A high school in Dutch Kills, Long Island City

We’ve been noticing in LIC lately, there definitely seems to be a huge baby boom. Don’t freak out - it’s not Park Slope, it’s not even Williamsburg… but our little friends in LIC are certainly growing in number. Well at some point, the tater tots are going to have to go to school…and coincidentally, here’s some bad news about the NYC Public School System:

After the Blend bloodbath ensued, we contacted Joe Conley, the chairperson of the Community Board (CB2), in order to gain some clarification and address concerns about businesses and residents living amongst each other on Vernon Blvd. He’s agreed to hold a Q&A with concerned LIC’ers residents, and we will announce the date and location of the Public Hearing when it’s been coordinated. In the meantime, Chairman Conley did pass along a response he wrote to a liQcity commenter who sent him an email regarding the Blend liquor license denial:

Dear LIC Resident »

Looks like Vernonites are expanding their business empires these days… and why wouldn’t they?

1) The Brasil Coffee house has an offshoot called Fast & Delicious around their corner of 49th Ave. Rather interesting Brazilian menu actually: rotisserie meats, steak, rice & beans, pita sandwiches, salads, and empenadas/croquettes.

2) Last week we spotted this seemingly new sign above the Butcher Deli on Vernon @ 50th Ave. A juice and hookah bar called The Butcher Cafe. Interesting combo. Well…many stranger concepts have succeeded in NYC so it’s fair to say anything has a chance around here. (Or does it?)

Development at the Pulaski Bridge & Jackson Ave, Long Island City

The mystery building that we’ve been wondering about for a while (the far greenish construction in the photo), is indeed a condo building called The L Haus, named after it’s, well… L-shape. Rumors: The offering plan is about to hit the street; Apple Bank is the investor; Eliman is the marketer; price/sf starts in the $6/700’s; only 5000ish sf of retail (perhaps Apple Bank?). Limited parking spots. Oh and it’s going to be green. Not as in sustainable development, but as in the color.

Folks who buy in The L Haus »

The Cangro building destruction in process, Vernon/Jackson, LIC”

The CANGRO building right at the actual corner of Vernon and Jackson is in the process of being torn down. Combined with the now empty lot next door, the site will host a 12 story residential glass condo tower. Hold on to those coffee cups.

• Vernon/Jackson Then & Now [liQcity]

Blend on Vernon Blvd @ 47th, LIC

The Latino fusion restaurant, Blend is jumping through hoops of fire with the community board to get their liquor license, and seems to be getting burned. Which is too bad, because one really does crave wine with their food. Not to mention, it really sucks for a restaurant business to not get those precious alcohol sales…which is where they make the bulk of their money.

It seems though, from a fervently supportive tipster and general word on the street, that the trouble is not with the board itself, but with a disgruntled neighbor(s) brandishing a conspiracy theory »

Site of Sweet Leaf on Jackson Ave, LIC

The storefront right in front of the B61 bus stop on 11th St at Jackson is producing a small cafe called Sweet Leaf. Beautiful little spot that should be opening towards the end of May. It’s very small - just pop in and get your morning latte and a croissant type of place. The owners have kept a lot of the old school finishings…tin ceiling, quaint fixtures etc. It’ll be nice for those waiting for the bus, and the newcomers to the multiple buildings in progress right around that intersection.

A hawk eyed East Coast tipster sent in a photo of the progress on Avalon Riverview North roofdeck:

“The pool was green for a few days, and just recently turned a nice blue, the roof-deck is Astroturf…so much for a “green” roof-deck. Wonder if they’ll still try to snare a tax rebate for having a roof garden” from the city.”

Queens is Green tomorrow

The Queens is Green Fashion Show hits Dutch Kills this weekend, offering a “free fashion competition that highlights clothing and accessories from local designers that not only look good, but are good for the planet.

The catwalk begins at 4:00PM.

Location: Greenspace, 37-24 24th St

Subway: NW train to 36th Ave.

“Green Fashion isn’t just clothing made with sustainable fabrics like hemp or bamboo silk, but also includes items that are handmade or refashioned from recycled or reusable products.”

Flux Factory, April 4 - 27, 2008

Well, we’ve arrived at the end of this yellow brick road: the Flux Factory is singing the fat lady’s song this weekend. And the swan’s. Will definitely be an interesting tune for sure. You can check it out the EVERYTHING MUST GO installation and the final party this Saturday, April 26th, 8pm.

• EVERYTHING MUST GO info [Flux Factory website]

Hunters Point South, photo by Nathan Kensinger

Hunters Point South is on the table today:

“The city intends to certify the Willets Point and Hunters Point South plans into the land-use process [today], setting the stage for a seven-month battle as the projects are scrutinized by the communities, the City Planning Commission and the City Council.” -Crains

In other news, the Queensbridge Houses are going to start using energy efficient fluorescent bulbs from now on. It’s kind of funny that this is news, but it’s featured in two distinct articles, so we thought we’d follow suit as well. You can sleep in peace now. Seriously though, what is interesting about the Queensbridge Houses in general, is that it’s the largest public city housing development in NYC and the country. That’s a whole lotta light bulbs.

• Hunters Point South Rezoning Decided Today [Crains]

• Queensbridge gets new lightbulbs [Newsday]

• Queensbridge gets new lightbulbs (2) [Metro]

• Water Taxi Beach highlighted [Gridskipper]

• Sister Powerhouse Conversion in RI [Providence Journal]

• G-train hearings bypass Queens [Queens Tribune]

Proposed map of Hunters Point South Development (4.4MB)

Yesterday, we took a look at the proposed future of Jackson Ave and Queens Plaza, today we have a peek at the promised promise-land of Hunters Point South. Again, brought to us by the NYC Economic Development Corporation:

“The purpose of the proposed action is the implementation of a large-scale, mixed-use development plan, Hunter’s Point South, that provides a substantial amount of affordable housing on publicly owned land and allows for the residential redevelopment of a privately owned adjacent site, Site B. The development of the Hunter’s Point South site would be an integral part of the City’s plan for the provision of affordable housing over the next 10 years. In addition to housing, the Hunter’s Point South site would also include retail uses, community/cultural facility space, a public school, public parkland and other public and private open spaces, and accessory parking. Redevelopment of the privately owned site would include public waterfront access.”

This map is not really news, nor is the development - but in the coming weeks we’ll be taking a closer look at the major development plans in the works for LIC, and there’s so much info to this one, we could do a whole blog on it. But don’t worry, we won’t.

• Hunters Point South

The future of Queens Plaza, Long Island City

The last in our series of posts on the neighborhood development plans by the NYCDEC is a new vision for Queens Plaza. This park project, which also has been threatening to break ground for a while now, has new wind in its sails starting this summer.

Here’s the plan »

Some more news from the NYC Economic Development Corporation(NYCEDC): the planned Jackson Ave beautification project, which has threatened to begin for a couple years now, is threatening yet again to break ground next month. The project plans to divide Jackson Ave with a landscaped median, incorporating outdoor furniture and sculpture.

From the NYCEDC »

LIC Neighborhood Map by NYCEDC, liQcity additions in red.

Check out this map of Long Island City, put out by the NYC Economic Development Corporation. What’s interesting is how they designated the many sub-neighborhoods of LIC. For instance, I was always under the impression that Hunters Point (no apostrophe) was the whole region of LIC located south of the Queensboro Bridge (outlined in red).

Right at the bridge is the hub of Queens Plaza (also called Queensboro Plaza it seems), which slightly overlaps Dutch Kills, which continues on northward bleeding into a very fuzzy boundary with Astoria. Then west of 21St st and still north of the bridge is the Queensbridge Houses, which also is considered Ravenwood until it also merges with Astoria.

In Hunters Point »

Radiant Movement Studio, LIC

Last week I visited Alexandra Shilling, who runs a Pilates, yoga, and dance studio called Radiant Movement in the Arris Lofts. Really nice, intimate space offering private and small group instruction. Alexx writes:

“The RADIANT MOVEMENT comes to Long Island City!

The RADIANT MOVEMENT is a fusion of Pilates, Kundalini and Anusara inspired Vinyasa Yoga, Fleming Elastics and dance.

Inspired by the work of Joseph Pilates, John Friend, Juliu Horvath, Maureen Fleming, Jeanne Donohue, Bill Hastings, Ohad Naharin and the potential of every one of us.

Join us on Tuesdays from 7-8:15pm for an intimate group class. $25/person includes tea and cookies. In addition to our classes, experimental movement, dancing, events and art will happen here. Artist rate and work study available.

Coming soon »

Lady Pink aka Pinksmith on 5pointz, Court Sq, Long Island City

I was walking around 5pointz this weekend, and saw some incredible work. The piece in the photo by Lady Pink is a smaller part of the whole.

It’s nice and chill over there on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Since it’s getting warm out, we can only assume they’ll be more to come.

If you don’t know what 5pointz is, let’s remedy that right away. It’s the gigantic yellow building covered in graffiti at the corner of 23rd St & Jackson Ave, that you’ve probably seen on the elevated 7 train. It’s very hard to miss. It’s one of the few places (the only?) in NYC where graffiti is a legal expression of creativity, instead of a punishable crime against material property. So it produces an infinitely rotating supply of art pieces created by some of the most celebrated graffiti and street artists in the world.

If you’re into it, here’s more »

The planned Silvercup Studios $1B development project, Queensboro Br, LIC

Interesting article this morning about stalled development projects. The reasons vary - seems hard to just blame everything on the credit crunch, but it’s definitely more of a trend now compared to a few years ago. Here’s the news about LIC:

…it has also been confirmed that the practice’s 185,000m2 Silvercup Studio complex on the Long Island City Waterfront is on hold. The $1 billion (£500 million) mixed-use development, which won approval in mid-2006, has stalled due to issues over protracted land sales and the delayed removal of power plants from the site.”

Meanwhile CUNY’s going forward with the dorm:

“The development at 5-11 47th Ave. would have 400 total residential units, half of which would be for public rent and the other half will be divided between 188 graduate units and 12 faculty housing units at street level. It would also include a 6,000-square-foot office for the QCA and an open courtyard for art displays.

CB 2 Chairman Joe Conley said the board approved the plan with some stipulations. CUNY, for example, has agreed to never sell the property, he said. Conley said the board also asked for 20 percent of the non-student residential units to be offered as affordable housing, though he was not sure if the developer would agree.”

• Silvercup Studios development project on hold [Daily News]

• CB 2 OKs divisive plan to build 13-story tower [Times Ledger]

• ConEd has a $100 for western Queens blackout victims [Daily News]

• Flux Factory in Flux [Artnet]

• Crime Report for 114th Precinct - LIC [Times Ledger]

Arris Lofts, Court Sq

Arris Lofts is a building cursed with a few dark marketing clouds - those elephants and giraffes started the whole mess, which fueled further crucifixion in the form of hooker rumors, and general bashing for the sport of it.

Yet despite the bad PR, Arris has quietly blossomed like the daffodils in their enclosed courtyard. I visited the building once before today, while under construction and it sounded like a total disaster. (More unfortunate PR.) But the new inhabitants have lavishly and lovingly graced their abundantly windowed, uber-sunny, lofty lofts in various nouveau NYC styles, and created a growing and growingly tight knit community of well-heeled creative professionals. That, a pool, a gym, a gigantic Gristedes on the way in the ground floor, and great outdoor space let’s just say…it did not suck.

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