Proposed Hunters Point South development rendering, Long Island City

It looks like the City is taking another step towards building Hunters Point South, the dream middle-income housing utopia on the Long Island City waterfront. Yesterday, the City started soliciting bids for the construction of what will eventually become seven 30-story high-rises with 5,000 apartments, retail, the middle/high school and a 10-acre AstroTurf waterfront park.

The plan is to begin construction in 2012 and deliver the first 1,000 apartments and the school in the first phase of completion. But as the Times reports, there is some controversy regarding the ‘middle-income’ designation of the project »

Things looking up for the L Haus Condos? Hunters Point, Long Island City

Baby Steps folks. The L Haus Condos have cleared the 15% sold mark, now marking the time for official sales closings. Curbed has the scoop:

“[... ] a pair of February sales have hit public record—both one-bedrooms a tad smaller than 700 square feet, which sold for $385k and $395k. The 122-unit Cetra/Ruddy-designed building near the Pulaski Bridge, with bundles of amenities and a funky L-shape that gives it a large landscaped courtyard, is no stranger to dangling carrots in front of buyers, and that’s getting ramped up with units now ready for immediate occupancy. What’s in play for buyers looking to pull the trigger immediately? »

Iced up River East Condos lot earlier this winter, 44-02 Vernon Blvd, LIC

Long Island City real estate development rumors flaring up again. The latest off the press is the huge expected sale of a $32.5M note on the now gaping, flooded, and (as of this winter) frozen construction site at 44-02 Vernon Blvd in LIC. Read: condo projects on the site of the former East River Tennis Center, dreamed of since the 1970s, are finally going forward – potentially. The plan for these so-called River East Condos calls for a total of 910 units in two 28-story towers and four 8-story buildings on the six-acre Hunters Point waterfront site »

Rendering of Aloft Hotel, LIC – Photo

The razor-like LIC Hotel garden is spiking up again. We mapped out the territory some time ago, but there are a couple of new projects on (and off?) the radar:

1) Starwood is apparently planning to bring a new Four Points by Sheraton Hotel to LIC in 2010, one of 6 hotels they’re planning for NYC this year »

Murano Condo, Borden Ave, Long Island City

The luminescent Murano’s colorful lobby lights are still putting on a show on Borden Ave, but now they have to compete with the picturesque reflections of blue clouds and sky on the condo’s super-glassy facade. Of course, we’re holding our breath for the still-to-come moat-like “urban lake”, and the impending infamous lightclock »

Hallets Cove Beach, Vernon Blvd, Long Island City/Astoria

If you head out of Hunters Point and up north on Vernon Blvd, you’ll eventually run into Hallets Cove, an area officially in Long Island City though more realistically in Astoria. The ‘Cove’ is a very lovely inlet off the East River where Noguchi built his famous work studio. It also hugs the edge of Socrates Sculpture Park, where a summer movie festival is held amidst quirky outdoor sculptures and local, international restaurants provide the food. It’s really quite a time actually, and our very own LIC Boathouse schedules free canoe trips from the Anable Basin to the summertime movie festivals. Canoe back to your high-rise. Or low-rise. Whichever.

In any case, real estate developers seem to have caught on to the scenic digs up in the nether region of Vernon Blvd, because condos are popping up like river weeds »

Z-Hotel de-shrouded, 11th St and 43rd Ave, Long Island City

While traveling on 43rd Ave anywhere near 11th St, it’s pretty much impossible to miss the snazzy new kid on the block: the Z-Hotel.

Since last we checked, Long Island City’s latest hotel has lost its shroud and revealed itself for the gray and glassy, razor-thin wonder that it is »

Tishman Speyer’s Gotham Center, Queensboro Plaza, Long Island City

On the real estate front in Long Island City, things are not as gloomy as they could be. Despite the cease-fire on most of the pending development since the expiration of Hunters Point’s precious 421-a tax abatement program, and… oh yes, the collapse of the global economy, there are still multiple developments that appear to be approaching fruition »

The Hunters Point South megaproject is finally starting to manifest itself, both in the forms of huge, colorful signage in the shadow of the Powerhouse near 2nd St in LIC, and also on the web. The NYC Economic Development Corp. has rigged up a website devoted solely to Hunters Point South and filled with extensive info, plans and renderings, and even an intro video. The whole process seems to be well-documented, down to outlines of related Community Board 2 and HPS subcommittee meetings.

Speaking of which, a CB2 public hearing »

Hmm… anyone know what happened to The Star Tower condo project in Queens Plaza? Roe Development Corp’s 25-story tower across the street from its first LIC condo project (The Fusion), is (was?) slated to be Long Island City’s tallest residential high-rise. Months ago, as other developments were struggling, the Star Tower had already projected 50% sold, but now it’s pretty much dropped off the face of the earth »

Site of slated ‘Toyoko Inn’ hotel, LIC

The mantra of “Condo, Condo, Condo” in Long Island City could also be sung “Hotel, Hotel, Hotel”. In case anyone hasn’t noticed, Long Island City is quietly (or loudly if you live nearby) turning into a nexus of lodging options. Dutch Kills and Queensboro Plaza are definitely getting hit with the brunt of the hotel development, as developers took advantage of the City’s slow rezoning of the neighborhood.

Hunters Point of course, is getting slammed with condos, but still there’s a hotel or two in the works. The largest hotel deal to date in Long Island City, occurred in Hunters Point last year, brokered by Itzhaki Properties. It’s a huge parcel of Jackson Ave (2405-2419) right at the 7/G/V juncture (which is currently going through major renovation itself), that was sold to Japanese hotelier Toyoko Inn.

The parcel has been razed, but many rumors are flying around »

Silvercup’s new Linea building, 44th Drive, Long Island City

Long Island City, say hello to The Linea, a ten-story, 81 unit, condo construction on 44th Drive between 21st St and 23rd St. It’s brought to us by Silvercup Studios, and at some point in the future, will be marketed by Elliman.

Next up, looks like the somewhat fragile Zipper Factory building »

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 »

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 »

Murano Condo development rendering, Borden Ave @ 5th St, LIC

Spring brings a whole new color palette to winter’s dreary canvas, and our little Long Island City is getting a generous blast of Technicolor at the waterfront. A condo development formerly known as ‘The Prism’, and now officially dubbed ‘The Murano’, is clearly trying to distinguish themselves from the herd by featuring a ‘lightclock’, which will emit colored light out of a break in the middle of the building. The fun doesn’t stop there, as the light will change color on the hour, every hour. Yeah.

Marketed by The Developers Group, this 81 unit condo building with a curtain wall, is now online.

There’s really not much else to report with this. As a buyer’s beware »

The preserved wall at the OCA/CUNY development, 47th Ave @ 5th St, LIC

Well, we’ve left this Pandora’s Box alone for a while, but it’s time to face the Furies and update the world on the progress of what we call the OCA/CUNY development site. It’s kind of anti-climactic. Nothing is happening. So far. Except, we know that BSA has forced the development to preserve a lone wall of the previous construction, pictured above, which will serve as the entrance to an internal courtyard.

If you remember »

Signage for the forthcoming Z Hotel, Long Island City

In some places, the first sounds and sights of Spring are birds singing and flowers budding. In Long Island City, it’s jackhammers pounding and real estate developments sprouting. Though this season’s crop is blighted by the economy, there’s still some interesting new growth »

Powerhouse Condos, 2nd St & 51st Ave, Hunters Point, Long Island City

Over at Curbed, where they love the juicy goings-on of the LIC real estate market, they received notice of condos gone rental at the Powerhouse. Nothing too surprising there, considering the sales slump, except that upon investigation, it seems the building is not officially offering any units for rent, but a private buyer who purchased many units.

Here’s the offering »

Small rental building on 51st Ave nears completion, Long Island City

While condo construction in Long Island City is tangibly stalled by the economic slowdown, some projects (new and in progress) are still going forward »

L Haus condos, Long Island City

It seems the time has come for more creative financing for condo buying in Long Island City. The first development to fall down the rabbit hole (or, rather the second) is the L Haus condos located at the base of the Pulaski Bridge. There are three options:

1) Price Protection will offer buyers the opportunity to receive a rebate should any similar home be sold at a discount to their individual sales price »

Ten63 Condos revealed, Jackson Ave, Hunters Point, Long Island City

Once upon a time in Long Island City, there was a building called the Hackett Building… ok ok nevermind, we won’t dwell on the past. The future is the Ten63 condos, which has finally come out from under it’s shroud. The facade is not bad actually…it’s nice to see some brick in the face of all the glass and steel.

The residents are getting organized and reaching out to find other buyers. One future ten63 dweller wrote to liQcity with a building update »

Prism Condos, Borden Ave, LIC

Broker blogger Andrew Fine has the scoop on the building quietly (haha) going up next to One Hunters Point on Borden Ave, between Vernon & 5th St. Facing the LIRR Railyard.

“”The Prism” (working name for now), an 81 unit condo building, will rise 125 feet on Borden Avenue between 5th Street and Vernon. This no ordinary condo comes with a 24 hour color light clock. As you can see from the rendering »

Two Gotham Center, Queens Plaza South & Jackson Ave, LIC

The municipal parking garage at Queens Plaza South and Jackson Ave, an eyesore dubbed the “white elephant” by local residents, is continuing its transformation into a Class A, LEED Certified Green Building:

“First phase construction has started for a mixed-use development here in Long Island City, Queens–dubbed Gotham Center »

Vere Condos, 2626 Jackson Ave, LIC

liQcity welcomes its newest sponsor Vere Condos, the latest condo building to pop up in Court Square at the corner of Purves St & Jackson Ave. We’ve been watching this building for a while, and the general development in Court Square which rivals the Long Island City waterfront in development activity.

Purves St, a small street off Jackson which dead ends at the railroad tracks, is undergoing probably the most major transformation of all the little streets in Court Square.

Vere Condos is hitting the market »

OCA & CUNY development site, 5th Street, Hunters Point, LIC

Long Island City developers O'connor Capital Partners won a long fought variance for their development site on 5th Street between 47th Ave & 46th Road. This means »