Amazon's future neighbors: cynicism, a hope for the job | towns

By DEEPTI HAJELA, Associated press

NEW YORK (AP) – Shawn Smith has already heard the promises. When new hotels sprang up near the social housing complex in Queens, where he lived for 17 years, locals were informed that they would bring jobs and economic opportunities.

He did not see anything. He is therefore cynical about this week's announcement that Amazon will build a head office for 25,000 workers on the waterfront of Long Island City, half a kilometer from home. The elected officials happily promised that Amazon's presence would support all of western Queens. Smith is not so sure.

"Hotels here do not hire anyone, they bring their own kind," said Smith, who works for a construction job in New Jersey. "That's what I feel for Amazon."

He was not the only skeptical voice among the more than 6,400 residents of the Queensbridge Houses, the largest social housing complex in the United States.

Residents, most of whom are Black or Hispanic, have expressed hope that there may be something for them in Amazon's hiring program to counter the pressures of gentrification of neighborhoods. But they seize the promised opportunity with a grain of salt.

"Let's see if they hire people from here," said Fontaine White, 54, who has lived in Queensbridge for eight years. "I think it's a good idea, as long as you remember we live here too, if you install Amazon in Long Island City, we're part of Long Island City."

Municipal and national governments have pledged at least $ 2.8 billion in tax credits and subsidies to attract Amazon to Queens, where it will occupy a new campus built around a formerly industrial boat basin.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the deal was good for everyone.

De Blasio, who was promised to power, is committed to donating money to vocational training programs for social housing residents, to premises for a new school and to a financial contribution to a city fund. will be used for projects benefiting the community.

"When you add this type of number (jobs) to our economy, you open up many opportunities for ordinary citizens," Blasio said during his weekly appearance on the show Brian Lehrer on the radio WNYC. He added that the presence of Amazon would create "a lot of jobs for young people coming out of our public schools, social housing, universities in the city." And it's essential to fight the inequality".

The big government incentives for Amazon have sharply divided Democrats who dominate state politics.

US Senator Chuck Schumer issued a statement in support of the agreement. The young senator from this state, Kirsten Gillibrand, tweeted that "one of the richest companies in history should not receive taxpayer financial help while too many New York families are struggling to make ends meet ".

The city councilor and senator from the state representing Long City City are studying ways to block subsidies. About 100 people attended a demonstration against the agreement this week.

New Yorkers taking the subway to Queens wondered how the neighborhood could accommodate new commuters. The closest train station to where Amazon would be located already has a daily average of 23,672 passengers, making it one of the busiest of the system.

Queensbridge Houses has also taken a lot into account in the public debate.

For decades, the 26-unit housing project located in the shadow of the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge was reputed to be a difficult place. He played an important role in the history of hip-hop by producing talents like Marley Marl, Roxanne Shante, Nas and Havoc from rap duo Mobb Deep.

Crime has decreased significantly in recent years. Queensbridge was famous for almost two years without a shot before the end of the series in 2017. But, as in most housing projects in New York, locals complain of poor conditions, heat and energy. hot water, as well as rats and cockroaches.

The same week, officials celebrated their willingness to let Amazon avoid billions of dollars in taxes. A federal judge dismissed an order in which the city would have disbursed $ 1 billion over four years and an additional $ 200 million a year over the next six years to repair the deplorable damage. conditions in social housing, saying that he's not going far enough.

"There are a lot of problems with housing, not fixing things, not doing things," said Lisa Cruz, 40, a bureau chief who has lived in Queensbridge for 12 years. "It's really bad."

The area around Queensbridge has already changed quickly. Luxury condominiums have sprouted. JetBlue's head office is a short walk away. A traditional brewery has moved in. Hotels, formerly rare in the outer boroughs, have sprouted, taking advantage of the safety of the streets and quick access to Manhattan. A large waterfront park has been built.

"The neighborhood is much cleaner than it was.There have been many more changes.Many more police around," said Cruz, a mother of four.

But prices have gone up in local grocery stores and increased congestion has made parking difficult.

"It is unfortunate that new hotels, new buildings and new storage units for luxury items are needed to enter new hotels," Cruz said. "The park has changed so much – it's something we appreciate, but how many years did it take for them to repair Queensbridge Park so that we, in the community, would benefit from it? ? "

Ashley Nieves, who has lived in Queensbridge for 21 years, feared that the arrival of Amazon would make the neighborhood more expensive, but hoped it would create jobs.

It would be a compromise with which she was willing to live.

"If you hire more people, especially those who live in projects," she said, "it's like opening doors to live better."

Deepti Hajela covers issues of race, ethnicity and immigration for The Associated Press. Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/dhajela. For more of his work, look for his name at https://apnews.com.

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