So instead we should discourage commerce in Flushing? Yes, this argument makes sense. Let’s push our tax base to CT and Long Island. People coming from far away to shop in our neighborhoods is a GOOD thing, not a something to be discouraged.

Should the government “listen to the community” or plan from the top down? Depending on the situation, sometimes the advocacy world seems to want government to do a better job of responding to communities’ agendas, and other times wants government to override communities’ agendas. May be what everybody really wants is for government to adhere to the advocates’ agenda.

There is no need for people from CT or LI to drive into downtown Flushing to purchase a month’s worth of groceries. The Chinese markets in Flushing, particularly on Kissena and Main Streets are already impossible to negotiate on the weekends and pose a major traffic hurdle for Flushing residents. Savvy investors should open markets on LI or in CT to serve those markets. Even opening new locations just outside of downtown Flushing would be a better solution than insisting on plentiful, below market price parking. Plentiful & cheap parking will just draw additional vehicle visits during the most congested periods making the problem worse, not better.

I think that the majority of Flushing residents don’t want more parking, they want less congestion, less traffic. The congestion in downtown is a major negative for residents. They think that more parking will solve the problem, but don’t understand that it will just encourage more visits by car. They also think that adding housing units will cause more congestion assuming that those folks will all drive everywhere instead of walking.

I say these things as a resident of downtown Flushing, two blocks off Roosevelt and Main.

Should we really be basing our infrastructure decisions around this?

Why can’t people from CT and Long Island buy their groceries in their home towns in CT and Long Island?

Let me get this straight.
1) I and others here have been to Flushing on weekend afternoons and have seen the people circling around for parking spaces in Municipal Lot #1
2) I understand the frustration on why it would seem to make sense to build more parking and price it cheaper

But I am also a pedestrian and mass transit user. You of all people should also notice that the sidewalks in Flushing are over-packed. People fight for space against cars along Main, Roosevelt, and Kissena like never before. The service levels of that area must be very poor. By adding even more parking and pricing it lower, not only do you encourage more people to drive to Flushing, you also increase the dangers to pedestrians!

Why should a parking space be something that the government or the developer gives for free or below cost?

I bet the majority of flushing residents don’t want their rent to go up. Do you say “why can’t they have that?” I bet they don’t want gas to go up and the ones driving from Connecticut really don’t want gas to go up–do you say “Why can’t they get it?” They probably want a bigger apartment too. “Why can’t they get it?”

I don’t think you would tell the developer “if he can’t price his retail space below the cost then he shouldn’t build it, or the housing units.”

Why is parking different? Why is it okay to subsidize parking at the expense of having more houses? Or at the expense of having safe sidewalks (cars have to cross the sidewalk to get into the lots)? or instead of having another store?

Developer wants to build less parking space to make more money or even charge more. Those people in the government advocate less parking space is simply because they’re paid by the developer to do so.

If developer can’t provide more parking space at the same price, don’t build it.

Hoping the problem will go away won’t work. Right now, Flushing’s only served by one rapid transit line, which only connects to LIC and Manhattan. The LIRR is way too expensive to be a serious alternative, the buses are too slow, bike infrastructure does not exist, and walking doesn’t work at Queens’ scale.

What will actually happen in the MTA will cut LIRR service down to once an hour.

Now of course, instead of trying to increase parking for commuters from less transit rich or far away areas, how about working with the MTA to increase the number of buses/frequency/coverage in Bayside or Auburndale? Or more LIRR service during rush hours? Or encouraging carpooling? All this, of course, depends on investment-something which unfortunately, in these times, is hard to come by, especially from the city and state.

Or, I maybe a little far fetched, but a new subway line to Little Neck? If only we could go back to 1939 and tell them: build that line to Bell Blvd!