Queens Borough president urges community-focused redevelopment of 60-acre Ocean Village dump

The borough president of Queens Borough urged that a roughly 60-acre vacant dump in Ocean Village be redeveloped with community needs at the center, not solely for economic gain. He said residents regularly walked through the site to reach recreational spots and described the property as "just a dump. Literally vacant dump."

The borough president, who also identified himself as a former city council member and said he lives in Ocean Village, emphasized that redevelopment should prioritize the whole community. "Community development is when you're thinking of the whole," he said, arguing that housing and economic development should be balanced with broader neighborhood needs.

He highlighted the site's scale — "this is 60 acres nearly of land" — and said the area holds long-term potential. He noted that there will be an open beach and expressed gratitude to local residents of Edgemont "who never gave up, who realized the potential."

The remarks focused on framing the site as an opportunity for comprehensive community improvements rather than a narrowly economic project. No formal motion or vote was recorded during these remarks.