Search Results for: Long Island City

Take social distancing to its full extent by living on a private island (or three). A trio of private islands off the coast of Connecticut has hit the market for a total of $5.3 million. The properties, part of the Thimble Islands and located in the Long Island Sound, was last for sale in 2016 as part of a $78 million eight-island package.
See the private escapes

Distinctive Homes

Squatters Colony, Red Hook Recreation Area, September 12, 1934, Courtesy of NYC Parks

February 26, 2020

Looking back at the Depression-era shanty towns in New York City parks

By Lucie Levine

Today, New York City’s rising cost of living has made affordable housing one of the most pressing issues of our time. But long before our current housing crisis--and even before the advent of “affordable housing” itself--Depression-era New Yorkers created not only their own homes, but also their own functioning communities, on the city’s parkland. From Central Park to City Island, Redhook to Riverside Park, these tent cities, hard-luck towns, Hoovervilles, and boxcar colonies proliferated throughout New York. Ahead, see some amazing archival photos of these communities and learn the human side of their existence.
Lots more history and photos

History

Group of Coney Island boardwalk businesses could see up to 400 percent increase in rent

Photo by Shinya Suzuki on Flickr

January 15, 2020

Group of Coney Island boardwalk businesses could see up to 400 percent increase in rent

Owners of six small businesses in Coney Island, Lola Star Boutique, Nathan's Famous, Ruby's Bar & Grill, Paul's Daughter, Tom's Restaurant, and the Coney Island Beach Shop, are currently negotiating new 10-year lease agreements with amusement park operator Zamperla. The New York Times reported on Wednesday that the boardwalk businesses are facing rent increases of between 50 and 400 percent each. "We care about Coney Island and its future, and we are dedicated to making it as strong a community as possible," Alessandro Zamperla, the president of the company, told the Times. "This is why we've been working with our tenants to ensure their success and preserve the character of Coney Island." Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration has not come forward with a plan to mediate; according to the newspaper, the rent increases do not violate the agreement between Zamperla and the city.
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Real Estate Trends

The city helps save Queens’ 190-year-old Neir’s Tavern from closing

Photo by CaptJayRuffins on Wikimedia Commons

January 13, 2020

The city helps save Queens’ 190-year-old Neir’s Tavern from closing

By Dana Schulz

This past October, Neir's Tavern in Woodhaven, Queens celebrated its 190th anniversary. But last week, the Woodhaven Cultural & Historical Society reported on Twitter that the beloved and historic establishment would close its doors for good on Sunday. Originally opened in 1829 as a saloon called the "Old Blue Pump House," Neir's considers itself NYC's oldest bar. When the tavern was in danger of closing in 2009, a local FDNY member and a group of friends bought and restored it, but in December of 2018, the building was sold unbeknownst to them. According to a Facebook post by Neir's, they were unable to negotiate a new "affordable long-term lease" with the new owners. But when Mayor de Blasio heard the news, he and the city stepped in and saved the bar from closing.
How'd they do it?

Food & Dining

BQX streetcar plan rears its head, as city announces public meetings and updated timeline

Rendering via NYCEDC

January 10, 2020

BQX streetcar plan rears its head, as city announces public meetings and updated timeline

The city is once again inching forward with its plan to bring a streetcar to run between Brooklyn and Queens, a problem-plagued $2.7 billion proposal first presented five years ago. The New York City Economic Development Corporation on Thursday launched a new website for the Brooklyn Queens Connector (BQX) with information about public community meetings planned for February and March. According to the website, the city expects a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) on the project to conclude in the spring of 2021, with the final statement ready by that fall. But questions about the logistics of constructing the streetcar's 11-mile route and its growing price tag.
It's back

Transit

Plans filed for large apartment building on parking lot of classic Coney Island restaurant Gargiulo’s

View of 1517 Surf Avenue; Photo courtesy of Ace Aerial

January 9, 2020

Plans filed for large apartment building on parking lot of classic Coney Island restaurant Gargiulo’s

The owner of a 100-year-old Italian restaurant in Coney Island has agreed to lease the establishment's neighboring parking lot to a luxury real estate developer. Gargiulo's Restaurant owner Louis Russo filed a 99-year ground lease for the lot at 1517 Surf Avenue, located about one block from the boardwalk, with developer LCOR, as first reported by the Brooklyn Paper. According to the developer, plans will likely involve a mixed-income residential development and ground-floor retail.
Get the details

New Developments

City Council votes to make Hart Island, nation’s largest public cemetery, more accessible

Photo of Hart Island by David Trawin on Flickr

November 15, 2019

City Council votes to make Hart Island, nation’s largest public cemetery, more accessible

On Thursday, the New York City Council approved legislation that transfers ownership of Hart Island, the nation's largest public cemetery where over 1 million people are buried, to the city's Parks Department. The 101-acre island off the coast of the Bronx contains a potters field that has been the final resting place for destitute New Yorkers as far back as the Civil War. The island is currently operated by the Department of Correction (DOC), with Rikers Island inmates paid $1 an hour to bury bodies there. This week's vote comes after a years-long fight to end the onerous process required of visitors who wish to pay their respects to loved ones buried there; its intent is to make the island more accessible to the public and improve its dilapidated conditions.
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Policy

Barry Diller’s $250M offshore Pier 55 park dubbed ‘Little Island’

Rendering courtesy of Little Island

November 13, 2019

Barry Diller’s $250M offshore Pier 55 park dubbed ‘Little Island’

The offshore park currently under construction in the Hudson River has been officially christened "Little Island," the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation announced Wednesday. The Pier 55 project, which is being funded by billionaire Barry Diller and overseen by the Hudson River Park Trust, includes over two acres of public green space across a wave-shaped structure near West 13th Street in the Meatpacking District. First proposed in 2014 for $35 million, Little Island is expected to cost $250 million and open in the spring of 2021.
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Architecture And Design

The neighborhood of Mariner’s Harbor, near the wetlands in question. Image: Wikimedia cc.

October 29, 2019

State grants permit for developer to build BJ’s Wholesale Club on Staten Island wetlands

Despite opposition from residents and public officials, 18 acres of forest wetlands near Staten Island's north shore will be turned into a BJ's Wholesale Club, a gas station and a parking lot. Gothamist reports that the state has said it will issue a permit to allow the land's owner, real estate magnate Charles Alpert (operating as holding company Josif A. LLC), to destroy what activists say is an invaluable natural storm barrier in order for the project to move forward.
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New Developments

October 28, 2019

8 of New York City’s spookiest abandoned sites

By Lucie Levine

It often seems as if the jackhammer is the soundtrack to New York, as construction is a constant in this city. Given the frenetic pace of development in the five boroughs, it feels almost unbelievable that there are abandoned sites all over New York, left to go to seed as the steel skeletons of ever higher, newer, glassier structures rise around them. Here are eight of the most interesting abandoned sites in NYC, from the site of the city's first airport to a defunct freight line.
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History

City is heavily-subsidizing ferry rides for white, wealthy New Yorkers

Image © 6sqft

October 1, 2019

City is heavily-subsidizing ferry rides for white, wealthy New Yorkers

A majority of New York City Ferry riders are white and wealthy, the Daily News reported on Monday. According to a survey conducted by the city's Economic Development Corporation, which operates the ferry system alongside Hornblower, more than 60 percent of NYC Ferry riders are white with an average annual income between $75,000 and $99,000. In March, a study from the Citizens Budget Commission found the NYC Ferry costs the city $10.73 per rider, about 10 times that of subway subsidies.
More this way

September 26, 2019

18 places to celebrate Oktoberfest in and around New York City

Grab some lederhosen and a giant beer, it's time to celebrate Bavarian culture in New York City. Oktoberfest has officially arrived in the five boroughs and beyond, offering the chance to travel to Munich without a passport. Festivities range from traditional stein-holding competitions and pig roasts to more out-of-the-box events, like the Voelker Orth Museum's Flushing-style Oktoberfest with sauerkraut and kimchi eats and brews in the zoo at Turtle Back Zoo.
Get the full list

Events & Things To Do

Chic Cobble Hill townhouse in converted Long Island College Hospital building asks $5.4M

Listing images by Tim Waltman, Evan Joseph Studios; courtesy of Compass

September 26, 2019

Chic Cobble Hill townhouse in converted Long Island College Hospital building asks $5.4M

This four-bedroom unit at 355 Henry Street is one of three townhouse conversions inside the former Long Island College Hospital's Lamm Institute building (previously 110 Amity Street). The French Renaissance-style structure was designed by William C. Hough and constructed in 1902. It originally served as nurses residence's before the Lamm Institute for Developmental Disorders moved in during the 1970s. The landmarked Cobble Hill building and three adjacent lots were sold to investors in 2007 for $6 million. The modernized residence sprawls over four stories and boasts a roof deck with harbor views for the asking price of $5.4 million.
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Distinctive Homes

Governors Island gains its first year-round home for the arts

Photo by Zachary Tyler Newton for LMCC

September 23, 2019

Governors Island gains its first year-round home for the arts

A permanent arts center opened on Governors Island last week, becoming the 172-acre site's first year-round tenant dedicated to arts and culture. The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC) has transformed a 19th-century warehouse into a 40,000-square-foot space for arts and educational programming. LMCC partnered with the Trust for Governors Island on the $12 million renovation, with designs from PEI Cobb Freed & Partners and Adamson Associates Architects. Historic details of the building were retained while enabling space for galleries, studios, rehearsal space, and an indoor cafe.
See the space

For $595/night, you can go glamping in a 300-square-foot cabin on Governors Island

Photos courtesy of Collective Retreats – The Outlook Shelter, Collective Governors Island

August 29, 2019

For $595/night, you can go glamping in a 300-square-foot cabin on Governors Island

A well-rounded urban camping experience is a new summer option on Governors Island. Campers can choose an activity-packed agenda complete with private boats, dining, kids’ activities and wellness programs, and a chance to sleep under the stars surrounded by New York skyline views and 1,500 thread count sheets, private en-suite bathrooms and decks, electricity, and WiFi within. For modern design lovers, the island's cozy Summit and Journey tents from Collective Retreats will be joined by new Outlook shelters. These modular hotel rooms resemble tiny modern cabins with 225 square feet–plus 75 square feet of deck space–of indoor architecture that "seamlessly compliments outdoor grandeur with fully sheltered structures." And for this unique experience, prices will start at $595/night.
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The history of Brooklyn’s Caribbean Carnival, the most colorful event in New York City

Via Run With Scissors on Flickr

August 28, 2019

The history of Brooklyn’s Caribbean Carnival, the most colorful event in New York City

Every Labor Day, millions of people gather in Brooklyn to celebrate Caribbean culture at the West Indian-American Day Carnival. Since the early 20th century, the Carnival, which first got its start in the United States in Harlem, has brought together New Yorkers through beautiful costumes, music, dance, and food of the West Indies. Starting in the 1960s, the festival has taken over Crown Heights' Eastern Parkway, uniting many islands (Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Haiti, Dominica, Saint Lucia, Jamaica, Saint Vincent and Grenda, Guyana, Suriname and Belize, and others) in one extravagant party. As one of New York City's largest, and certainly most colorful, events, the Carnival should not be missed. Ahead, learn about the history of the parade, the traditions that thrive to this day and the details of this year's festival.
More this way

Coney Island’s Luna Park looks to the public to name new attractions

The new log flume ride. Photo Credit: NYCEDC

August 14, 2019

Coney Island’s Luna Park looks to the public to name new attractions

Luna Park, home of the Coney Island Cyclone and Steeplechase, will welcome three new attractions–a ropes course, a log flume ride and a roller coaster–next year. The iconic seaside amusement park has turned to the public to name the new additions, which are set to open in 2020, AM New York reports.
Taking names, this way

Events & Things To Do

Parts of the old Kosciuszko Bridge and Staten Island Expressway become an artificial reef

Images via Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Flickr

August 6, 2019

Parts of the old Kosciuszko Bridge and Staten Island Expressway become an artificial reef

Pieces from the old Kosciuszko Bridge are now underwater off the coast of Fire Island, as part of New York State’s ongoing artificial reef expansion efforts. Governor Cuomo launched the second year of the largest artificial reef expansion in state history this past weekend. Recycled materials from the Staten Island Expressway, the Kew Gardens, and Kosciuszko bridges, as well as retired U.S. Army Corps of Engineers steel vessels, were cast into the water at Fire Island Reef, where they will create new marine habitats and boost Long Island's fishing and diving industries.
More information

Neighborhood Tours

Ranking the city’s most dangerous intersections for NYC cyclists

Image via Flickr

July 29, 2019

Ranking the city’s most dangerous intersections for NYC cyclists

Just days after Mayor de Blasio unveiled a new plan to make the city’s streets safer for cyclists, another fatal accident occurred when a 30-year-old cyclist was struck near the intersection of Third Avenue and 36th Street in Sunset Park around 9 a.m. this morning. As Streetsblog reported, the incident brings the year’s death toll up to 18—nearly double what it was all of last year. Redesigning intersections is a component of De Blasio’s new $58 million initiative, which says it will ramp up NYPD enforcement at the 100 most crash-prone intersections and renovate 50 intersections. While the Department of Transportation hasn’t yet disclosed what those intersections will be, home-search platform Localize.city has created a list of the top ten most dangerous intersections for cyclists.
More details

Sources say Amazon is eyeing Industry City for new logistics facility

Photo via Industry City

July 24, 2019

Sources say Amazon is eyeing Industry City for new logistics facility

Months after breaking up with Long Island City, Amazon is scoping out locations in neighboring Brooklyn, as Crain’s reported today. Sources say the company is searching for “a massive space” to house a new logistics facility and is considering renting out roughly one million square-feet at Industry City in Sunset Park, though that wasn’t confirmed by anyone involved directly in the potential deal.
More details

Uncategorized

Tribeca stays on top and Hudson Yards emerges as #2 on the city’s priciest neighborhood list

Photo: Ajay Suresh via Flickr.

July 16, 2019

Tribeca stays on top and Hudson Yards emerges as #2 on the city’s priciest neighborhood list

According to Property Shark's just-released ranking of New York City's most expensive neighborhoods, Tribeca once again takes the top spot in residential sales with a median price of $4.34 million. The bigger news is Hudson Yards, on the list for the first time as the city's second-costliest neighborhood in Q2 of 2019 at $3.86 million. Also notable was Little Italy, the city's third most expensive neighborhood, which saw median home prices increase by 153 percent over last year's numbers.
More of the list, this way

Real Estate Trends

Patriotic composer John Philip Sousa’s former Long Island mansion seeks a reduced $9M

Listing images courtesy of Douglas Elliman

July 3, 2019

Patriotic composer John Philip Sousa’s former Long Island mansion seeks a reduced $9M

Overlooking Manhasset Bay in Sands Point, Long Island the six-bedroom mansion at 12 Hicks Lane—otherwise known as Wild Bank—was home to “American March King” John Philip Sousa in the latter part of his life, from 1915 to 1932. By then, he had already written his most beloved marches, including Stars and Stripes Forever (the national march of the United States) and Semper Fidelis (the march of the United States Marine Corps). Like many of New York City’s elite at the time, he found an idyllic retreat on Long Island’s North Shore and lived in the home until his death at 77. The sprawling property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966 but remained a private residence. On the market for exactly one year, the 2.6-acre estate has received several price chops before settling on its current asking price of $8.995 million.
The full tour, right this way

Distinctive Homes

City Council approves Staten Island’s Bay Street Corridor rezoning with 1,800 new residential units

Rendering via Department of City Planning

June 27, 2019

City Council approves Staten Island’s Bay Street Corridor rezoning with 1,800 new residential units