Home to the AirTrain to Kennedy Airport and the Long Island Rail Road, Jamaica, Queens, is one of New York City’s major transportation hubs. More than 220,000 people pass through it on the average weekday. Yet few New Yorkers or visitors see more than the train station. That will change soon. On Monday, the City Council approved one of the largest rezoning initiatives to take place during the Bloomberg administration. In all, the rezoning impacts 368 blocks in the Jamaica area. City officials predict the zoning plan and economic development to follow will bring 5,176 new housing units, 9,600 new jobs, and 3 million square feet of new commercial space. “Every major city other than New York has a business center near its international airport,” says Dan Doctoroff, the deputy mayor in charge of economic development. “The rezoning of Jamaica with its transportation center, access, and potential for commercial and residential development presents conditions conducive to a vibrant economic area.” * The Zoning Changes: A lot goes into rebuilding a neighborhood. In this case, rezoning was the necessary first step to encouraging major development. The Jamaica rezoning plan allows for high-rise buildings such as hotels, office buildings and apartment towers…