1063 Jackson Condos, Long Island City

Well well well. Apparently fancy shmancy Long Island City condos have drug busts, too.

There’s a substantiated rumor floating around that there was a raid in the 1063 Jackson Ave condos this past weekend, but this ain’t some schoolboy prank. The massive bust supposedly unearthed a very large, but officially unknown amount of marijuana, and half a million bucks in cash.

Who said it wasn’t possible to keep a business going in this economy?

It seems many people noticed all the police and fire engine trucks down at the waterfront early yesterday morning, as we received a bunch of emails about the rumor that a dead body was discovered on the riverbank. It’s still officially a rumor, though a rumor shared by many so we’re posting it, but there’s nothing online anywhere about it. That’s all she wrote… (so far).

Mainco building on 51st Ave to host MetFoods, Vernon/Jackson, LIC

Yes, the rumors about MetFoods coming to the old Mainco elevator building on 51st Ave between Vernon & 5th St are true »

The Creek sans the cave, Jackson Ave @ the Pulaski Bridge, Long Island City

Business deals live and die like everything else in LIC (and the world) so it shouldn’t have come as any surprise (it didn’t) to liQcity to discover the following »

Rumored site of a new high-end beauty salon on Vernon Blvd, LIC

1) Right next to the new spot Ethereal, is supposedly manifesting a small, French sandwich-style bistro named Figaro.

2) Across the street, and at the site in the picture is rumored to become a high-end beauty salon. The interior is currently being gutted.

3) This new building complex on Vernon, owned by the Manducati family, is rumored to be delivering a fancy, gourmet food store to the ground level. Think Zabar’s, not Gristedes.

4) Right next door to New Level Floral’s new location at 44th Drive, is going to play host to a new cigar lounge called Halo.

Faces on 5pointz Studios, Courthouse Sq, Long Island City

1) We all know that Starbucks killed the deal they had with Rockrose, but there was ANOTHER potential Starbucks in the works. Quietly slated to be at 10-50 Jackson, that deal is now dead too. Seems Starbucks is not ready for Long Island City, or vice versa. And no one’s crying.

2) Duane Reade and Amish Market in Rockrose #2 are confirmed for June 2008 opening. Excited and perhaps slightly wilted Queenswesters are standing by.

3) 2626 Jackson, aka Corner of Purves is back on track, after a few months of work stoppage. Scarano marches on in Courthouse Sq.

4) Gristedes (gasp! a grocery store!) is set to open in the Arris Lofts in April/May 2008.

5) The United Nations move of 2,600 workers to the UN Federal Credit Union building in Courthouse Square is on track for April/May. Get ready for the influx!

Site of Long Island City’s first Green Building, 48th Ave between Vernon & 5th.

File this under ‘RUMOR’, though it seems to be confirmed by a few sources. Long Island City’s going green, and no we’re not getting a park though who would complain about that (actually someone probably would) but LIC’s first documented Green building. There’s no direct confirmation from the developers, who supposedly are the brains behind the Galaxy, but word on the street is that the existing building is to be razed, and a new, greener building will sprout in it’s place. They’re going for the Gold, in LEED certification. Maybe setting a standard? Blazing a green pathway? Or just a wise marketing gimmick? Regardless of what it is, it’s a welcome breath of greenness.

Facing west at Anabel Basin, Hunters Point LIC

1) I went shooting last week around Anabel Basin, which is the point on the LIC waterfront where the Queenswest development site ends. There are some great industrial buildings over there, including Matthew Barney’s studio at the end of the pier. Remember the boat?

2) LIC is going to get it’s first official Green Building. We’re still waiting for some more details on that, but the rumor is that it’s right off Vernon and it’s going to be about as Green as Green can be.

3) Sage American Kitchen is moving their digs over to Courthouse Sq, right next to the Courthouse Sq Wine Store. If you have not eaten there, they have amazing sandwiches and unbelievable cupcakes.

Is Clay Aiken buying at the Arris Lofts?

Aah, somebody please save our souls asap, because we’re descending into the lower depths of digital media. It’s totally not our fault though! Upon hearing the news that Clay Aiken is rumored to be in contract at the Arris Lofts, and after having a few glasses of vino… we um, had some fun in photoshop last night. But don’t be distracted from the morsel of the story. Is Clay Aiken moving to Arris Lofts? One of the most controversial new developments? Does that mean LIC is going to be invaded by a bunch of gaggling Claymates?

While you’re pondering those very important questions, we’ll also quietly deliver the news that other celebrities rumored to have bought at Arris are Placido Domingo & DJ Danny Tenaglia.

Who’s got the power?

1) Starbucks is coming to LIC. (deep sigh – c’mon we knew it was inevitable) One spot is the Eastcoast building, the other is an undisclosed location somewhere in Vernon/Jackson. We will keep you updated on that one fa sho.

2) The Zipper Building is not owned by Toll Brothers. We were misinformed. And strangely so, since the tipster was a Toll-er. Hmmm. Won’t be trusting that source again. Anyway, it’s a private owner (we could give you the property report page, but it’s boring) – the buzz is he’s holding for $20M. In the face of the July 2008 421-a expiration, we think that might be a long shot, but building owners in LIC (and NYC) can definitely be described as tenacious.

3) Trump’s son coming to Queens Plaza? Very random and vague tip about the progeny and a few partners from Long Island in contract on a conversion property on Jackson. Hmmm.

4) Stay tuned for some updates on the mystery dev located on Thompson & Purves, right near the Arris Lofts. Between Arris, the Purves siblings…there’s another condo building coming. Will they get the foundation poured by July 2008? Inquiring minds want to know.

5) The Powerhouse is looking nice, no?

1) I’m still sad about the Amish Market, and hopeful about the Fairway rumor, but there was a time when I also hungered for more restaurants in LIC. I can’t say we’ve hit capacity (what hood has the problem of too many good places to eat) but at least now we have a variety of options. Trouble is, all the new restaurants seem to be some variety of Asian fusion. Now that 5SL has moved their sales office on-site, the corner spot on Vernon & 48th they used to occupy is being leased by another Asian fusion place. This is confirmed by many, but no one seems to have any specific deets. If you know what’s going in that spot, hit us up.

2) It seems Toll Brothers made a bit of a land grab when they bought the lot for 5SL because they also purchased the adjacent lots, including what’s dubbed as the ‘Zipper Building’ on 48th. Yes folks, that used to be a zipper factory. According to QW, seems the Zipper Building is getting more than just a face lift, but being knocked down altogether. Which I find rather sad, since the building is unique and distinctive, and if done nicely would probably shine up rather well. Like the base of the Powerhouse. But that’s Karl Fisher and this is Toll Brothers, so we’ll see what transpires.

UPDATE 1/29/08 » The info about the Toll Brothers is being challenged and we are looking into it and will update. We did hear from some reliable sources that it’s owned by Toll Brothers, but there does seem to be legitimate confusion.

Still it would be nice »

O.M.G. Can it really be?

liQcity is a M-F blog, but I’m busting out my computer on a Sunday, because the rumor of a Fairway coming to LIC is too good to wait until tomorrow.

liQcity received this juicy tip yesterday:

“I am a private chef in the city. I do my shopping everyday at Fairway on Broadway. There is a constant buzz in the store about the new Fairway that is going to open in LIC. I have been hearing this from the employees and managers of the store.”

A Fairway in LIC? My simple, humble human self is trying not to get too excited.