to the forthcoming Citi Field in Queens through eminent domain, raze it, and construct 5,500 units of housing, a hotel, convention center and over 2 million square feet of office space, restaurants and retail shops. But business owners in the target zone have been fighting it, saying their ‘hood, dubbed the Iron Triangle for its chop shops and scrap yards, just needs repair, not total eradication. Sound familiar?
On the heels of a letter-writing campaign and a protest at Shea Stadium’s opening day, the Willets Point Industry and Realty Association [WPIRA] has filed a lawsuit demanding the city fix the broken sidewalks, sewers, roads and other resume basic services like snow removal. Owners accuse the city of letting the area fall into disrepair in order to depress property values, call it ‘urban blight,’ and seize land through eminent domain.
At a City Hall rally yesterday, Anthony Fodera, president of Fodera Foods Inc., told the Times that he’s “been there for 35 years; I have yet to see them fill a pothole.” Also at the rally was local Councilman Hiram Monserrate, who pointed to photos like the one here and said, “Some of the photos you see behind me — you see floods, you wonder if this is New York City in 2008 or Baghdad after a few mortar rounds.” Opponents also say the proposal lacks sufficient affordable housing.
A spokesman for the city said that accusations of negligence were not “accurate,” and maintained that the city was unable to build a sewage system because the current businesses were in the way. The WPIRA contends that over 3,000 highly skilled workers in ironworking, construction, solid waste management, sewer parts, auto repair and service, and other manufacturing – including the largest distributor of Indian foods – will be out of work if the city goes through with the plan.
Renderings of the city's plans for the area courtesy of Beyer Blinder Belle, LLP and The New York City Economic Development Corporation; more details here. Photo: *Your Guide
Tagged
Blight
bloomberg
city
City Council
hotels
housing
industry
Iron Triangle
land use
land use committee
mayor
mayor bloomberg
mayorbloomberg
money
news
people
queens
redevelopment
shea stadium
the city
the post
video
willets point
willetspoint
wpira
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Forest Hills Stadium can keep its concerts under deal with neighbors
Neighbors had complained of traffic and loud concerts for years.
By
Ryan Kost
Published Oct 22, 2026 at 2:49 p.m. ET
NYC Council to grill Mamdani officials on collapsed Hunts Point Produce Market deal
Council Speaker Julie Menin called the $650 million plan "mission critical."
By
Elizabeth Kim
News
NYC Council to grill Mamdani officials on collapsed Hunts Point Produce Market deal
Council Speaker Julie Menin called the $650 million plan "mission critical."
By
Elizabeth Kim
NYPD arrests 17-year-old in fatal Midtown subway platform shooting
By
Charles Lane
Ex-Adams aide accused of pocketing kickbacks from community program funds
By
Samantha Max
MTA to begin 6-year project to upgrade signal tech on A and C lines in Brooklyn and Queens
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .