New is Beautiful in Long Island City. (?)
So Citi’s (are they not called Citicorp or Citibank anymore?) Two Court Square clocks in as LIC’s first official green building. There were other contenders, but TCS seems to have nailed the title. Interesting - they’re using 100% wind energy to power the building.
And the CUNY dorm site that can’t stay out of the news. That’s back in the mix - two articles reporting on a meeting held between the architects and some local artists. Is there any way to find out about these meetings before they happen?
Incidentally, the CUNY dorm proposal is on the table for the Community Board meeting on April 3rd. Here’s the deets.
Two Court Square by Citi is a green building! [Power Online]
CUNY’s LIC dorm gets tentative praise [Times Ledger]
The 11101 page on Everyblock [nyc.everyblock]
Looking at Queenswest through Hunters Point South, LIC
“Across from the United Nations in Long Island City, Queens, lies one of the last empty pieces of land on the East River. This 24 acre lot boasts dramatic views of the Empire State building from 30-foot-high cliffs, rolling hills covered in wild trees, and more access to the river’s edge than any other site in Queens. Currently it is an idyllic, private barbeque spot, with homemade swings and benches looking out across the water at Manhattan’s midtown rush.” -Nathan Kesinger
The rain’s coming folks.
Some great photography of Hunters Point South, LIC [Nathan Kesinger Photography]
Made in Queens - Japanese artist Murakami nests in Long Island City [NY Sun]
Nigel Rollins exhibit open at Art-o-mat, Vernon Blvd [liQcity]
The smallest house in Long Island City - Courthouse Sq, Hunters Point
Good Monday morning liQcity readers. Some interesting tidbits in recent LIC news…did you know the Noguchi Museum is sinking? Well, apparently so. In other topographical news, the Newtown Creek, site of the potentially (ahem) largest oil spill in the world, is finally getting some money thrown at it for cleanup. We haven’t even touched the topic of toxicity in Long Island City, and you can bet that’s coming.
Sinking Noguchi Museum gets $8M [Daily News]
State Targets Brooklyn’s Ultra-Polluted Newtown Creek With $625G Grant [Brooklyn Eagle]
Signs of Spring: Putting the ‘Beach’ into Water Taxi Beach [Eater]
The end nears for Kosciuszko Bridge [Daily News]
10-50 Jackson Ave getting shiny, Long Island City
So LIC’s approved for the Residential Parking Plan. One can only assume that this along with other key decisions about the logistical infrastructure of LIC lay in the hands of the Community Board.
Speaking of the somewhat elusive CB2, the CUNY building appeal will be addressed at the board meeting on Thursday, April 3rd at 7pm. An older post offers some information about the board.
While the Queenswest Library clean up continues, the Queens Library system is renovating its branch in LIC as well. So we’re getting a double dose of information, brainiacs be alerted.
An interesting statistic: ” In Long Island City, average apartment sales prices increased 44 percent compared to the same period last year [Jan 07-08]; Woodside saw a 32 percent rise and Elmhurst prices went up 15 percent.” -Queens Chronicle
Long Island City approved for Residential Permit Parking plan [Times Ledger]
Cleanup continues at Queenswest library site [Queens Chronicle]
Queens Library in LIC system funded $400K for renovations [Queens Courier]
Irish Center going strong in LIC [Queens Courier]
Community service from Fresh Direct? [Earth Times]
New York City Food Film festival at Water Taxi Beach this summer [NY Sun]
Artwork on 5Pointz Studios, Hunters Point, LIC
Ok it’s time for the weekend. Looks like a bit of snow coming our way. If you missed Bjork’s screening of Wanderlust, you’ve got another shot tonight. It starts at 7pm, but get there early!
Bjork’s ‘Wanderlust’ premiered in LIC’s Deitch Studios last night [Gothamist]
Queenswest library set for 2009 [Times Ledger]
Is Long Island City the next big thing? [Gridskipper]
City View Raquet Club is now open in LIC [City View website]
Music Events in LIC this weekend [LICpop]
Looking South from Hunters Point, Long Island City
Nice chunk of LIC news today. Looks like those parking workshops actually listened to the people that showed up. In conjunction with the famous Congestion Charge Plan, the DOT (Dept of Transportation) is proposing a Residential Parking Permit plan for a few specific neighborhoods that could be adversely effected by parkers trying to avoid the charge. LIC is one of them of course. Though, if anyone has tried to park in Hunters Point between the hours of 6am and about 4/5pm, you know it’s impossible anyway, so those new drivers coming to park here are SOL. It will be nice though to have residential parking. All hoods in the RPP plan will be treated on a case-by-case basis involving determination by community boards etc.
It seems the allocation for the new library suddenly jumped from $20M: “…$40 million for the build-out of a new Library Services Center in Long Island City in Queens.”
Water Taxi Beach is feeling the heat before the summer begins. Urban retreat or community nuisance? Seems the board meeting controversy had more to do with the Waterfront Crabhouse upset about WTBeachers rowdily trying to use their bathrooms, but for those of us who live in the pathway from WTB to the subway… I’d say there’s definitely a community issue. Some solutions offered by WTB were to shorten hours on Sunday night and provide additional portable bathroom facilities.
Residential parking permits for Long Island City? [Streetsblog]
NY Public Library $1B plan includes Long Island City [Library Journal]
Water Taxi Beach draws ire at local community board meeting [Queens Gazette]
LICBDC gets update on Queenswest project [Queens Gazette]
Review of Lucky Mojo’s [Daily News]
Behind the scenes of Bjork’s ‘Wonderland’ screening [NY Sun]
Third-generation magician’s factory makes wonders before your eyes [Daily News]
The Echelon & Manhattan Skyline from Hunters Point, LIC
What? No Starbucks? According to the Racked article, there’s no reason cited for the deal dying, except speculation that Starbucks is limiting their ‘outer borough’ presence. Poor Queenswest. The little engine that couldn’t. Well, hopefully the Amish Market will come through someday. And the Duane Reade. In the meantime, QW’ers will just have to truck it all the way to Vernon for some local coffee, which is not half bad. In fact, some of it is darned good. We don’t even need or want a Starbucks - well not all of us. I know some were waiting for the chain, cigarettes and jitters in hand.
Powerhouses to the people [NY Times]
The changing landscape of Hunters Point, Long Island City
Well the end to a slow week brings not very much news about LIC, but a couple of commuting notes, and a report on pricechopping at the new development on 46th Rd known as Casa Vizcaya. What does that mean? Who knows. Every weekend I still see tons of brokers with their trench coats and clipboards…
It was nice to see some community chatter about development in the hood. WHAT DO WE WANT?! An Indie Theatre. A pool. A community center. WHEN DO WE WANT IT?! Uh, whenever…before 2020 would be nice.
Water Taxi increasing ferry service this season [Water Taxi Blog]
50% increased service on the G-train [SaveTheG]
Green Shores Invites Queens Parks Users To Speak Up [Asian Journal]
Music Events this weekend in LIC [LICpop]
Streetart on Recycle-a-bicycle building on 46th Ave & 5th St, LIC
There’s a power plant for sale in a small, lesser known sub-neighborhood of Long Island City called Ravenswood. Queenswest marches on as Rockrose gets ready to clean up the Pepsi Plant site on the LIC waterfront. Curbed went on an LIC posting blitz today - we brought you a couple highlights.
Power Plant for Sale in LIC. What’s the impact to RAVENSWOOD? [Daily News]
LIC Pepsi plant site to get final cleanup [Times Ledger]
It’s still V-day in Hunters Point.
Welcome back from President’s Day. At least this year it feels very well deserved.
Be his Valentine. On sale at Cherished Objects @ 41-24 29th St, LIC.
Buildings going bye-bye. Some Chocolate in the house! And Arris… aah Arris - what else can really be said? Haven’t we all said enough? Guess not.
Comfort Inn LIC sold for $20.5M [CoStar]
Standard Motor Products sells headquarter building for $40.6M [Daily News]
Chocolate Spoon Coffee House opens in Astoria [Queens Gazette]
Day of Service in LIC [Queens Chronicle]
A common sight in LIC these days.
Top o’ the very cold morning to you, liQcity readers. Dutch Kills hoteliers might have to jump through some more hoops; the fire sale is over. The mammoth Silvercup development is being held up due to toxicity in the soil. Yawn.
Teapot painting by Jon Fletcher on display at the Art-o-Mat.
It’s the weekend. Hurray!
Discovery of toxic Swingline factory site in Long Island City leads to further examination of other potentially hazardous areas [Times Ledger]
Briarcliff College opening a Long Island City branch [Queens Tribune]
Urban agriculture comes to P.S. 1 [NY Times]
Standard Motor Products Corporate Headquarters sold [Queens Tribune]
Music events in LIC this weekend [licpop]
A piece that no longer exists at 5pointz studios - photo by Barrybar
Queenswest has a $20M library in the works? The price tag seems a bit steep.
Residential parking permits in LIC? Well that’s one option. [Queens Chronicle]
If you’re moving in to the Rockrose buildings, bring your goggles. [Queens Courier]
Music events in LIC this weekend [licpop]
Grand Theft Auto piece, Hunters Point @ 49th Ave
Did anyone go to the congestion plan meeting yesterday? If you did, hit us up with the scoop.
5pointz Studios
Hallelujah. It’s the weekend. The Idiotarod race starts tomorrow at noon.
Looks like your standard aerial shot of Queenswest, huh? Well it’s not. This is an excellently noted photo, labeling all of the new developments in view.
What’s interesting is the annotation of what I’ve been calling East Coast 3 as Rockrose Condos. That’s news to me, but hey…
Citicorp building in LIC doubles as a sundial.
LICsundial.net has created a blog/website about how the the Citicorp building in LIC doubles as a sundial. It’s so obvious that it probably didn’t occur to you (or me), but it did to them. Either they have way too much time on their hands, or it’s genius at work. I say it’s both, but I spend my time running around LIC talking to construction workers, so…
