ZD Jasper seeks zoning change to build 143 units in Sunnyside

ZD Jasper Realty through the entity ZDJ Greenpoint LLC submitted a proposal to the city for the construction of a 143-unit, 142,593-square-foot, 11-story, mixed-use development at 44-17 Greenpoint Avenue in Sunnyside, Queens. The parcel is the former Queens Assembly Hall for the Jehovah’s Witnesses, who sold the parcel to ZD Jasper Realty in 2024 for $16.3 million.

Jasper Wu of ZD Jasper Realty, which was founded by Zhidong Wu, filed the plans with the city’s Department of City Planning yesterday seeking the zoning and Mandatory Inclusionary Housing changes through a Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) application.

Project 2025Q0331 LINK

The Proposed Development

The developer plans to include nearly 13,000 square feet of commercial space, primarily intended for local retail, and an additional 5,000 square feet dedicated to a community facility, likely an art center. Residential entrances would be situated on 45th Street, while retail and community spaces would front both Greenpoint Avenue and 45th Street. Because the site is located within the “Inner Transit Zone,” the developer is not proposing any on-site parking, noting the area’s access to the 7 subway train and multiple bus lines.

The Case for Rezoning

Under the current R6A/C1-4 zoning, ZD Jasper is restricted in what it can build as-of-right. The existing zoning is a legacy of the 2011 Sunnyside-Woodside Rezoning, which focused on preserving neighborhood character rather than maximizing housing. In its current state, the zoning limits density to a 3.0 FAR and a maximum height of 75 feet for standard residential projects. Most importantly, the current designation does not require the creation of any affordable housing.By requesting a change to R7X and R7A districts, ZD Jasper seeks to nearly double the permitted density to a 5.5 FAR. This shift is essential for the developer to implement Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH). By adopting MIH Options 1 and 2, the project would legally mandate that 36 to 42 of the 143 units be permanently income-restricted. The applicant argues that the current R6A zoning has “failed to incentivize redevelopment” and that the proposed density is necessary to bridge the gap between the existing neighborhood bulk and the city’s urgent need for 500,000 new homes.

Non-Applicant Controlled Parcels

44-01 Greenpoint Avenue (Block 166, Lot 1) is an approximately 16,128 sq. ft. lot with frontage along Greenpoint Avenue and 44th Street. The lot is improved with an approximately one-story, 13,180 sq. ft. (0.82 FAR) supermarket
44-20 Queens Boulevard (Block 166, Lot 35) is an approximately 24,200 sq. ft. lot partially located within the Project Area. The lot is improved with a one-story, approximately 2,580 sq. ft. (0.12 FAR) drive-thru restaurant.

The property

The property in Sunnyside has 23,650 square feet of built space and 54,131 square feet of additional air rights for a total buildable of 77,700 square feet according to a PincusCo analysis of city data. The parcel has frontage of 128 feet and is 219 feet deep with a total lot size of 25,900 square feet. The lot is irregular. The zoning is R6A which allows for up to 3 times floor area ratio (FAR) for residential with inclusionary housing. The city-designated market value for the property in 2022 is $9.2 million. The most recent loan totaled $9 million and was provided by MidFirst Bank on October 31, 2024.

Prior sales, articles and revenue

This property was sold by Jehovah’s Witnesses for $16.3 million to ZD Jasper Realty on October 31, 2024.

Violations and lawsuits

According to city public data, the property has received $1,820 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 Sunnyside, The bulk, or 32 percent of the 15.9 million square feet of commercial built space are elevator buildings, with walkup buildings next occupying 29 percent of the space. In sales, Sunnyside has near average sales volume among other neighborhoods with $309.1 million in sales volume in the last two years and is the 7th highest in Queens. For development, Sunnyside has near average amount of major developments among other neighborhoods and is the 14th highest in Queens. It had 681,623 square feet of commercial and multi-family construction under development in the last two years, which represents 4 percent of the neighborhood’s built space.

The block

On this tax block, PincusCo has identified the owners of two of the five commercial properties representing 82,030 square feet of the 111,496 square feet. The two identified owners are Briard Group and Summit Properties. There are no active new building construction projects on this tax block.

The owner

The PincusCo database currently indicates that ZD Jasper Realty owned at least 29 commercial properties with 488 residential units in New York City with 289,964 square feet and a city-determined market value of $70.7 million. Within the portfolio, the bulk, or 43 percent of the 289,964 square feet of built space are industrial properties, with elevator properties next occupying 17 percent of the space. The bulk, or 83 percent of the built space, is in Queens, with Manhattan next at 17 percent of the space.

The surrounding

Within a 400-foot radius of 45-50 45 Street, PincusCo identified four commercial real estate items of interests occurred over the past 24 months. Of those four items, two were sales above $5 million totaling $853 million. The most recent of the two was Summit Properties which bought the 79,450-square-foot, 100-unit rental (D1) on 45-35 44th Street for $12.3 million from Pinnacle Group on April 23, 2026. Of those four items, two were loans above $5 million totaling $48.7 million. The most recent of the two was Summit Properties in which borrowed $12.7 million from Flagstar Bank secured by the 79,450-square-foot, 100-unit rental (D1) on 45-35 44th Street on April 23, 2026.

Direct link to the property’s ACRIS page and link to DOB NOW portal.