Long Island City Getty Gas Station to become bakery, 11th St @ 47th Rd
A while back, word came through the wire about the transformation of the Getty Gas Station (just the old auto-shop component, not the gas pumps) on 11th St @ 47th Road, into an ‘adaptive reuse bakery’ with a facade comprised of rolling pins. Well, it was speculated that this very, uh, creative renovation project was just a concept, not an actual plan. Au contraire! The plan is very much alive, and in fact, underway »
Stormy Thursday Long Island City linkage
VIDEO: Local community split over LIC’s Hunters Point South [NY1]
More on Hunters Point South [Queens Courier]
PS1’s upcoming Warm Up parties [NY Times]
Abstract on PS1’s Young Architect’s Program [ArtDaily]
Analyzing some LIC real estate development marketing tactics [NY Shitty]
Queens Plaza Bicycle and Pedestrian improvement project [The Dirt]
Report on last weekend’s Maker’s Market @ Socrates Park [Elle Decoration]
Review of Ihawan2 at Vernon/Jackson [LittleGirlBigAppetite]
Maloney addresses LIC BID breakfast [Queens Gazette]
The ‘Flower Tower’ Condos, as imagined by architect Karen Bausman — photo
Wow. Say hello to the ‘Flower Tower’ condo project. Curbed has the scoop on Long Island City’s latest new development, mysteriously slated for a ‘location near the East River’. Bye-bye curtain wall. Hello Solar Panal facade.
The brainchild of Karen Bausman, who says about the project: “As its name suggests, Flower Tower’s façade is designed to operate like a wall of morning glories—adjusting to sunlight throughout the day, both regulating light and gathering solar energy.”
From the website »
The new 6-acre expansion of Gantry Park, Long Island City –photo
The 6-acre waterfront Gantry Park extension opened this morning with a public ribbon cutting, hosted by the Parks Dept and local government. Not to mention Rockrose and Queenswest Corp who were also in the mix, and contributed greatly to the execution of the new park space. Just in time for a Long Island City Fourth of July without fireworks. And who cares? The park is amazing. For those sticking around, it should be a very peaceful weekend, and what better way to spend it than swinging on a hammock at the East River? »
Long Island City Events June 29th - July 5th
Monday 6/29
- TONIGHT Want more Grucci Fireworks? Catch the pre-4th of July fireworks at the Central Astoria Independence Celebration at Astoria Park, 7:30-10pm. Shore Blvd between Hell Gate Bridge & Astoria Pool, Astoria, 718.728.7820
Tuesday 6/30
TOMORROW This summer’s Live at the Gantries FREE performance series continues at LIC’s Gantry Plaza State Park Tuesday at 7pm with a performance from Earthdriver. 50th Ave & the East River, LIC
LIC’s Ethereal Boutique, in association with Sky Events, presents ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ fashion show at Astoria restaurant & lounge Cavo. Also featuring DJs JR Molina & Sergio. Doors at 6pm, fashion show at 8pm. Afterparty from 10pm-4am. 42-18 31st Ave, Astoria, 718.721.1001
Bar Domaine hosts the local Steve Blanco Trio twice a week on Tuesday and Friday. 9p-midnight. 50-04 Vernon Blvd, LIC, 718.784.2350
Hunters Point South rendering - click photo to expand
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LIC utopia maps out its garden of eden (aka Hunters Point South) [Curbed]
Plans for LIC’s Hunters Point South [Architect's Newspaper]
Hunters Point South, a Middle Income Community in LIC [Architecture Examiner]
Noguchi’s work reinstalled as it was for his museum opening in ‘85 [YourNabe]
LIC’s Manducatis Rustica salutes its old school roots [YourNabe]
Exploring Hunters Point’s gritty industrial side [Newtown Pentacle]
Blogger experience and love for Socrates Sculpture Park [Pissed Off]
Happy Anniversary to LIC’s Vine Wine
Vine Wine, 12-09 Jackson Ave, LIC
From Vine Wine:
“This Saturday, Vine will host a special wine tasting to celebrate our 4 year Anniversary! It’s an all day event from 2:00 in the afternoon, until 8:00 in the evening. To celebrate your local wine store, we’ll have some special local guests. Two different North Fork, Long Island wine makers will be pouring their fantastic wines. We’ll also have delicious cheese from Saxelby Cheesemongers and fresh bread from Long Island City’s own Tom Cat Bakery. From 2:00-5:00, we’ll be pouring white and Rose Bouke Wines. And from 5:00-8:00, we’ll be pouring Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc from Paumanok Vineyards. We’ll also have a representative from the famed ‘Edible’ publications, to chat with you about the latest edition, ‘Edible Queens.’ Lots of local, neighborhood fun, from your local neighborhood wine store.“
The unmistakable white bubble of the Tennisport in Hunters Point, LIC –Photo
After 33 years, LIC’s Tennisport is closing to make way for a housing development.
From the Queens Gazette:
“For 33 years, the white bubble covering Tennisport has served as a landmark in the Hunters Point section of Long Island City. Officials last week confirmed that it’s game, set and match for the tennis center, which will close its doors for good on July 31st to make way for a massive housing development at the East River site. The family that owns the tennis center said they would love to keep it open for another year, but city officials are pressuring them to shut down so construction of the housing complex can get underway.”
Tennisport bubble bursts in LIC [Queens Gazette]
NYC secures land in LIC’s Hunters Point South for $100M [1010wins]
Bloomberg: more middle class housing for Queens at Hunters Point South [NY Post]
Great photos from Chinese Theatre Works at Live at the Gantries [Flickr]
LIC resident & publisher of forthcoming ‘Edible Queens’ Magazine [Village Voice]
Socrates Sculpture Park’s Makers Market: a craft fair with a designer pedigree [NYT]
Video: Subdivision & Ethereal’s Fashion/Trunk Show at Manducatis Rustica [YouTube]
Longtime LIC resident & author tells you how to ‘Get Rich Cheating’ [The Q Note]
7 train singalong thru Queens to concert in Flushing Meadows Park [SleepWhenDead]
LIC’s bankrupt 1800mattress.com sold to Sleepy’s for $25M [Furniture Today]
Take a little LIC Boathouse adventure in Hallets Cove [Examiner]
We’ve launched a video series about Long Island City called liQcity Reel. Our first ‘production’ is about the recent Taste of LIC, the 4th annual fundraiser of the Chocolate Factory Theater. Hosted by Gianna Cerbone-Teoli of Manducatis Rustica. Enjoy »
‘Big Allis,’ the Ravenswood Power Plant from the Queensboro Bridge, LIC
Utility workers threaten to shut down LIC’s Ravenswood power plant [Daily News]
More on the labor dispute at Ravenswood power plant [Crains]
Update: Workers to call in federal mediator in power plant dispute [Daily News]
Waste Management proposes solid waste station in LIC [Queens Gazette]
Reminder: No fireworks for LIC! But there’s always Astoria on 6/29.. [Queens Gazette]
LIC Camp Bow Wow Anniversary Adoption Drive [Petfinder]
“The Secret Is in the Swizzle” at LIC’s Dutch Kills Bar [NYT]
Dutch Kills back in the media again [Time Out]
Video: shopping at LIC’s Foodcellar is quite an experience [YouTube]
Focus on PS1’s Warm Up & Opening Day Celebrations [Islandwoo]
Adventures on the East River including some LIC sights [Newtown Pentacle]
New art space, Space Womb, 22-48 Jackson Ave in LIC, 917.670.1342
Newly Open
CrossFit LIC, a new training facility off of Vernon Blvd, opened yesterday. “CrossFit is a broad general strength & conditioning program designed to build a well balanced, healthy individual.” Regular training sessions will be held at 6:30am and 6:30pm starting June 26th, and CrossFit is currently running a special in which your first week is FREE. 5-26 47th Ave, LIC, 646.415.8363
An art space called Space Womb has landed next to the 5Pointz building on Jackson Ave and 23rd St. According to LICNYC: it “has already hosted a bunch of openings and musical performances.” Collected works by Jongwang Lee on view through July 16. Open Thursday to Monday, 12pm to 7pm, and by appointment. Closed Tues & Wed. 22-48 Jackson Ave #1, LIC, 917.670.1342
Matted LIC, a custom framing & gift shop filled with handcrafted goods, home furnishings, and tons of cute accessories, is now open in the old Casa Vizcaya sales office. Currently offering a ‘Good Karma Sale’ of 20% discount on all items valid until August 15th. Official grand opening is June 30th. 46-36 Vernon Blvd, LIC
Long Island City going to the birds
Falcon on a stoop in Long Island City, photo courtesy of Orestes Gonzalez
Courtesy of a liQcity reader, we were notified of some falcon spottings in the nabe:
“It was a good week for falcons in LIC. Two fledgling Kestrels (one male, one female) showed up on stoops on 45 Ave., resting between learning-stages of flight, cautiously accepting raw hamburger and posing for photos by polite humans, as their parents swooped and screamed from overhead. As of Saturday, it seems they’ve found their wings as they haven’t returned. But they’re clearly welcome new local residents, as we hope they will prey on local vermin…”
For the local birdwatchers, here’s a close-up of the baby falcon: »
View from Prestige Condo deck, LIC
The LICBDC is teaming up with the Mayor’s Office to offer free, energy saving white roof painting to the owners of Hunters Point residential, commercial, and industrial buildings.
“Many scientists and government agencies have found that applying a white coating to building roofs keeps them cooler in summer.. »
Long Island City Monday afternoon linkage
LIC’s L haus tacks on more buyer incentives [The Real Deal]
LIC’s Communitea: haven for unemployed blogger people? [Jobless and Less]
One blogger’s take on the NYC Food Film Fest in LIC last week [A Party of One]
Queens deserves more respect – but you knew that already [Daily News]
New AE Studios pops in LIC; launch party on 6/27 [AE Studios LIC]
Queens Art Express installation meets an untimely end [Queens Tribune]
Live at the Gantries summer performance series, Gantry Park, LIC
Tuesday 6/23
TOMORROW! This summer’s Live at the Gantries FREE performance series continues at LIC’s Gantry Plaza State Park Tuesday at 7pm with a performance from Chinese Theatre Works. 50th Ave & the East River, LIC
Bar Domaine hosts the local Steve Blanco Trio twice a week on Tuesday and Friday. 9p-midnight. 50-04 Vernon Blvd, LIC, 718.784.2350
Wednesday 6/24
- Shi Restaurant is hosting karaoke on Wednesday nights. 4720 Center Blvd, LIC, 347.242.2450
Murano Condos getting glassy (pun intended!), Borden Ave @ 5th St, LIC
Long Island City’s real estate development may be a bit… hampered, but there’s definitely new construction in progress. The Murano Condos, with the 24-hour rotating technicolor lightclock, is manifesting its facade, which seems to be colored window panels… on the curtain wall? Well, one positive thing we can say, at least it’ll brighten up the bleak and dreary Borden Ave. Though, apparently it’s not very quiet over that way these days.
Then, we have this new mysterious condo development »
Manducatis Rustica, Long Island City
Long Island City’s Manducatis Rustica is hosting a special menu and live opera singers from the Met on Father’s Day, this Sunday, June 21st. Live Opera from 6-8pm. Reservations are strongly recommended. Rustica is located at 46-33 Vernon Blvd, LIC, 718.937.1312.
If you know of any other Father’s Day specials in LIC this weekend, feel free to post them in the comments. Cheers.
Queensboro Plaza, Long Island City
Queens Plaza strip club ‘Scandals’ fights to keep its topless rights [The Real Deal]
Strip club threatened by Long Island City gentrification [Curbed]
Queens Plaza Bicycle & Pedestrian Landscape Improvement Project [Urban Omnibus]
MTA exhaust fan torments Hunters Point residents [Daily News]
LIC company trades iPods/iPhones for CD/DVD collections [amNY]
The Muppets take LIC – Jim Henson Co. comes to Northern Blvd [Globe St]
More on the Jim Henson move to LIC – with video of the building [NY1]
Nifty list of good deals & savings in LIC [Daily News]
This summer’s PS1 Warm Up lineup announced [Artdaily]
Isaiah King’s ‘Multiples’ at LIC’s Dutch Kills Gallery [Artcat]
Random update on Hunters Point South development [PR Newswire]
Who said Shakespeare was for sissies? ‘Macbeth’ at the Secret Theatre, LIC
When was the last time you strolled off the streets of LIC and into a rigorously choreographed punk rock Shakespearean street fight? Well lucky for you, the Secret Theatre’s latest production of ‘Macbeth’ is offering up the kind of environmental theatre that effectively draws the audience in on the action, save for actually picking up a weapon and jumping into the fray.
Director Richard Mazda, who is also the Secret Theatre’s Artistic Director & Founder, made an interesting choice »
Noguchi Museum, 9-01 33rd Road at Vernon Blvd, Long Island City – Photo
Tuesday 6/16
- Bar Domaine hosts the local Steve Blanco Trio twice a week on Tuesday and Friday. 9p-midnight. 50-04 Vernon Blvd, LIC, 718.784.2350
Wednesday 6/17
Shi Restaurant is hosting karaoke on Wednesday nights. 4720 Center Blvd, LIC, 347.242.2450
Wednesday Night Rock Climbing at NYC Outward Bound’s Queens Plaza location. Climb the 5-story outdoor rock wall and enjoy the city views for $24, which will fund free NYC Outward Bound climbing programs for public school students. Register online. 5-9pm. 29-46 Northern Blvd, LIC, 718.706.9900
Colin Gee’s ‘Across The Road’ opens at the Chocolate Factory Theater. Runs June 17-20, Wed thru Sat at 8pm. 5-49 49th Ave, LIC, 718.482.7069
Noguchi ReINstalled exhibition opens today to formally commemorate the reopening of The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum in its completely renovated state. This exhibition will also “mark the first time the Permanent Collection will be on view in its entirety since the spring of 2002.” 9-01 33rd Road (at Vernon Blvd), LIC, 718.204.7088
Long Island City Monday afternoon linkage
Queenswest at sunset, Hunters Point, Long Island City
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Profile on Colin Gee, performing this week @ LIC’s Chocolate Factory [NYT]
Weighing in on the Lounge 47 issue.. [Queens Crap]
More on the NYC Food Film Fest screening tonight @ WTB [NY Post]
Celebrating the Summer Solstice at Socrates Sculpture Park [New Yorker]
Taste of LIC photos courtesy of Metropolitan Visuals [Metropolitan Visuals]
Food-cart scammers in LIC and Astoria [NY Post]
Long Island City Friday afternoon linkage
Shot of 48th Ave before 5th Street Lofts (5SL) was built in LIC, April 2006
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LIC developers eligible for bonds as part of Bloomberg’s ‘Recovery Zones’ [WNYC]
LIC Community Boathouse offers aquatic adventures Fri thru Sun [Time Out]
Talk of constructing rail-based waste transfer station in LIC? [Queens Tribune]
Socrates Sculpture Park’s Outdoor Cinema series returns this July [NYT]
NYC Food Film Festival screening at LIC’s WTB Monday night [Daily News]
Lifelong LIC resident does Grucci fireworks [Daily News]
Noguchi Museum renovation gets a mention [Garden Design]
Brasil Coffee House, Vernon Blvd, LIC
Yes it’s true. It’s been hard not to notice, with such a prominent retail location, but the dark windows and closed doors for a couple weeks now means that there is no more Brasil Coffee House. There are a bunch of rumors flying around about why, but all unsubstantiated, so we’ll leave the speculation alone.
The spring brought a bunch of new establishments to Vernon Blvd, after the winter retail glut. An amazing bounce-back, but don’t get too excited (or upset) yet. At Wednesday’s Community Board meeting, the board’s City Services and Public Safety Committee addressed what they are considering a ‘flood’ of new liquor license applications (six) for Vernon Blvd.
CB2 is officially holding off on responding to any of the current applications, until after the public hearing, which is tentatively scheduled for July 13th. Everyone in the Hunters Point community is encouraged to attend, and all can have a chance to speak if desired. Date to be confirmed, time and Vernon Blvd location to be announced.
On top of the flood of new liquor license applications for Vernon Blvd »
Chocolate Factory Theater’s 4th Annual Taste of LIC, Gantry Park, LIC
Yesterday’s dreary forecast of ongoing thunderstorms and pouring rain did not impact the big tent event at Gantry Plaza State Park for the Chocolate Factory Theater’s 4th annual fundraiser and Long Island City celebration, the Taste of LIC, which was jam-packed with more than 800 patrons and attendees.
Most of Hunters Point restaurants, bars, and cafés were on hand »
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