Sounds incredible for a building where everything from toothbrushes to toilet seat covers are often disposable, but the developers of a proposed hotel in East Elmhurst vow to build more than 100 rooms using “green” construction techniques and materials.
Architects presenting plans for the project told community leaders that they would pursue Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for the hotel, to be built at 112th Place and Astoria Boulevard, close to Grand Central Parkway, LaGuardia Airport and the Mets’ new home next spring, Citi Field.
“At the very least we are going for bronze certification,” said Gerald Caliendo, the hotel’s architect, at a Community Board 3 meeting last Thursday.
LEED designations range from bronze to platinum, based on building techniques and materials used in construction.
The board overwhelmingly approved a zoning waiver for the proposed six-story hotel, despite concerns from some area residents worried about adverse effects of increased traffic and noise on the neighborhood.
“We’re already getting choked by traffic,” said Clara Morrow, who lives nearby on 112th Street. “We already have enough hotels around here.”
Developers convinced most of the board that the proposed hotel is economically viable, citing city hotel occupancy figures hovering at around 85 percent, despite a possible citywide recession.
