Queens

August 7, 2018

Queens shows how diversity is driving NYC’s economic boom

Recent economic snapshots issued by the state comptroller show that New York City has continued to experience record economic expansion in the past three years. This growth has been led by notable gains in the economies of Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx (Staten Island's report is expected later this year), which since the 1990s have seen an economic boost from a large increase in their immigrant populations, Crain's reports. The revitalization of these immigrant-rich areas has led to an uptick in the number of businesses as well as sales and job growth. Unemployment is at its lowest rate since 1990. Queens, the borough that is home the city's most diverse population and becoming more so, is clearly one to watch.
More jobs, great food
August 4, 2018

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Images (L to R): One Flatbush, Bridgeline, BRiQ and The Windermere Greenpoint Landing’s One Blue Slip Readies for Leasing; 90% of Apartments to Have Water Views [link] Contemporary Upper West Side Rentals at The Windermere Leasing with 1 Month Free [link] BriQ Debuts in Downtown Brooklyn: No Fee Rentals with 1 Month Free [link] See […]

July 28, 2018

RENTING IN NYC: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Images (L to R): 485 Marin Boulevard, Lewis Steel Building, Heritage Dean Street and 321 Wythe Avenue 321 Wythe Debuts in Williamsburg: Luxury Rentals with All-Star Amenities + Skyline Views [link] The Alabama in Greenwich Village: Furnished Rentals for Students and Young Professionals [link] Clinton Hill’s Latest Rental Debuts with Homes from $2,175/Month [link] Meet […]

July 25, 2018

Governor Cuomo announces plans for NYC’s next ‘food hall’ at LaGuardia Airport

Shake Shack, Irving Farm coffee, La Chula taqueria--these sound like your typical food hall staples, but this time they're not in a Brooklyn warehouse or a trendy new building, but in LaGuardia Airport. Governor Cuomo announced today the lineup of in-state food purveyors for Terminal B, which will open in phases starting later this year as part of his massive $8 billion overhaul of LaGuardia. When complete, the entire new airport will have a total of 50 new restaurants, shops, and services, many of which will be local small businesses.
Get the scoop
July 24, 2018

Astoria is getting a new food hall with outer-borough vendors

A new food hall is coming to the Astoria-Long Island City border in Queens, the Commercial Observer reported on Tuesday. Developer Vass Stevens Group is in the process of converting a former print shop, dollar store and restaurant supply store at 34-39 31st Street into a retail space with eight 2,000-square-foot storefronts. The interiors of the single-story building have been demolished and renovations, which will add new glass storefronts and doors, are set to begin soon.
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July 23, 2018

Scrabble is played in 22 languages around the world, but it was invented in Jackson Heights, Queens

"Secret" details hidden in plain sight are pretty much the rule in New York City, and the “Scrabble” street sign in Jackson Heights is a fine example. The letters that make up the sign marking 35th Avenue where it meets 81st Street in the neighborhood’s historic district are–if you look more closely than you’d ever really look at a street sign–accorded numbered points below each letter, Scrabble tile-style. The sign honors the fact that the beloved geeky pastime–according to Hasbro, three out of every five American homes harbor a Scrabble board–was invented right here in Queens by the Poughkeepsie-born Alfred Mosher Butts in 1931. Butts was an architect, and as history tells us, an architect generally needed to find an alternate way to keep busy during the Great Depression.
A big hit at the church social
July 21, 2018

RENTING IN NYC: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Images (L to R): Summit, 333 Grand Street, Astor Broadway and Otto New Rentals Debut in Williamsburg from $1,999/Month at 150 Union Avenue [link] New No Fee Rentals Debut in Astoria; Live at Astor Broadway from $1,999/Month [link] Otto Greenpoint Debuts; Brooklyn Rentals at 211 McGuinness Boulevard from $2,339/Month [link] Live at Lyric: Upper West […]

July 20, 2018

Yet another tall tower is headed for Long Island City

42-50 24th Street rendering via Dynamic Star Long Island City has been fertile ground for new skyscrapers for over a decade–and the biggest additions are still yet to come. Despite concerns over an apartment glut, developers are racing to send 60- and 70- story towers skyward, including the Durst Organization's Queens Plaza Park, United Construction's Court Square City View Tower, and Stawksi Partners' 43-30 24th Street. A newcomer to this party is a mixed-use tower from Dynamic-Hakim and Property Markets Group (PMG) set to rise at 42-50 24th Street, CityRealty reports.
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July 19, 2018

Check out artist Yayoi Kusama’s installation in an abandoned Rockaway train garage

6sqft previously reported on the arrival of “Narcissus Garden,” a site-specific installation made up of 1,500 mirrored stainless steel spheres by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama as MOMA PS1's third installment of“Rockaway!,” a free biannual public art program dedicated to the ongoing recovery efforts after Hurricane Sandy. The completely mesmerizing installation is now on view from July 01-September 03, 2018 at Fort Tilden in the Gateway National Recreation Area, in a former train garage that once was an active U.S. military base. Kusama’s mirrored metal spheres reflect the industrial surroundings of the abandoned building and highlight Fort Tilden’s history. According to MoMA, the metal directs attention to the damage inflicted by Sandy in 2012 on the surrounding area.
More amazing images this way
July 14, 2018

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Images (L to R): The Modern, The Forge, 178 North 11th Street and 1009 Willoughby Avenue Fort Lee’s The Modern: 47-Story Tower Launches with 2 Months Free [link] Rooftop Lounge + Pool Now Open at The Forge – and Up to 3 Months Free [link] Williamsburg Boutique Rental Near McCarren Park Offers 3 Months Free […]

July 9, 2018

Despite 200-foot height cut, 67-story tower in Long Island City will still be Queens’ tallest

The soaring condo tower planned for Long Island City's Court Square shrunk in height this week, dropping from a proposed 984-foot tower to 778 feet, Curbed NY reported. This isn't the first height fluctuation for the building, dubbed the Court Square City View. Developer Chris Xu proposed a 964-foot tower in 2016, bumped it to supertall status at 984 feet in 2017 and now, according to the WSJ, the tower will rise just under 780 feet. Despite reducing in height by more than 200 feet, the tower will still be the tallest building in Queens upon completion.
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July 5, 2018

Uber is bringing dockless, electric bikes to the Bronx, Rockaways, and Staten Island

In May, 6sqft reported that outer-borough neighborhoods underserved by Citi Bike would get dockless bike-share programs this summer. On Tuesday, the city’s pilot officially kicked off in the Rockaways, the area around Fordham University in the Bronx, and the North Shore of Staten Island, and to make things more exciting, the city is also offering electric bikes (h/t NY Times). The Uber-owned Jump Bikes is providing dockless electric bikes that can reach speeds of up to 20 miles per hour with little user effort. The bikes will cost only a dollar or two and can be reserved and paid for in the Uber app.
All the details
July 2, 2018

With funding and plans, revamp of Philip Johnson’s New York State Pavilion moves slowly forward

Designed by starchitect Philip Johnson for the 1964-65 World's Fair to embody the architectural essence of Space Age futurism, the New York State Pavilion, has, in the ensuing decades, become what amNY called a "hulking 54-year-old relic of the World’s Fair," though it has never lost its modernist cachet and has gained value as an historic ruin of sorts. Recently, talk of restoring the pavilion beyond its current inglorious purgatory slowly appears to be moving toward actual plans with funding attached. City officials and preservationists have secured $14 million for specific repairs and improvements to the pavilion.
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June 30, 2018

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Images (L to R): Henry Hall, The Clark, Denizen Bushwick and Monterey at Park Henry Hall in Hudson Yards Offers 4 Months Free on 25-Month Leases [link] Live at The Clark in Prospect Lefferts Gardens from $1,920/Month [link] The Denizen Launches; Modern Bushwick Rentals with Impressive Amenities [link] Murray Hill’s Emery Roth-Designed Monterey at Park […]

June 29, 2018

MoMA PS1 unveils interactive exhibit of moving mirrors for its summer music series

Photo by Pablo Enriquez In MoMA PS1's temporary exhibit at its sprawling outdoor courtyard in Long Island City, people become the art. Hide & Seek, created by Jennifer Newsom and Tom Carruthers of Dream The Combine, features moveable mirrors that offer surprising and dislocating perspectives of the courtyard and the crowd looking into them. Newsome and Carruthers were named the winners of the 2018 Young Architects Program, which challenges emerging architects to design a creative, sustainable outdoor installation. Hide & Seek will be on view at MoMA PS1 between June 28 and September 3.
See the exhibit
June 28, 2018

Lottery opens for 231 affordable units at Flushing’s new mixed-use development

Three-and-a-half years ago, the Department of City Planning enlisted Monadnock Development to build a mixed-use project in downtown Flushing, Queens. Located at 133-45 41st Avenue and dubbed One Flushing, the development has 22,000 square feet of retail space, along with 232 all-affordable apartments, nearly 40 percent of which is set aside as supportive senior housing. Including low- and middle-income units, the lottery for these residences has just opened, ranging from $548/month studios to $2,302/month three-bedrooms. In addition to being just around the corner from the 7 train and adjacent to the Flushing-Main Street LIRR Station, the building offers a 156-space public parking lot, 24-hour attended lobby, laundry room, bike storage, tenant lounge and terrace, fitness center, and rooftop garden.
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June 27, 2018

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

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
June 25, 2018

New renderings and a 2022 deadline for Cuomo’s AirTrain to LaGuardia

Via Governor Cuomo's office Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday signed legislation that jumpstarts the construction of the AirTrain to LaGuardia Airport by letting the state use eminent domain to secure land for the project. Passed by the state legislature last week, the bill permits the state to acquire parcels of land already owned by the City or MTA between Willets Point and the airport, allowing the train to run along Grand Central Parkway. LGA is the only major airport on the East Coast without a rail connection, with 86 percent of travelers using cars to access it. "How can you not have a rail train to the city from a New York airport? I mean, it's just incomprehensible, right?" Cuomo said at the bill signing event. According to the governor's office, the train could bring passengers via the 7-train or LIRR trains between Midtown and the airport within 30 minutes.
Get the details
June 25, 2018

Two chances to live near the JFK AirTrain, from $1,418/month

If you travel often for work, this affordable housing opportunity could make your life a lot easier, provided you earn between $48,618 and $83,440 annually. The city opened the lottery for a $1,418/month one-bedroom and a $1,599/month two-bedroom at 89-15 138th Street, which is just two blocks away from the J, M, Z trains and a slew of buses at Jamaica Station and the AirTrain to JFK. An added bonus? The two units up for grabs have balconies.
Find out if you qualify
June 25, 2018

Rockaway beaches will reopen after controversial erosion closure

In a last-minute move, the city closed a half-mile of Rockaway beach just days before beaches opened for the season on Memorial Day weekend, angering residents and general New Yorkers alike. The 11-block stretch between Beach 91st and Beach 102nd Street is considered the hub of the beach thanks to its proximity to concessions and free parking. The city made the decision due to safety issues from erosion, saying that it might be a years-long process to get it up reopened. However, amNY reports today that Parks Department officials announced that they will reopen the beach on a trial basis on June 30th after deciding with lifeguards that it is, in fact, safe for swimming.
More details
June 25, 2018

Next week, two Astoria subway stations will reopen and two will shutter

On the heels of the 2 and 3 resuming weekend service between Brooklyn and Manhattan, the MTA has more good news: The 30th and 36th Avenue stations in Astoria will be reopening on Monday, July 2 after being shuttered for repairs the past eight months. But with this also comes some bad news--the closure of the Broadway and 39th Avenue stations on the same N, W line, which are projected to remain shuttered for seven months.
July 2 will be quite a day for Astoria straphangers
June 23, 2018

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Images (L to R): New York By Gehry, The Pointe, The Addition and Jackson Park Renting in New York’s Tallest Apartment Building, New York by Gehry [link] Live at The Maya from $1,795/Month; No Fee Rentals in Jamaica Estates [link] The Pointe Debuts in Rego Park with 1 Month Free; New Rentals from $1,962/Month [link] […]

June 18, 2018

Yayoi Kusama is bringing 1,500 mirrored spheres to the Rockaways this summer

Yayoi Kusama at the 1966 Venice Biennale; via MOMA PS1 Yayoi is coming back to New York. From July 1 through September 3, MoMA PS1 will present "Rockaway!" featuring "Narcissus Garden," a site-specific installation made up of 1,500 mirrored stainless steel spheres by the uber-talented, polka dot-obsessed Japanese artist, Yayoi Kusama. This is MOMA’s third iteration of Rockaway!, a free public art festival dedicated to the ongoing recovery efforts after Hurricane Sandy. The exhibit will be on view at the Gateway National Recreation Area, a former train garage at Fort Tilden, which once was an active U.S. military base. Kusama’s mirrored metal spheres reflect the industrial surroundings of the abandoned building and highlight Fort Tilden’s history. According to MoMA, the metal directs attention to the damage inflicted by Sandy in 2012 on the surrounding area.
Get the details
June 16, 2018

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Rent at 19 Dutch, FiDi’s New “Culturally-Inspired” Skyscraper with Early-Bird Bargains [link] Extell’s East Village Rental, EVGB at 510 East 14th Street, Already 50% Leased – See Remaining Listings [link] Beachfront Living at The Tides at Arverne by the Sea – Now Leasing from $1,775/Month [link] Glassworks Bushwick: Get to Know Brooklyn’s New Rental at […]

June 14, 2018

Take an insider’s tour of Flushing’s ethnic food at the Flushing’s World Fair this weekend

Flushing, Queens is a dining destination for serious foodies and fans of any of a cornucopia of authentic Asian and Indian delights; from June 15-17, you can sample the international cuisine with discounts and a tour to help you with the highlights; the Flushing's World Fair is a three-day expo that brings together the businesses, cultural institutions and historic landmarks of the diverse and dynamic community.
Find out more about the food tour
June 12, 2018

3 middle-income units up for grabs in a quiet section of Flushing in Queens, from $1,700/month

Photo via Wikimedia A newly constructed four-story residential building in Murray Hill is now accepting applications for three middle-income units. But it's not the Murray Hill of Manhattan you know, but instead a quiet enclave in Queens, part of the sprawling neighborhood of Flushing. Found at 168-05 Depot Road, the rental sits just four blocks from the Long Island Rail Road station at Broadway. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the $1,700/month one-bedroom and two $1,950/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
June 11, 2018

Lottery launches for 21 middle-income units at a new luxury rental in Jamaica Estates from $1,480/month

A newly constructed building in the upper-middle-class enclave of Jamaica Estates in Queens (aka President Donald Trump's hometown) is accepting applications for 21 mixed-income apartments. Dubbed the Maya, the eight-story luxury rental at 177-30 Wexford Terrace contains 68 units. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 85, 90, 100, 105, 110 and 115 percent of the area median income can apply for the units ranging from a $1,480/month studio to a $2,622/month two-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify