Two years after Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed building a new neighborhood over the Sunnyside Yard in Queens, a new study by the city's Economic Development Corporation says it can happen.
The Mayor envisions building more than 20,000 new housing units over the massive rail complex used by Amtrak, New Jersey Transit and the Long Island Rail Road.
But critics say thousands of new residents would put extra strain on subway lines already struggling from the demands of record ridership.
"We're not afraid of growth — we've had tremendous growth and much of that is positive. But I think some people are asking the question, which is 'How much is too much?" asked Queens Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer.
"It's also a long-term opportunity to think about the future of the city and maximize affordable housing and the other ways we can address the city's housing crisis," said James Patchett, President and CEO of New York City Economic Development Corporation.
De Blasio first proposed building over the yard in 2015, but Governor Cuomo quickly shot it down.
He oversees the MTA, which owns much of the property.
One of the proposals in the new report floats the idea of developing mostly over the portion of the property owned by Amtrak.