Alan and Stuart Suna’s Silvercup Studios in Queens is trying to revive its plans for a $1 billion expansion in the borough.
Developers for the project have filed special permit renewals with Queens Community Board 2’s land use committee. The permit filings will be reviewed at a public meeting on October 2nd.
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To be located just south of the Queensborough Bridge (AKA The Ed Koch Bridge), the new complex was first proposed back in 2008 and was approved by the Queens borough president and New York City Council. But the development was delayed because the New York Power Authority failed to remove old generators which were locatedon the site and which needed to be removed and decommissioned before work could begin. The permits that were previously approved have since expired and would need to be renewed.
The original plan was to build a 2, 200, 000 square foot complex with eight sound studios and an office tower holding 655, 000 square feet of space, on a 2.45-hectare waterfront site only six blocks away from Silvercup’s current home located at 42-22 22nd Street. That facility holds 18 different sound stages.
The previously proposed development was also to include 1, 000, 000 square feet of residential space, a 45, 000 square foot catering hall, a 130, 000 square foot cultural institution and 75, 000 square feet of retail spaces.
That project would have created 2, 200 construction jobs, 3, 900 permanent jobs and 2, 500 jobs indirectly resulting from the development.
There is no word yet if Silvercup plans to revive the exact same development plans.
Silvercup is also restoring the nearby landmarked century old terracotta building at 42-10 Vernon Blvd.
Silvercup Studios, is New York City’s largest full-service Film & Television production facility. It opened in 1983 at was previously the Silvercup bakery.
TV shows filmed there include CBS’s Person of Interest and Elementary, USA’s White Collar, HBO’s Girls, TNT’s Public Morals, NBC’s 30 Rock, and WB’s Gossip Girl. The facility has also hosted HBO’s The Sopranos and Sex & the City, ABC’s Ugly Betty QVC’s home shopping channel, BC’s Hope & Faith, Fox’s Fringe, and HBO’s In Treatment.
Feature films which have been shot there include the Tower Heist, starring Ben Stiller, The Sitter, starring Jonah Hill, Date Night, starring Tina Fey and Steve Carell, And Little Children starring Kate Winslet.
