Queens Developer's Hotel OKed After He Hosts De Blasio Fundraiser

FLUSHING, QUEENS — A Flushing developer's plans for his first Manhattan hotel got the stamp of approval just over a week after he hosted a fundraiser for one of Mayor Bill de Blasio political action committees, according to a news report.

Developer Michael Cheng's Epos Development filed plans with the buildings department for a hotel at 347 Lexington Ave. in Midtown Manhattan in October 2017.

The agency finally okayed the plans this March, roughly a week after Cheng and his family his family hosted a fundraiser for de Blasio's Fairness PAC, THE CITY reported.

A spokesperson for de Blasio's presidential campaign told THE CITY the hotel approval was unrelated to fundraising.

"The mayor has been very clear that all official decisions are based on merit, and that we will not accept donations from anyone on the Doing Business List," spokesperson Olivia Lapeyrolerie told the news outlet, referring to a database of those seeking city contracts or city approvals other than building permits.

Cheng, the developer, told THE CITY he held the fundraiser to support de Blasio's presidential run, saying, "He's doing great things for the city."

While the mayor purportedly formed the PAC to help elect progressive Democrats across the United States, THE CITY found he has dipped into it to help fund his presidential campaign.

Cheng and Epos Development CEO Terence Cheng each donated $5,000 to Fairness PAC in March, THE CITY found.

Read the full story in THE CITY.