COURT SQUARE — Nearly 300 people have signed a petition to stop development of a vacant lot that's been used to host food festivals and other community events, saying the site is one of the few open spaces available in the neighborhood.
Rockrose Development Corp. is planning to construct an 18-story building with 123 apartments at 43-12 Hunter St., according plans filed with the Department of Buildings on April 20.
But locals say they want to keep the grass-filled site — known as "The Lot" — which is bound by Crescent Street, Hunter Street and 44th Drive, free from development and available for the community, something the construction-plagued area needs.
"It just seems like there's not a lot of planning being done about open spaces. We have very, very little," said Amadeo Plaza, head of the Court Square Civic Association, which started the petition to save the site.
"The Lot was this nice kind of break," he said. "It was this very appreciated break from all of the construction and all of the towers and all of the concrete that has surrounded us in Court Square."
Rockrose has allowed a number of public uses at The Lot over the last several years, originally filling it with food trucks that fed local office workers during lunch time.
The developer's had partnering organizations host music and film screenings, art installations as well as the Smorgasburg food market at the site. More recently, the owners of M. Well Steakhouse — located in a Rockrose-owned building next door to The Lot — have used it for pétanque tournaments and an outdoor library.
"It’s a gorgeous space. Theres so much potential there," said Plaza, who argues that leaving the site open would maintain it as a "neighborhood amenity" that makes Court Square a more attractive place to live.
"I don’t think anyone inherently likes [a] lack of green space," he said.
Rockrose, which owns other residential and retail properties in the neighborhood, filed plans last week for a new apartment tower at the site, which would stand 228 feet tall, records show.
The building would have 123 units and retail on its ground floor, a gym for tenants as well as outdoor terraces and a residents' lounge, according to DOB filings.
Rockrose declined to comment Monday.
Plaza said he started his petition with the goal of earning the support of local elected officials. City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, who represents the area, sent a letter to the developer Friday asking Rockrose to consider residents' pleas.
"With the ongoing development in Long Island City, the need for green space is essential for the health and well-being of residents," the lawmaker wrote.
Even if his campaign fails the save The Lot, Plaza said he hopes to start a conversation about the need to establish more open spaces in Court Square.
"Something has to be done," he said. "We can't just sit around and wait and see what happens."
