The owner of a former gas station at 69th Street and Queens Blvd requested a zoning change for the entire block. The original zoning would have capped the height of the 2 proposed buildings at 11 and 12 stories and 289 units. The developer initially proposed to go as high as 14 and 17 stories in order to build 561 units (including some affordable housing) by exploiting a loophole that was enacted by the City Council 2 years ago with former Council Member Elizabeth Crowley’s support. Council Member Holden asked that a school be incorporated into the project in return for his blessing and now the project will consist of buildings that are 12 and 15 stories high, a 476-seat K-5 school, 431 housing units of which 129 will be designated as “affordable”, 5,000 sq ft of retail and 202 parking spaces.