Long Island City

PHOTOS: Phase two of Hunter’s Point South Park officially opens on the LIC waterfront

June 27, 2018

PHOTOS: Phase two of Hunter’s Point South Park officially opens on the LIC waterfront

By Devin Gannon

Photo © 6sqft The Hunter's Point South Park extension officially opened Wednesday, over three years after construction began at the Long Island City site. The second phase adds 5.5 acres south to the existing park, which currently has a basketball court, playground, two dog-runs, and a volleyball sand pit. The city's Economic Development Corporation and Department of Parks and Recreation developed the project, which measures 11-acres from 50th Avenue to Newton Creek on the East River. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, local officials and community members gathered to celebrate the project's opening. "This is a beautiful park," State Sen. Michael Gianaris said. "Enough to make our friends across in Manhattan look over and be jealous that they don't have anything as beautiful on their side of the River."
More here

Architecture And Design

Lottery opens for 59 middle-income units near MoMA PS1 in Long Island City, from $2,098/month

Rendering via HAAK architects

May 18, 2018

Lottery opens for 59 middle-income units near MoMA PS1 in Long Island City, from $2,098/month

By Devin Gannon

Applications are now being accepted for 59 newly constructed, middle-income units in the heart of thriving Long Island City in Queens. HAAK architects designed the 12-story building at 11-39 49th Avenue, which boasts a unique patchwork facade made of tricolor brick. The rental sits less than a block from the 7 train and MoMA PS1 and less than a mile from Gantry Plaza State Park on the waterfront. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, which range from a $2,098/month studio to a $3,131/month three-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Proposal calls for a floating pedestrian bridge to connect Greenpoint and Long Island City

Rendering via CRÈME / Jun Aizaki Architecture and Design

May 17, 2018

Proposal calls for a floating pedestrian bridge to connect Greenpoint and Long Island City

By Devin Gannon

A Kickstarter campaign launched on Thursday for a civic design project aimed at reconnecting the neighborhoods of Greenpoint and Long Island City and the residents who live there. Brooklyn-based studio CRÈME/ Jun Aizaki Architecture & Design's concept, called Timber Bridge at LongPoint Corridor, calls for constructing a floating bridge made of durable timber that would sit on Newtown Creek and expand past to the LIRR rail yard in LIC. Not only would it provide people greater access to transit options, according to the design team, Timber Bridge would give bikers and pedestrians a safer commute than the Pulaski Bridge, a less-than-ideal path with lots of cars.
Find out more

Architecture And Design

$5.5M converted firehouse could be Long Island City’s most expensive sale

May 17, 2018

$5.5M converted firehouse could be Long Island City’s most expensive sale

By Michelle Cohen

A listing broker for this 1848 former local firehouse told the Wall Street Journal that its $5.5 million asking price was “aspirational,” but the neighborhood certainly has changed since its owner purchased the three-story, 3,500 square-foot converted townhouse in 1981 for $115,000. Long Island City turned fancy and this Federal-style firehouse got an architect-led overhaul that gave it three bedrooms, a 17-foot vaulted ceiling, a home office/library, a garden, a terrace, a garage, an elevator, and a sliding glass wall.
Hop in the elevator, take the tour

The Urban Lens: Queens-born Kris Graves captures a rapidly disappearing side of Long Island City

Condo Construction, Long Island City, New York, 2008 © Kris Graves

May 11, 2018

The Urban Lens: Queens-born Kris Graves captures a rapidly disappearing side of Long Island City

By Hannah Frishberg

6sqft’s series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, Kris Graves shares photos from his “A Queens Affair". Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. Queens-born photographer Kris Graves has been shooting his series “A Queens Affair” since 2005. Recently, he published a limited edition and currently sold-out softcover book, LOST LIC, containing some of his thousands of shots of the borough. A hater of glass, he describes his motives to take photos of LIC simply: he wants to capture the rapidly disappearing nooks and crannies of the neighborhood before they’re gone forever. While some of his previous work, including photos of every police precinct in New York, have been comprehensive, with “A Queens Affair,” Graves admits he does not know if the project will ever truly be complete.
The landscapes in many of his photos have already changed drastically

Places

First rendering unveiled for Durst’s Long Island City tower, projected to be the tallest in Queens

Rendering courtesy of Durst Organization via SkyscraperPage

March 27, 2018

First rendering unveiled for Durst’s Long Island City tower, projected to be the tallest in Queens

By Devin Gannon

After picking up the Long Island City property for $173.5 million in 2016, the Durst Organization released this week the first rendering of its massive mixed-use building planned for 29-37 41st Avenue. Dubbed Queens Plaza Park, the 978,000-square-foot tower will hold 958 rental residences, as well as retail and office space. The rendering reveals a concave-shaped building which will wrap around the 90-year old landmarked Clock Tower, which is being saved and restored, as CityRealty reported.
Find out more

Real Estate Trends

MoMA PS1’s Young Architects Program winner adds elements of ‘Hide and Seek’ to summer courtyard

Rendering: MoMA PS1 courtyard featuring ‘Hide & Seek’ by Jennifer Newsom and Tom Carruthers of Dream The Combine.

March 6, 2018

MoMA PS1’s Young Architects Program winner adds elements of ‘Hide and Seek’ to summer courtyard

By Michelle Cohen

The Museum of Modern Art and MoMA PS1 have announced that the 2018 winner of their annual Young Architects Program is 'Hide & Seek' by Jennifer Newsom and Tom Carruthers of Dream The Combine, in collaboration with Clayton Binkley of ARUP. Opening in June, the winning construction, a "responsive, kinetic environment that features nine intersecting elements arrayed across the entirety of the MoMA PS1 courtyard" will serve as a backdrop for the 21st season of Warm Up, MoMA PS1’s outdoor seasonal music series.
Find out more

The second phase of Hunters Point South Park will be ready for visitors by summer

Photo by David Lloyd/SWA

March 6, 2018

The second phase of Hunters Point South Park will be ready for visitors by summer

Long Island City is getting five more glorious acres of waterfront park space, with the city expected to complete Hunters Point South Park in the coming months. The second phase of the park, which stretches below 54th Avenue and wraps around Newtown Creek, is nearing completion after three years under construction, according to LIC Post. The city's Economic Development Corporation says the opening date will come by late spring or early summer, so New Yorkers will have a whole new outdoor amenity to enjoy when the weather warms up.
The park has tons of cool features

How NYC’s 2012 Olympic Village would have transformed the Queens waterfront

Renderings of the winning design by Morphosis

February 7, 2018

How NYC’s 2012 Olympic Village would have transformed the Queens waterfront

By Ondel Hylton

With the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea kicking off in just two days, we can't help but think what an incredible 17 days it would have been if they were here in New York City (logistical concerns aside). The city came closest in 2004 when it was chosen by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as one of the five finalists to host the 2012 Olympics. London, Paris, Moscow and Madrid were the other four. Splashy renderings planted 27 venues across all five boroughs, New Jersey and Long Island, but the winning, and perhaps most eye-catching, proposal was the Olympic Village in Long Island City's Hunter's Point South by Thom Mayne's Morphosis.
Get the full history here

Long Island City’s Jackson Park will feature two pools, full-size basketball court, and a 1.6-acre park

Rendering of Jackson Park courtesy of Tishman Speyer

November 20, 2017

Long Island City’s Jackson Park will feature two pools, full-size basketball court, and a 1.6-acre park

By Devin Gannon

As the Long Island City skyline continues to grow, so does the list of amenities developments are offering residents in the booming Queens neighborhood. New renderings of the massive, three-tower, 1,871-unit rental complex, Jackson Park, reveal extravagant luxuries like two swimming pools, a gaming area, a full-size basketball/volleyball and squash court, and much more, as the New York Post reported. With move-ins expected in January, leasing has officially begun at the Tishman Speyer-complex, with net rents starting at $1,915 per month studios, $2,335 per month one-bedrooms, $3,555 per month for two-bedrooms, $4,745 per month for three-bedrooms and $7,310 per month for four-bedrooms.
Take a peek

Second phase of Hunters Point South development moves forward with 960 affordable unit proposal

Rendering of Hunters Point South courtesy of Handel Architects

November 17, 2017

Second phase of Hunters Point South development moves forward with 960 affordable unit proposal

By Devin Gannon

Plans to redevelop Hunters Point South, a project first proposed by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, is finally making some headway. The city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the Housing Development Corp. on Thursday selected a proposal that will bring a 1,120-unit apartment complex, with 80 percent of them permanently affordable, to the southern tip of the Long Island City neighborhood. According to the Wall Street Journal, the $500 million, two-tower project is being developed by Gotham and RiseBoro Community Partnership Inc.
Find out more

Anable Basin proposal envisions a massive mixed-use district along the Long Island City waterfront

Rendering courtesy of WXY architecture + urban design

November 14, 2017

Anable Basin proposal envisions a massive mixed-use district along the Long Island City waterfront

By Devin Gannon

The plastics company, Plaxall, announced on Tuesday a massive rezoning proposal to allow for a mixed-use district in Anable Basin, the area surrounding a 149-year-old inlet located in Long Island City. Since founding the company more than 70 years ago, the Plaxall family has purchased and rehabilitated properties in the neighborhood and currently manages over one million square feet of space. Achieved through rezoning, the proposal calls for 335,000 square feet for industrial uses, 4,955 housing units with 25 percent of them affordable, a 700+ seat public school and a new, elevated promenade. If the rezoning is approved, construction is anticipated to begin in 2020 with a completion date in 2034, but no official timeline has been set.
Find out more

Live across from Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City for $867/month

Rendering of Vernon Tower, via PACS Architecture and Excel Development

November 3, 2017

Live across from Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City for $867/month

By Devin Gannon

On Monday, the lottery opens for 21 affordable units in a new luxury residential building located on the border of the trendy Queens neighborhoods of Astoria and Long Island City. The mixed-use rental at 11-06 31st Drive, called the Vernon Tower despite being just eight-stories, sits directly across from Socrates Sculpture Park and just a few blocks from the Noguchi Museum and waterfront promenade. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the units ranging from $867/month studios to $1,123/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

First 5Pointz-replacing tower tops out in Long Island City

Construction progress as of late-October, via CityRealty

October 31, 2017

First 5Pointz-replacing tower tops out in Long Island City

By Devin Gannon

The first tower of the controversial rental complex in Long Island City, 5Pointz, has officially topped out, although not without some roadblocks. Once an art studio and exhibition space, known for its vibrant graffiti-covered warehouse, the complex was whitewashed of its iconic murals in 2013, making way for the new development. Now, four years and several lawsuits later, construction of the development at 22-44 Jackson Avenue continues to chug along, with its first and tallest tower topping out this week. As CityRealty discovered, David Wolkoff's 1.4 million-square-foot plan calls for a 47-story tower and a 41-story tower, with 1,115 apartments total.
Find out more

After four years, TF Cornerstone files plans for 1,200-unit building at Hunters Point South

Updated rendering of parcel c for Hunters Point South, courtesy of ODA Architecture

October 20, 2017

After four years, TF Cornerstone files plans for 1,200-unit building at Hunters Point South

By Devin Gannon

TF Cornerstone on Thursday filed its first permits for a 1,200-unit apartment building as the second phase of the city’s Hunters Point South redevelopment, a project that first began in 2013. The plan for the waterfront neighborhood in Long Island City, Queens called for a mixed-use, affordable housing development that would hold up to 5,000 units, with 60 percent of them affordable. Selected for phase two of the ambitious project by Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration, TF Cornerstone’s original proposal was delayed for four years after local, state and federal authorities forced the developer to rethink its design (h/t Crain's).
Find out more

City officially pitches four neighborhoods for Amazon’s HQ2

October 19, 2017

City officially pitches four neighborhoods for Amazon’s HQ2

By Devin Gannon

Mayor Bill de Blasio and the New York City Economic Development Corporation released their official pitch for Amazon's second headquarters on Wednesday, one day before the deadline. Boasting the city's talented tech workforce, the de Blasio administration has pitched Midtown West, Long Island City, the Brooklyn Tech Triangle (DUMBO, Downtown Brooklyn and the Navy Yard), and Lower Manhattan as the four best spots for Amazon to call home. The tech giant's nationwide competition, announced in September, set out to find their next headquarters, called HQ2. The company promises the headquarters will bring 50,000 new jobs and $5 billion in initial city investment.
Find out more

Policy

Prime Long Island City site could be the perfect spot for Amazon’s HQ2

Rendering of the Hunters Point South project, courtesy of NYCEDC

October 18, 2017

Prime Long Island City site could be the perfect spot for Amazon’s HQ2

By Devin Gannon

An eight-acre, 1.6 million-square-foot residential site next to Hunters Point South is for sale, a piece of land owned by a family for generations. According to the New York Post, the site could potentially bring in $480 million if targeted to market-rate condominiums since land in Long Island City sells for roughly $300 per square foot. The triangle-shaped plot of land found at 55-01 Second Street and bounded by 54th Avenue and Vernon Boulevard, sits on Newtown Creek, an estuary that forms part of the border between Brooklyn and Queens. The site might make the perfect spot for Amazon’s second headquarters as the tech giant seeks 500,000 square feet for their HQ2 by 2019.
Find out more

Live in Long Island City’s luxurious rental tower, the Hayden, from $947/month

Rendering of the Hayden, courtesy of Rockrose Development

September 21, 2017

Live in Long Island City’s luxurious rental tower, the Hayden, from $947/month

By Devin Gannon

The second batch of affordable apartments is now available at the Hayden, a 50-story, 924-unit highrise in the blossoming neighborhood of Long Island City in Queens. Designed by SCLE Architects, the building at 43-25 Hunter Street features amenities like a fitness center, yoga room, basketball court, rooftop solarium, screening room, library and more. Qualifying New Yorkers earning between $34,355 and $57,240 can apply for $947 per month studios, $1,017 per month one-bedrooms and the $1,230 per month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

$925M mega-project may bring 1,000 rentals and a 100,000-square-foot factory to Long Island City

Rendering courtesy of TF Cornerstone

July 31, 2017

$925M mega-project may bring 1,000 rentals and a 100,000-square-foot factory to Long Island City

By Devin Gannon

The waterfront Queens neighborhood of Long Island City has gone from a sleepy, factory town to boasting the country's largest number of new rental apartments. Now, to preserve some of LIC’s industrial backbone, a new development proposal from TF Cornerstone calls for a massive $925 million mixed-use complex, which will include 1,000 rental apartments and 100,000 square feet of light manufacturing space. As the New York Times reported, the project comes at the city’s request in 2016 for mixed-use project proposals with a focus on commercial and industrial space.
Find out more

REVEALED: Tishman Speyer’s Long Island City office development boasts food hall and rooftop park

July 25, 2017

REVEALED: Tishman Speyer’s Long Island City office development boasts food hall and rooftop park

By Devin Gannon

Long Island City, New York City’s fastest growing neighborhood, shows no signs of slowing down. Following the completion of Jackson Park, the residential phase of Tishman Speyer Properties’ massive Gotham Center development, renderings have been revealed for their creative office space across the street at 28-01 Jackson Avenue. As CityRealty learned, the development, called the JACX, consists of two identical towers that will include over 40,000 square feet of retail space, with a gourmet market, food hall, dining, and boutique fitness centers, as well as a one-acre rooftop terrace.
See inside

New photos of Long Island City’s 1 QPS Tower show off NYC’s highest rooftop pool

July 3, 2017

New photos of Long Island City’s 1 QPS Tower show off NYC’s highest rooftop pool

Just in time for the height of the summer season, developer Property Markets Group has released a set of new photos of their 500-foot Long Island City rental 1 QPS Tower, which has the highest rooftop pool in the city, complete with panoramic skyline views, plenty of lounge chairs, and a stylish bar area (h/t CityRealty). The new images also show off the SLCE-designed skyscraper's other amenities, including a garden terrace, library, triple-height gym with rock climbing wall, and conference/lounge areas.
Check out all the photos

Watch MoMA PS1’s solar canopy art installation get installed

© Pablo Enriquez for MoMA PS1

June 28, 2017

Watch MoMA PS1’s solar canopy art installation get installed

Every summer, New Yorkers are treated to kooky architectural innovation in the MoMA PS1 Courtyard. ( Last summer: this wild woven design from Mexico City-based architecture firm Escobedo Solíz Studio.) This year, Ithaca, New York-based architect Jenny Sabin takes the spotlight with her Lumen installation, a structure made of over one thousand digitally knitted photo luminescent cells that change color in the presence of sunlight. In honor of the installation opening this week, MoMA PS1 released videos in which the architect explains the development of her 500-pound solar-active canopy and shows off the construction and installation process.
Watch the videos here

Map: Where to watch the Macy’s fireworks this July 4th

June 28, 2017

Map: Where to watch the Macy’s fireworks this July 4th

By Michelle Cohen

Here's a handy guide outlining some prime spots for experiencing Macy's Fourth of July live fireworks extravaganza this Tuesday evening; in addition, the folks that put on the show have provided a helpful interactive neighborhood finder so you're well situated when things go boom. Take a fun quiz here, then find out the best spots to watch from. Or just check out some prime spots here.
More info this way

More apartments have been built in Long Island City than any other U.S. neighborhood since 2010

June 26, 2017

More apartments have been built in Long Island City than any other U.S. neighborhood since 2010

By Devin Gannon

Following the country’s economic recession, neighborhoods throughout the United States have witnessed an apartment boom. According to a report by RENTCafe, since 2010, apartment buildings have been popping up at an increasingly faster rate. Unsurprisingly, Long Island City came in first for the largest number of new rental apartments, with 41 new apartment buildings and 12,533 new units built in the past seven years. Nearly 36 percent of all apartments are brand new in this Queens waterfront neighborhood.
See which other NYC 'hoods made the top-10 list

Real Estate Trends

Art Nerd New York’s top event picks for the week – 5/18-5/24

May 18, 2017

Art Nerd New York’s top event picks for the week – 5/18-5/24

Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer shares her top art, design and architecture event picks for 6sqft readers! There’s nothing better than walking around the city when the weather is great, and this week’s round up will get you outdoors and enjoying the sun. Open studios abound on Saturday and Sunday, offering art lovers a chance to peek into the private studios of artists across the boroughs. The city's sacred sites—churches, synagogues and temples—are also swinging their doors open, inviting the public to bask in the beauty of their stained glass collections.
Details on these events and more this way

Events & Things To Do

Rare Italianate townhouse in Long Island City comes with a sunroom and lush backyard

May 17, 2017

Rare Italianate townhouse in Long Island City comes with a sunroom and lush backyard

Long Island City isn't known as a neighborhood of historic townhomes--especially considering all the new development--but it does boast the impressive Hunters Point Historic District, lined with incredible residential architecture. One such building in the historic district is the Italianate townhouse at 21-20 45th Avenue built by developers Root and Rust in 1870. It's now on the market for $3.5 million. According to the listing, the exterior use of Westchester stone--a durable sandstone resembling marble--"has allowed this and other townhouses along the row to survive almost 150 years looking almost as good as the day they were built." Inside, there's tin ceilings, marble mantels and exposed brick, as well as a sunroom that leads out to a truly incredible backyard.
Go see it

Apply for 34 affordable units in Long Island City’s new Watermark tower, from $908/month

May 12, 2017

Apply for 34 affordable units in Long Island City’s new Watermark tower, from $908/month

By Devin Gannon

While all of Long Island City seems to be undergoing development, one block in particular, Purves Street, remains the neighborhood’s most concentrated construction hub. Applications open Monday for 34 affordable units in one of these new builds, Watermark LIC (formerly Watermark Court Square) located at 27-19 44th Drive and 44-16 Purves Street. The 27-story building designed by Handel Architects offers 168 apartments and has 2,500 square feet of retail space. New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the below-market rate apartments that range from $908/month studios to $1,176/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

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520 Fifth Avenue

Midtown West

Live at the center of NYC

1 beds starting at $2,445,000
2 beds starting at $3,435,000
3 beds starting at $6,775,000