Industry crosses fingers Jets will build in Queens.

The city's construction industry has turned its attention to a new plan by the Jets that could see a super stadium built in Queens.

"Hope springs eternal that the Jets will build in Queens and utilize every facet of our construction community," said Lenore Janis, president of Professional Women in Construction, following news that the football team had officially withdrawn its plan to build a new $1.6 billion West Side stadium.

"Early in the game, the Jets conducted a superb outreach program to woman and minority-owned construction firms. This huge project would have been a great boon to the W/MBE's and we are all sorely disappointed," added Janis.

In a formal letter delivered to MTA chairman Peter Kalikow on the August 31 deadline for final bids, Jets president Jay Cross said the decision to end a 10-year battle to build the $1.6 billion stadium would cost the construction industry 18,000 jobs.

He said it would also deny the city $1 billion in new tax revenue and the MTA $250 million that the Jets would have paid to build over the rail yards.

Cross praised the MTA--which earlier this summer rejected a $400 million counter offer for the site from Madison Square Garden owner, Cablevision--for its encouragement over the years as the team faced numerous lawsuits, community opposition and, ultimately, state denial of a $300 million funding package to build the dream New York Sports and Convention Center.

"As you chart the future of the western railyards, we hope you continue to work with our convention industry leaders and the Javits Center to bring [major convention] facilities to new York," added Cross in the letter.

While there have been rumblings that the MTA may now use some of a $493 million surplus to build its own platform over the blighted yards and request new bids from developers, a spokeswoman said this week, "We are now evaluating all options."

While the Jets had no further comment on the matter, they team has confirmed it is in talks with both the New Jersey based Giants, with whom they currently share a stadium in the Meadowlands, and Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, who has invited the team to consider developing a new stadium there.