Last year Mayor Bloomberg announced a $3 billion plan to seize 61 acres of the Willets Point district next to the forthcoming Citi Field in Queens through eminent domain, raze it, and construct 5,500 units of housing, a hotel, convention center and over 2 million square feet of office space, restaurants and retail shops. But business owners in the target zone have been fighting it, saying their ‘hood, dubbed the Iron Triangle for its chop......

The abrupt elevation of Lieutenant Governor David Paterson to the top seat in NY State government should mix things up a bit in Albany and NYC. First up is the state budget, and with a grim economic outlook and behind-the-scenes transitions, he said yesterday, “We cannot afford to waste another second. We have a budget that is due and a deadline to meet.” Paterson added he would attempt to govern by consensus, rather than take......

Another Will Ferrell sports flick will inflate this weekend, capping off a nationwide “Funny or Die” promotional tour that brought him to Radio City Music Hall Sunday night. The movie is Semi-Pro, which stars Ferrell as Jackie Moon, owner of the 1976 Flint Michigan Tropics, a team in the maverick ABA basketball league. To keep his career alive against all odds, Moon initiates off a series of increasingly desperate publicity stunts to attract fans –......

Earlier this year, Mayor Bloomberg announced a major plan to transform Willets Point, the area, also known as the Iron Triangle, across from Shea Stadium, into a thriving area of new housing, business and hotels. However, some are pretty unhappy with the plans, which include replacing 250 businesses, and they've channeled their hopes - and a fair amount of money - to City Council member Melinda Katz. The Post reports Katz received $29,500 from "people......

The Real Deal (via Brownstoner) is reporting that, according to a recent court ruling, the city is taking two Williamsburg properties via eminent domain for Bushwick Inlet Park. The properties are located along the East River between North 9th and 10th streets. According to one real estate expert, the city will only pay about $100 per square foot, compared to the $200 per square foot it could garner on the open market, even though the......

In non-report card 7 train news, the MTA is now offering express 7 service after Mets games during weeknight games. And the service will start after tomorrow's Mets-Cincinnati Reds game. Post-game express service will last an hour, with trains leaving Willets Point-Shea Stadium every six minutes. Trips to Queensboro Plaza will now take 13 minutes (from 19 when taking the local) and trips to Times Square will now take 25 minutes (from 31). MTA Executive......

Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: person under a bus at Park Ave. South and East 24th St., a shooting on Church Ave. in Brooklyn, and shots fired on East 169th St. and Tinton Ave. in the Bronx. As part of its 20th anniversary weekend, WFAN 660-AM will be airing four hours of old Imus shows, which used to be the morning anchor of the station. Queens and Brooklyn residents team up to protest eminent......

The area across from Shea Stadium known as the Iron Triangle has never seemed suitable for housing, mostly because it was home to hundreds of auto shops. That could all change, if Mayor Bloomberg gets his way. Yesterday, the mayor announced a master plan to revitalize Willets Point, the official name of the 61-acre area in Northern Queens. The plan would replace the 250 businesses, which employ about 1,300 people, with housing, office space,......

Well, this is totally reassuring: The Department of Environmental Protection confirmed there is a sewage leak somewhere on the G line that is causing the disgusting smell. A track inspector told am New York, "It's like raw sewage coming from a pipe, disgusting. It smells real bad and makes me want to throw up." Jeez, we want to throw up, too, just thinking about it. The DEP says since the Marcy and Flushing sewer......

Could there be another World's Fair coming to Flushing-Meadows? The Bureau of International Exhibitions has reportedly asked New York City if it'd be interested in hosting a fair in 2012 or 2015. The Flushing Meadows Corona Park World's Fair Association is very enthusiastic about the idea, with its president David Oats explaining, "The U.S. hasn't had a fair in two decades. Since they [the committee] opened the door, we felt we had an obligation to......

Queens Borough President Helen Marshall really wants the Jets to move to Queens so much that she says she's fine with getting rid of the Fountain of Planets in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. Marshall made the point that no one will care about the Fountain of Planets because it's filled with garbage. Mayor Bloomberg was with Marshall when she made that comment yesterday, and he said, "If it's filled with garbage there will be somebody there......

Congressman Anthony Weiner is suggesting that the NY Jets move to Queens instead of the West Side of Manhattan. Why? Because it would be cheaper. Weiner says it would cost about $445 million to build in Willets Point, rather than the $1.4 billion it would cost in Manhattan. The Jets organization and city, however, argue that the tax revenue for a Manhattan-based stadium would be much more attractive than one in Queens, especially since the......

It's the 13th Annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival. Festivites and races take place today and tomorrow, from 9AM- 5PM, at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Meadow Lake. (Take the 7 train to Willets Point - Shea Stadium; then walk or take the trolley...check courtesy desk Unfortunately, subway maintenance limits service to Willets Point - thanks reader David). There are races, Dragon parades, arts & crafts... With more than 90 expert teams involving over 1,000......