Mega Development files for 310-unit project in Queens Village
220-28 Jamaica Avenue axonometric diagram (Credit - Mark Manuel Ginsberg architect via DOB)
Mega Development Group submitted a new building construction project for a 310-unit, 233,142 square-foot residential (R-2) building at 220-28 Jamaica Avenue in Queens Village, Queens. The plan was filed with the New York City Department of Buildings on April 14, 2025 under job number Q01196791. It calls for the construction of a 12-story building. The project is described in the filing as: it is proposed to erect a new 12 story building as shown on plans.
The Kessler family, which operates Five Boro Flag Banner & Sign at the location, has owned the property since Charles Kessler purchased it for about $1 million in 1994.
Barry Kessler, president of Five Boro Flag Banner & Sign, filed the plans. City property records as of publication show the Kessler family’s Jelibar Realty Corp. as the owner. However, on the architectural renderings, Mega Development Group is listed as “owner.”
220-28 Jamaica Avenue
| wdt_ID | floor | comment | description | persons_permitted | occupancy_label | zoning_use | dwelling_units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cellar | MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ROOMS | Mechanical and/or electrical equipment room | 10 | Factory and Industrial | ||
| 2 | 1 | RESIDENTIAL LOBBY | Apartment | 5 | Residential | ||
| 3 | 2 | TWENTY (20) RESIDENTIAL UNITS ON EACH FLOOR | Apartment | N/A | Residential | 20 | |
| 4 | 3 | TWENTY (20) RESIDENTIAL UNITS ON EACH FLOOR | Apartment | N/A | Residential | 20 | |
| 5 | 4 | TWENTY (20) RESIDENTIAL UNITS ON EACH FLOOR | Apartment | N/A | Residential | 20 | |
| 6 | 5 | TWENTY (20) RESIDENTIAL UNITS ON EACH FLOOR | Apartment | N/A | Residential | 20 | |
| 7 | 8 | TWENTY-EIGHT (28) RESIDENTIAL UNITS ON EACH FLOOR | Apartment | N/A | Residential | 28 | |
| 8 | 9 | TWENTY-EIGHT (28) RESIDENTIAL UNITS ON EACH FLOOR | Apartment | N/A | Residential | 28 | |
| 9 | 10 | TWENTY-EIGHT (28) RESIDENTIAL UNITS ON EACH FLOOR | Apartment | N/A | Residential | 28 | |
| 10 | 11 | TWENTY-EIGHT (28) RESIDENTIAL UNITS ON EACH FLOOR | Apartment | N/A | Residential | 28 | |
| 11 | 12 | TWENTY-EIGHT (28) RESIDENTIAL UNITS ON EACH FLOOR | Apartment | N/A | Residential | 28 |
The property
The retail building in Queens Village has 26,744 square feet of built space and 3,636 square feet of additional air rights for a total buildable of 30,305 square feet according to a PincusCo analysis of city data. The parcel has five buildings with frontage of 190 feet and is 319 feet deep with a total lot size of 60,610 square feet. The lot is irregular. The zoning is R3-2 which allows for up to 0.5 times floor area ratio (FAR) for residential. The city-designated market value for the property in 2022 is $6.2 million.
Prior sales and revenue
The 26,744-square-foot property generated revenue of $674,648 or $25 per square foot, according to the most recent income and expense figures.
Development
Barry Kessler of Not Applicable submitted a new building construction project for a 310-unit, 233,142 square-foot residential (R-2) building at 220-28 Jamaica Avenue. The plan was filed on April 14, 2025. It calls for the construction of a 125-foot tall, 12-story building and was filed with the New York City Department of Buildings under job number Q01196791. The architect is Curtis + Ginsberg Architects Llp. The project is described in the filing as: it is proposed to erect a new 12 story building as shown on plans.
Violations and lawsuits
According to city public data, the property has received $700 in OATH penalties in the last year.
There were no lawsuits or bankruptcies filed against the property for the past 24 months.
The neighborhood
In Queens Village, The bulk, or 26 percent of the 4.9 million square feet of commercial built space are specialty buildings, with mixed-use buildings next occupying 23 percent of the space. In sales, Queens Village has near average sales volume among other neighborhoods with $42.3 million in sales volume in the last two years and is the 27th highest in Queens. For development, Queens Village has near average amount of major developments among other neighborhoods and is the 35th highest in Queens. It had 101,037 square feet of commercial and multi-family construction under development in the last two years, which represents 2 percent of the neighborhood’s built space.
The block
On this tax block, PincusCo has identified the owners of six of the 21 commercial properties representing 145,178 square feet of the 300,133 square feet. The largest owner is Cb-Emmanuel Realty, followed by City Of New York and then David Lasky. On the tax block, there were three new building construction projects totaling 233,454 square feet. The largest is a 310-unit, 233,142 square-foot residential (R-2) building submitted by Barry Kessler with plans filed April 14, 2025 and it has not been permitted yet. The second largest is a 312 square-foot 75 building submitted by Shakhar Bidaisee with plans filed March 18, 2024 and it has not been permitted yet.
The surrounding
This is the first commercial real estate event of interest identified within the 400-foot radius of 220-24 Jamaica Avenue in the past 24 months.
Direct link to the property’s ACRIS page and link to DOB NOW portal.