ULURP Brings NYCFC's Stadium Dreams a Step Closer to Reality

NYCFC's Willets Point stadium development has officially entered the ULURP certification. Get a sneak peek at construction plans, transportation strategies, and what’s next in the political process.

Oct 21, 2023

Cue the Michael Scott gifs; it’s finally happening. During a Monday presentation to the City Planning Commission (CPC), New York City Football Club’s soccer-specific stadium plans were certified into New York City’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP).

This presentation provided further insight into various aspects of the project, including anticipated construction timelines, gameday transportation logistics, planned stadium features, and over a dozen new renderings. This certification officially kicks off the city’s robust public land use review process for the new stadium.

Prior to the presentation on Monday, reports indicated that Queens Borough President Donovan Richards had reached a tentative agreement with the city regarding the return of street vendors to Corona Plaza. Although the street vendor situation may not appear directly related to the NYCFC stadium in Willets Point, Richards expressed his willingness to withdraw support for the stadium project if the vendors were not allowed to return. This tentative agreement successfully circumvents a potential major hurdle in the approval process, given that Richards would have influence over alterations to the Queens Borough map.

The presentation on Monday, in conjunction with the publishing of the Draft Second Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSSEIS), offers additional details about the anticipated layout of the stadium, including the location of the home and visitor locker rooms, planned entrances for the supporter section, new office space for club executives and the City in the Community (CITC), and most importantly an open-air beer garden.

From the presentation delivered to the City Planning Commission on Monday, the locations of the locker rooms, team store, and other items are identified.

The general admission gate is planned for the corner of 38th Avenue and Seaver Way, while supporters will have their own dedicated entrance on the opposite end of the stadium, on 127th Street.

Meanwhile, the new NYCFC offices are planned to be situated at the southeast corner of the stadium, featuring “a glass-clad, ground-floor façade beneath an exterior walkway and an exposed corner of the upper stands.”

At the northeast corner of the stadium, ground-level parking for essential staff and players is planned, “located beneath an elevated, open air beer garden.”

In terms of non-game-day activation, there is a plan to create a pop-up pitch at the northwest corner of the stadium. Additionally, the main entrance, situated at 38th Avenue and Seaver Way, is designed to lead to an interior atrium. This atrium would also face 38th Avenue with spacious openings, serving as an extension of the open space along 38th Avenue on days when no games are scheduled.

The newly released renderings now bear the name “Naming Rights Sponsor Stadium”, an update from the previously dubbed “Sponsor Stadium”. However, the placeholder seems somewhat insipid, since, as previously reported by The Outfield in May, Etihad Airways has already received pre-approval as the stadium sponsor.

The Obligatory Parking Section

While NYCFC still intends to enter into a binding agreement with the Mets to allow the use of the Citi Field lots to provide the required parking per city zoning text, the DSSEIS outlines an “Alternative Transportation Scenario.” This not only demonstrates how that parking mandate would be satisfied, but also details NYCFC’s strategies to encourage fans attending games to avoid the need to park nearby.

NYCFC has begun discussions with New York City Transit regarding gameday travel logistics and how best to provide service to the team’s fans. This includes coordinating with New York City Transit and the Long Island Rail Road “to ensure that the appropriate level of transit service is made available for the team’s customers.” This includes the use of extra trains beyond regularly scheduled service at the conclusion of games, similar to the post-Mets game operations.

NYCFC intends to promote transit use and discourage travel by car through “marketing/education campaigns via the NYCFC website, media promotions, in-match announcements, and ads within subways stations and on subways and buses.” Furthermore, NYCFC is “considering the possibility of integrating transit fare payments or providing transit use incentives into the team’s ticketing process.”

What’s Next in the Public Review Process?

The certification into ULURP launches a months-long formal review process, which involves public hearings and votes conducted by various local entities, including Queens Community Board 7 (CB7), Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and the Borough Board the City Planning Commission, City Council, and ultimately, the Mayor Eric Adams.

Queens CB7 gets the first turn at holding public discourse on the project, with up to 60 days to hold their own hearing and vote, although their vote is advisory and not required for approval. Queens CB7 will likely discuss the project during its November Housing and Land Use Committee meeting and cast their vote during their December General Board Meeting, scheduled for December 11th.

The discussions held by Queens CB7 are expected to include a new police precinct in the area. The addition has consistently been a top priority for Queens CB7 in the past. During February’s Housing and Land Use Committee Meeting, chair Chuck Apelian closed the meeting with a pre-written statement: “I will urge the board, Community Board 7, to support a proper development of Willets Point expansion including a soccer stadium. But, it must include the creation of a new police precinct.” He further stated that he would withhold support for the project if incorporation of the new precinct was not guaranteed.

Anticipating the commencement of public hearings, NYCFC has begun reaching out to Queens-based fans to garner public support at these meetings. According to an email obtained by The Outfield, NYCFC has requested “that our fans throughout Queens join us at these public meetings–to speak out about how much you want to see soccer in a dedicated stadium, or just to be with us in person to show your passion for NYCFC”

Upon the completion of ULURP, construction can commence on the development. The DSSEIS outlines an anticipated construction start date for the stadium of January 2024, with “substantial completion of the stadium” by 2026, in time for opening the stadium with the first match of the 2027 season. Some miscellaneous wrap-up work is expected to continue on through August 2027, but is not expected to hold up stadium operations. The DSSEIS provided the following Construction Activity Schedule for the Stadium:

March 2024 - August 2024: Deep Foundations, Excavation
September 2024 - December 2024: Foundations
January 2025 - May 2025: Superstructure
June 2025 - September 2025: Superstructure, Building Envelope, Architectural Finishes
December 2025 - December 2026: Architectural Finishes

Entering ULURP represents a significant step, but it marks the beginning of a long, arduous process that, hopefully, culminates in the prompt approval of the soccer-specific stadium that New York City soccer fans have been waiting decades for. More public hearings and discourse is to come, but for now, enjoy some more renderings.❧