421-a will make your head spin. But let’s see if we can sort it out a bit. The program, officially known as the 421a Tax Abatement, was created in the 70’s to encourage residential development in NYC. It offered developers a 10-25 year abatement on real estate taxes, which were passed on to the buyers of those newly constructed condos and coops. (ie, they don’t have to pay real estate taxes - abatement - you no pay)

Back then, the real estate market needed some serious stimulation. After a certain point, it became clear that lack of residential development was no longer an issue, so the program created ‘exclusion zones’ which required developers to create a minimum of 20% affordable housing units in order to receive the abatement.

Cut to now; when the Hunters Point section of LIC was famously rezoned in 2001, developers were granted a 421-a tax abatement of 15 years in order to encourage development in our little neighborhood. As of July of 2008, the honeymoon’s over. Hunters Point enters the ‘exclusion zone’ and developers will have to meet the affordable housing criteria in order to get the tax abatement. Any building with their foundation poured before July 2008 will still receive the abatement without the affordable housing requirement. But after… it’s a whole different ballgame.

So what does that mean for future development in Hunters Point? »

Here’s a short clip of a lengthy Stoler Report about the development in Long Island City. Being interviewed are representatives from Cushman & Wakefield, Silvercup Studios, and Brause Realty. The full episode (16 minutes long) is available courtesy of a great new video sharing site aimed at the real estate industry, Wellcomemat. Here’s a 3 minute snippet that addresses the climate of purchasing real estate in Long Island City, and the amenities situation. What was of most interest (personally speaking) is the part towards the end where they address the fact that there is no national brand presence in LIC. Now, I’m not very sad about that, but from their perspective (broker and developer) it’s only a matter of time, and it’s desired of course, to foster the draw of the neighborhood.

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.

The houses alongside the Casa Vizcaya development site, 10-40 46th Rd, LIC

The new development Casa Vizcaya is feeling some heat right now, thanks to alleged damage caused to the adjacent property, a townhouse owned by Kenny Greenberg and Diane Hendry. The Daily News reports:

“The Buildings Department recently slapped the project with a stop-work order “for failure to protect adjacent property” according to the agency’s Web site.”

“We’re defending our house,” said Greenberg, who has lived in the two-story house for nearly 20 years and owns a nearby neon company. “This has emotionally beaten us down for two years.”

“The couple’s complaints against the development include bulging walls, broken windows, water damage and cracks. They now have to replace the east wall of their home, which will force them to relocate temporarily.”

Living in Long Island City these days, it’s not an uncommon story. I’m sure many of us can relate to the headache of living near a building in construction - myself I am surrounded by almost ten within a 1 block radius, and about 4 within a baseball’s throw of my house. LIC certainly has it’s charms, and as has been noted before, Sunday is one of them. The day the construction stops. Unless of course, they have a permit, or are pretending like they do.

Anyway, lots of these old townhouses can’t take the repeated impact of the construction vibration. It really should be incumbent upon developers to take care when sandwiching a new condo building between semi-fragile townhouses where longtime LIC community residents live. Hopefully, they will. (Don’t worry, no one’s holding their breath over here.)

Incidentally, the couple who owns the townhouse was featured in this video short about the LIC community.

• Couple claims condo construction caused damage to their home [Daily News]

Brick loft building at Vernon & 44th Dr, the new home of Next Level Floral, LIC

Someone commented on this photo in Flickr that is the direction they’d like to see LIC development move in. I agree. It’s a gorgeous building, and I’m told it’s full of lovely lofts.

After visiting the Condo Festival this weekend, which there are sure to be more of this blossoming spring, I’ve gained an even deeper appreciation for the existing buildings. And it was kind of ironic that the showcase was held in the Puck building, which is the antithesis to the current wave of generic, glassy architecture. New development is not inherently bad, but it would be nice if they could get a little creative, and preserve as much of the rich building history as possible. Instead of just plowing them down.

• Mob boss safely walks the streets of LIC now [BBC]

• Nurses will now pay home visits to first time moms in LIC [Daily News]

• Bricklayers recruiting apprentices in LIC

• Review of the Feminist Exhibit ‘WACK!’ at PS1 MoMa [NY Mag]

Very heavy real estate weekend. I went to the Infofest thrown by Hunters Point Condos on Saturday at Lucky Mojo on 51st Ave. Unfortunately, I missed the speakers so I can’t tell you anything about that, but there was a strong attendance which was very well catered to by LM. Most of the sushi was gobbled up by the time I got there - for those of you who made cracks about free sushi - but I did finally get a chance to sample some of the BBQ and I will say that it was quite yummy.

On Sunday, the Puck building played host to what I’ve been calling the Condo Festival. Really it was the Observer’s Luxury Living Showcase, where the latest condo developments showed us their stuff. It was PACKED. Chaotic. Brokers everywhere. Booze before noon. The booths threw tons of free stuff at us, all emblazoned with the condo logos. Most notable was a new development offering their own condo branded hot sauce.

I have to say, I’m a little generally disappointed by the new breed of architecture. Most of the developments were barely indistinguishable from each other. An overabundance of big glassy towers. And not just in LIC… but all over the boroughs. NYC is getting buried in glass. There were a few nice brick developments, but that’s it.

The View at East Coast by Rockrose was the only LIC development on hand. And they were definitely under assault by throngs of brokers. I heard lots of questions about how one gets to LIC… and are there any restaurants there yet. Haha. Isn’t that the question of the month?

Filming of Gossip Girl on Vernon Blvd, Long Island City

Is your legally parked car missing? Notice the film shoots in the hood? If you haven’t read the pink signs: it’s Gossip Girl. And they’re also looking to shoot scenes inside a LIC townhouse apartment. I received notice on my door this weekend. How cute.

The destruction of What Should Have Been Landmarked continues with the leveling of the Star Building. And here’s what’s to come in its place.

The NY Post article about inland LIC is a must read. It’s a decent chronicle of what’s going on around the Queensboro Bridge, though funny at times. It’s interesting who is considered (and considers themselves) pioneers of a neighborhood.

• Star building bites the dust [Queenscrap]

• LONG SHOT - Long Island City sprawls beyond the waterfront [NY Post]

• Sex in Long Island City

Development in Dutch Kills, LIC

Aah, the rezoning of Dutch Kills. A quieter saga, but of epic proportions nonetheless. It seems that finally when the rezoning is set for May, to help curb the hotelification of DK, a group of commercial property owners called The Purple People are standing up against it, claiming that it will destroy the growth of business in the community.

“Inhabiting the purple and blue shaded area of the rezoning map, the group says rezoning, as is, will cause a loss of 826,000 square feet of industrial space, 2,066 jobs and millions of dollars in annual tax revenues to the city.

The Dutch Kills rezoning has been on the drawing board for years. When the Department of City Planning (DCP) introduced a final plan in May 2006, it looked like a reality. Joy Chen, DCP liaison to Community Board 1, said the plan should be certified and ready for review by the board in late May. It would rezone a 40-block area that is now mostly zoned manufacturing into more mixed-use residential zones.”

• The down-zoning of Dutch Kills [Queens Gazette]

It’s the day of reckoning for the CUNY dorm proposal. Tonight’s Community Board (CB2) meeting is sure to be a riveting wrestling match: community vs developers vs gov’t. You can be sure we’ll have ringside seats.

If you want to see the action yourself, the meeting is held at Sunnyside Senior Center, 43-31 39th St (2nd floor), Sunnyside, NY 11104. At 7pm.

The next Board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 1st, in the same location at 7pm. Essentially CB2 meetings are held the first Thursday of every month.

If you would like to contact the CB2, they’re located at 43-22 50th St, 2nd floor, Woodside, NY 11377. The phone number is 718.533.8773, and email addresses listed are: qn02@cb.nyc.gov and commboard2@nyc.rr.com.

• Developers’ CUNY housing plan in Long Island City faces hurdle [Daily News]

The CUNY dorm proposal was passed last night by the Community Board, in a vote 21-10. The Queens Council on the Arts sweetened the deal, and they are very excited to move to LIC.

CUNY will have to meet certain conditions, and as far as we know so far, the building will be 13 stories. The details on this will be posted when the board releases their write -up .

liQcity spoke to QCA today, and essentially they help make sure art happens in Queens. And all kinds of art: visual and performing. They also give out micro-grants of $500-1500 to artists and organizations. Currenty located in Woodhaven, they are exited to inhabit a space so accessible and within a very alive artist’s community, though somewhat endangered.

Grad students and hipsters on the way. LIC further diversifies… that should be good news to some.

• Queens Council on the Arts Website

» UPDATE »

Alternate viewpoint on the CUNY dorm received via liQcity inbox:

“The vote was 10 against, 21 for which unfortunately was predictable. There was a rather slick misinformation campaign where many local politicians were told of QCA’s and CUNY’s outreach to the arts community. This hasn’t been supported by fact.

Their lawyer has one of those curious political backgrounds where one cannot quite tell what he really stands for and I suppose he likes it that way.”

• Sidney Davidoff

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 »

View 59 and the Ciampa rental building, Dutch Kills, LIC

Well the quiet saga of development in Dutch Kills marches on. The Ciampa rental building, which has been in the works for quite some time, is bringing View 59 some new neighbors. Info on this rental building is hard to find, but we expect to see some listings soon. If anyone comes across them, feel free to send them our way.

Most of the press lately about Dutch Kills »

Development in Dutch Kills, LIC

Dutch Kills rearing it’s head in the news again. Thanks to the ongoing struggle between the residents and the city, over the neighborhood’s residentially inclined rezoning proposal (aka Lochness Monster). Although, the city is yet again threatening to fulfill its promise very very soon. Who knows, maybe it’ll actually happen someday?

In a small subsection of Dutch Kills, known now as ‘Sub Area C’ to the city gov’t, and ‘Home’ to its residents, is being rezoned in the wrong direction, according to Chris Lundgren, who is organizing a neighborhood fight against the city’s rezoning proposal:

*“The city is destroying us »