NYCEDC Selects Wildflower to Develop the Largest Public Electric Vehicle Charging Station in New York City near JFK Airport
Proposal to Include 65 Initial Electric Vehicle Charging Stations and Public Parking Spaces; Site can Scale Up Over Time for Electric Trucks Over Time
Electric Vehicle Charging Station Advances a key Commitment New York City’s Green Economy Action Plan and Delivers on Mayor Adams’ “PlaNYC: Getting Sustainability Done”
NEW YORK, NY—New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) today announced the selection of Wildflower, a New York City-based developer that creates urban infrastructure for sustainability, to build the largest publicly accessible electric vehicle charging station in New York City. The development will include an initial 65 EV-ready charging stations, including 12 rapid charging stations, available 24/7 and can expand over time to support other vehicles including electric trucks, especially as the demand for these sites grows. An “EV ready” site means it will be capable of easily supporting additional electric vehicle charging stations. The project is anticipated to complete construction in 2025.
The facility, once completed, is initially estimated to charge 1,000 vehicles per year, with potential for growth depending on market demand. The EV chargers are expected to serve all types of vehicles, with focus on the electric truck market as it matures and help avoid nearly 78,000 metrics tons of carbon dioxide emissions by 2040. Electrical conduits will also be installed throughout the site, to allow for additional charging stations to be added over time as demand grows.
With electric vehicles becoming more common in New York City and a shortage of electric vehicle charging in this part of the city, current electric vehicle drivers have a limited number of charging stations in the area. Through Wildflower’s development of this electric vehicle charging station, southeastern Jamaica and surrounding markets in Queens will become one of the leading electric vehicles charging infrastructures in the city. The charging station will also help relieve the parking pressures in the surrounding neighborhood and around JFK Airport.
“The Mayor announced the Green Economy Action Plan just three weeks ago, and this project is major progress on one of the most important goals: activating public sites for EV charging,” said Deputy Mayor of Housing, Economic Development and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “By 2040 New York City's economy is projected to have 400,000 green jobs and this project near JFK exemplifies the true power of EV charging, a technological innovation that will reduce carbon emissions and lead to thousands of more green collar jobs to design, install, maintain and upgrade critical climate infrastructure."
“Wildflower’s electric vehicle charging development is a prime example of how committed New York City is in meeting our goals in the Green Economy Action Plan while positioning the city as a global model in sustainability and carbon neutrality,” said NYCEDC President & CEO Andrew Kimball. “This development represents a unique opportunity to transform a manufacturing-zoned property into the city’s largest electric vehicle charging station and we look forward to working with Wildflower on the transformation of this space and providing the community with much-needed parking space.”
Wildflower’s electric vehicle charging development will serve as a critical component of New York City’s Green Economy Action Plan announced last month that aims to activate electric vehicle charging infrastructures and enable low-carbon alternatives in the transportation sector. This first-of-its-kind plan announced by Mayor Eric Adams, NYCEDC, and the Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development (NYCTalent) lays out a series of commitments and strategies that will bolster economic growth, create thousands of jobs, encourage public-private partnerships, and train and position New Yorkers, particularly those from environmentally disadvantaged communities, to benefit from the nearly 400,000 projected green collar jobs in New York City by 2040. The electric vehicle charging station will also build on Mayor Adams’ Rebuild, Renew, Reinvent: A Blueprint for New York City’s Economic Recovery and PlaNYC: Getting Sustainability Done.
Recently, the city announced several efforts towards electric vehicles and infrastructure by securing federal grants for the purchase of 180 electric school buses and the construction of the “Recharge Hub,” the first community-driven freight focused electric vehicle charging depot in the nation. The city also activated the first of five public e-battery charging stations in Manhattan’s Cooper Square to support e-bike use and prevent deadly lithium-ion battery fires.
“Great cities are in a permanent state of renewal. Today, one of New York’s central challenges is building the infrastructure for a green energy future,” said Wildflower Founder Adam Gordon. “This project will deliver a cleaner, more sustainable and more connected city for all New Yorkers with 24/7 public access to electric vehicle Charging in this critical area of the city. Wildflower is excited to partner with Mayor Adams and NYCEDC on ‘PlaNYC: Getting Sustainability Done’ with investments in green infrastructure at record scale. Responding to the climate crisis will take bold action, and this project represents an exciting step.”
“Achieving a greener transportation future includes investing in publicly accessible electric vehicle charging to help us say goodbye to fossil fuels,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “This development will deliver a significant number of EV chargers to help power our electric vehicle future and advance the Adams Administration's investments to build over 20 EV charging stations citywide. We thank EDC, Wildflower, and the many stakeholders who will bring this project to fruition.”
“New York City’s transportation sector accounts for 30% of citywide greenhouse gas emissions, and to hit our aggressive greenhouse gas reduction targets, we must encourage EV adoption,” said New York City Chief Climate Officer and Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala. “As we transition for-hire vehicles, including those that service JFK Airport, to wheelchair accessible or zero-emissions by 2030 under Mayor Adams’ Green Rides Initiative, charging access like this is crucial – and innovative ideas like EV-ready sites are made possible by strong public-private partnerships like that between the city and Wildflower.”
“We are working to get New Yorkers into more sustainable forms of transit, but for those who must drive, we want them to drive electric,” said Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice Executive Director Elijah Hutchinson. “These EV charging stations help with that goal and get polluting trucks – which disproportionately burden Black and Brown communities – off our streets. 90% of goods destined for New York City are transported by truck and almost all the trucks are diesel-powered, which is why we need infrastructure that animates the clean truck market, especially in environmental justice communities in and around Jamaica, Queens.”
“The creation of this new charging station at JFK Airport is a victory for making electric vehicles more accessible for New Yorkers, and by turning a former manufacturing site into local hub for low carbon transportation alternatives, we are helping fulfill the vision of the Green Economy Action Plan first laid out last month,” said Executive Director of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development Abby Jo Sigal. “Building and scaling EV charging stations will drive demand for EV technicians and operators. We look forward to working with NYCEDC, JFK, and our workforce providers to build robust career pathways to these green collar jobs.”
“Queens knows all too well the devastating impacts of climate change, and we know we must leave no stone unturned when it comes to cutting our carbon emissions and combatting this crisis,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “The development of this vehicle charging station will be a giant step forward in our efforts to reduce vehicle emissions and to bring about a brighter and greener future for our borough and city. I’m very excited about the selection of Wildflower to develop this station and look forward to working with them to promote this critically important sustainability project.”
“Electric vehicle infrastructure is essential to a greener future for New York City,” said NYC Council Majority Whip Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. “I am excited that New York City Economic Development Corporation is partnering with Wildflower to construct the city’s largest publicly accessible EV charging station here in Southeast Queens, which has long been deprived of equitable investments in its infrastructure. I note the importance of facilitating the green transition of trucks, which generates pollution and congestion in neighborhoods surrounding John F. Kennedy International Airport. I look forward to working with NYCEDC and Wildflower and helping to engage the community nearby as this important project proceeds.”
“This project embodies our commitment to a greener, more connected future for New York City,” said State Senator James Sanders Jr. “The ambitious plan for JFK North, with its focus on electric vehicle accessibility, sets a powerful example for sustainable transportation. We're excited to embark on this groundbreaking journey.”
“Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming much more affordable, battery range is increasing, and more models are hitting the market. Transportation is responsible for almost 30% of NYC's greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), with most of these emissions coming from passenger cars. Increasing the number of EVs in the five boroughs is an important part of the city’s effort to achieve net-zero transportation GHG emissions by 2050,” said Assembly Member Khaleel M. Anderson. “Charging an EV can be a challenge in New York City as many people do not have access to a home charger. We must address this gap by expanding access to public EV charging in Assembly District 31, Southeast Queens, and across the five boroughs. The development of the largest public electric vehicle charging station is a welcome and correct step in addressing climate and transit inequity.”
“This southwest corner of Queens Community Board 13 has been simply an overgrowth of weeds serving no value to the community or city. In this instance, NYC/EDC thoughtfully found a business concept that both develops an otherwise useless property while looking forward to the future with something necessary to address environmental concerns,” said District Manager Queens Community Board 13 Mark McMillan. “This is a plus for our community, and for battery-powered transportation as more electric cars and trucks appear on our roads. By selecting this Wildflower proposal, the City has shown vision while not disrupting the quality-of-life of local residents. This is an example of clear thinking, cooperation, and innovation in developing a heretofore useless piece of land. Our community is pleased.”
“As the Executive Director of GatewayJFK, I am thrilled to see our vision for sustainable urban development taking shape with the establishment of the largest and first electric vehicle charging station in New York City. This transformative project not only underscores our commitment to environmental stewardship but also represents a significant milestone in advancing clean energy solutions within our community,” said Executive Director of GatewayJFK James Johnson. “Situated within the GatewayJFK business improvement district, this initiative not only promotes the adoption of electric vehicles but also supports our broader mission of fostering economic growth while reducing air pollution and combating environmental challenges such as asthma. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mayor Eric Adams for his visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to sustainability initiatives in New York City. I also extend my appreciation to the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) for their invaluable support and partnership in bringing this project to fruition. Furthermore, I want to thank Wildflower for their commitment to innovation and their role in driving forward sustainable infrastructure development in our city.”
“The NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) announcement of the selected developer for the JFK North RFP Project, a 2.3-acre land parcel between Nassau Expressway and Rockaway Boulevard, is of community interest,” said Rosedale Preservation Society President Sandra Long. “As ‘the largest electric vehicle (EV) charging station in New York City,’ the beneficial impact on the community-environment should be publicized and documented for public consumption.”
In the Fall of 2022, NYCEDC released an RFP seeking respondents to purchase and develop an industrially zoned 2.6-acre parcel of land located to the north of JFK Airport between Nassau Expressway and Rockaway Boulevard, adjacent to the Bartlett Dairy distribution facility.
About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization that works for a vibrant, inclusive, and globally competitive economy for all New Yorkers. We take a comprehensive approach, through four main strategies: strengthen confidence in NYC as a great place to do business; grow innovative sectors with a focus on equity, build neighborhoods as places to live, learn, work, and play; and deliver sustainable infrastructure for communities and the city's future economy. To learn more about what we do, visit us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
About Wildflower
Wildflower brings innovative solutions to the city’s largest problems in commerce, community and sustainability. The New York City-based developer creates urban infrastructure for eCommerce, electric vehicle and logistics parking, community solar, housing, and the city’s cultural life. Visionary projects include Wildflower Studios, the world’s first vertical film studio in partnership with Robert De Niro, and a network of state-of-the-art logistics centers for the world’s largest ecommerce retailer.
