You Told Us is a regular feature in which we highlight comments from users in the communities DNAinfo New York covers.
The recent announcement that the owner of a Forest Hills building housing several restaurants on the neighborhood's “Restaurant Row” has halted his controversial plan to replace it with a new 12-story mixed-use development spurred a debate among local residents.
Most readers seemed thrilled to learn that the current 1-story complex at 107-18 70th Road that is home to several popular restaurants, including The Grill, Cabana and MoCA Asian Cafe, will not be demolished after the community came out strongly against the plan:
► "The people have spoken! Great news. To have demolished those restaurants would have ruined Forest Hills. No need for more apartment buildings. Cabana and the Thai restaurant are very good. Miss Santa Fe and Unos. Hope something else goes on there now. The lively outdoor eating scene has survived for the spring and summer!" — Neighborhood Square user midtowngirl
► "I am so glad that this project is being halted. We need these restaurants more than another 12 story building, especially since such a project is coming just one block away, on the Queens Blvd. Service Road, displacing a restaurant, cleaner, shoemaker, hair salon and party store. I hope we will get a few new restaurants to replace the Santa Fe and Pizzeria Uno." — Neighborhood Square user marika
► "This is great news! Maybe the empty restaurant spaces can be filled" — Neighborhood Square user evelyn-schwertl
But some worried that even though this particular development won’t be built, the neighborhood will soon attract other developers.
► "The question now is, 'How do we plan to halt some other developer coming in and planning the same or even worse?' We cannot become complacent on this issue. Where/when does the planning board meet so we can attend and defend and protect our neighborhood from future harmful development plans?" — Neighborhood Square user ProtectFH2017
Others spoke in support of new developments coming to Forest Hills.
► "We don't know the particulars of proposed plan. If it had a large affordable housing component and retained restaurants/retail on the ground level, that would've been a net win. My frustration is with the knee jerk reaction of many here that killing additional housing is somehow a good thing. Because it isn't. Especially a few blocks from a transit hub." — Neighborhood Square user phillip-roncoroni
► "It makes perfect sense to build there, close to subway. And we already have tons of restaurants but shortage of Apts, but only if the building has parking." — Neighborhood Square user yvonne-scibelli
