liQcity is Long Island City, Queens. Aka LIC. liQcity emerged as an accident - we were hanging on the roof of 5pointz (a LONG time ago - before the million no trespassing signs… or maybe we didn’t notice them?) and instead of saying LI City, by accident Lick City was uttered. Lick City so represents what LIC could be, but probably won’t. The multitude of high-rise developments definitely brings a generic vibe, but there is still an underbelly underdog and that is liQcity. Q for Queens, of course.
I live in this neighborhood and have a special interest in NYC real estate—which is a lucky combo. In the last 4 years since I moved here, LIC (specifically Hunters Point) has changed significantly, but in a sleepy kind of a way. A number of storefronts have opened up on Vernon Blvd, and some much needed eateries. Still no grocery store, though there is that rumor about the Amish Market coming to Queens West. There was a time Fresh Direct wouldn’t deliver to us… even though they’re headquartered on Borden Ave.
Ihawan at 10-07 50th Ave - Opening Soon
This morning I walked by the new restaurant on 50th Ave between Vernon & Jackson, right next to the sales office for ten63 Jackson. The signs are up now, and another new restaurant is about to emerge on the Vernon scene - Ihawan, Asian Grill and Sushi. Any relation to the Ihawan in Woodside? Seems likely. Supposedly we are getting a Japanese restaurant in another Vernon location, so stay tuned for updates on the Asian Invasion of Vernon. Invade away! It’s way better to have food than another brokerage or development sales office.
Really good short film about the LIC community.
I found this video buried in a LICNYC forum. Great personal short about what kind of hood LIC is, including a few profiles of local business owners and residents. Visually focused on the Hunters Point section, especially Vernon/Jackson & Courthouse Square. Interviewed are the purveyors of Communitea & Mario’s Deli, both located on Vernon Blvd.
The actual video is from this great site featuring short videos of various NYC neighborhoods. Interesting that LIC represents Queens, but I guess to the rest of the world, that seems to be the general consensus. It’s NOT true of course, Queens is so much more than LIC - in fact, LIC is a bit of an anomaly in the mix of neighborhoods.
Right behind (or in front of, depending on your perspective) the Rockrose fortress, I found a corner lot being broken down at 46th & 5th. I asked the guys across the street what was going up…they said a building.
Anyone know what this is?
Then & Now Shots: The Gantry
Since I’m doing a blog about LIC now, I decided to poke back through my photo archives and dig up shots from the spring of 2006, when I was not working that much and spent days biking around LIC taking photos.
Wow. The neighborhood has transformed so significantly, but watching it day to day doesn’t really give you a sense of the progression. Looking at photographs from 1 & 1/2 years ago is a different story. I didn’t have time to edit all the shots, so here’s just a little taste.
Left— shot of the Gantry, on the corner of 49th & 5th St, from April 2006 while in construction:
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…
Bricktown Bagels - 51-06 Vernon Blvd, 718.361.2428
As you all know, we in LIC are still waiting for a grocery store. (Note to self: Call Rockrose…is the proposed Amish Market coming anytime soon?) In the meantime, Hunters Point has been delivered its first bagel cafe, Bricktown Bagels. Presently, there are a few delicatessens on Vernon that sell bagels, but those aren’t really bagels a self-respecting NYC neighborhood can be proud of.
Bricktown Bagels, which opened this past fall to a warm reception, is a bona fide NYC bagel shop, offering a spacious interior, comfy couches for lounging, nice tables, and free Wi-Fi. Add to that mix, an abundance of sandwiches, pastries, deli nibblers, and sliced meat. All the bagels are boiled and baked in the old school NYC tradition right on site, and the freshness is extremely self-evident. Bricktown offers the standard options of bagels, including bialys (of course) and whole wheat versions of popular bagel types.
Name That Development: 51st Ave, Hunters Point
I saw some work being done on 51st Ave this weekend to an empty lot. Well it wasn’t an empty lot before Dec 07… there was a small house and a small one story industrial building standing there. I went away for two weeks and came back to discover the buildings razed.
The word on the street (gossipy neighbors who are remarkably accurate at times), is that 3 small townhouses are going up, similar to the adjacent renovated townhouse, with Fedders and Gargoyles. Incidentally, the lot(s) in question and the gargoyle building are owned by the same owner. If it’s a few small townhouses being built here, likely these will be rental units, adding some volume to the low-rise offerings in LIC.
Seems last week, everyone in Hunters Point decided to get rid of their Christmas trees on the same day. Collective consciousness? Or just a well timed trash day? Who knows. This post was inspired more by the photography of the trees, than the reason behind it. I’m sure there’s some great philosophical commentary about the symbolism of a disposable tree representing the celebration of consumer greed (and Jesus’s birthday of course)… but you won’t find it here.
No sooner than I had posted about Ihawan did I stumble upon another new Asian fusion restaurant in the works at Vernon-Jackson. This time on Jackson, there’s a new storefront emerged at 10-57 Jackson right next to the Chase bank on the corner, with the sign BANY, Ten 57. Looks like this Asian fusion restaurant will be leaning more towards Japanese food, giving Ihawan (Asian Grill & Sushi Bar) and Lucky Mojo’s (Tex-Mex & Sushi Bar) a run for their fusion money.
I spoke to the broker who er… brokered the lease, and he said that BANY should be open in about 4-6 weeks. In LIC time that usually means 4-6 months, but even if it does delay, our Asian fusion options in LIC are plenty.
Casa Vizcaya’s coming along nicely. Haven’t seen too much chatter about this development, except of course, the usual LIC bashing on curbed. A search for listings pulls up seven, all listed by Corcoran. Seems like prices have dropped since the original offerings, but don’t quote me on that.
As an interesting side note, these are the same developers bringing us the Kimaya Lofts on Jackson Ave.
For some more construction shots on the Viz, as well as a glimpse of what else is on that street, check out our flickr set. One lucky bonus Casa Vizcaya enjoys, is the proximity to my favorite bar in LIC, the LIC bar on the corner of 46th Rd & Vernon. Killer place.
Then & Now - Vernon/Jackson
A while back, I dug up some photos I took while spending my days biking around LIC. (fun times) Here’s a look at what’s transpired right at the famous triangular corner of Vernon/Jackson. There used to be a beautiful red brick building, that’s been knocked down for quite a while now. But nothing’s been happening in that spot. This is sort of a Name That Dev as well. What’s going on there?
Vernon Jackson in April 2006
LIC Weekend Open Houses - Jan 26/27
There's going to be lots of real estate activity in LIC this weekend. I can do a better job of predicting that than the weather people have been doing lately. And I'm not even using fancy technological modes of divination either—just the listing websites.
Drivers, just don't take my parking spot please. And if you're coming from Long Island, or some other land of driveways, take a few moments to teach yourself how to parallel park. I've been witnessing some seriously bad parking jobs, from drivers outright smashing into other cars, to people literally parking so badly they take up multiple precious spots. Sure, you'll have a garage when you move into your luxury condo, but in the meantime you know... show some respect to the LIC curbside.
Oy. As if things weren’t bad enough. (They’re not actually.) The news broke yesterday (thanks Eater) -the Amish Market is delayed until at least May.
Where is our @&*%(#&%@# grocery store?? I understand that Hunters Point is making the jump straight to high-end, but we are also simple, humble humans who are willing to shop at a Gristedes or a Food Emporium. Or better yet, an unbranded mom & pop with a savvy buyer. That’s all we need. Some organic options. Decent produce. A butcher who’ll do the dirty work. A cookie aisle.
Is there anyone awake out there? Why are so many people missing this amazing business opportunity? There are industrial spaces available in Hunters Point that are perfect for a grocery store. I mean it’s not like I have to drink my coffee black every morning or anything…people have lived in this hood for decades without a grocery store. But it’s become a nice shtick to chronically lament about the lack of grocery store, so I’m sticking with it. Maybe if I got off my keister, I might open a grocery store myself. Aah, no. I’d lose my shtick and my keister would miss my office chair too much. I think I’ll go buy a condo in DoBro instead.
5th floor terrace at the 5th Street Lofts
Did you know that 5SL is actually not one building but two? The building on 48th Ave is larger, and hosts the majority of the amenities including two roof decks. There’s a smaller adjacent (via the backside) building on 47th Ave that is ‘a little more boutique and cozy’ according to the sales agent. The smaller building does not feature a doorman, and the layouts are a little more ‘unique’ so beware of that boutique buyers.
5SL in general is all sold out of 1BR’s, so get a roommate or get married, or you know… start a business from your home office with a closet and maybe even a nice view. Views from the 5th floor terrace at the 47th Rd building weren’t half bad actually. Though they do look straight at the mystery development where we suspect a dorm might be going up.
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.
11-15 50th Ave, Hunters Point
This morning, a special liQcity source gave us the scoop that the mystery building at 11-15 50th Ave, just south of Hunters View (by the Pulaski), filed a CPS1 with the Attorney General’s office. CPS1 = Cooperative Policy Statement 1. Essentially, this allows the developer to advertise the project in order to collect ‘expressions of interest’, before the offering plan is accepted. Usually a building does this to test the waters of going condo or rental.
The developer can’t market units with any specific sale prices while in a CPS1 phase, but can engage in general marketing. For example, The Kimaya is currently in this phase. If you read the fine print on their website, they don’t have an accepted offering plan, but the advertisement is pursuant to CPS1. Once the offering plan is accepted and on file with the Attorney General, a developer can market with specific sales prices and execute contracts.
Cafe Henri - 1010 50th Ave 718.383.9315
Cafe Henri was already here when I got here. I knew moving to LIC over 4 years ago that the hood was transitioning and that for a couple of years I’d have to deal with sparse amenities. However I needed to know that there was at least one decent eatery that I could count on. Turns out there was more than one (though not many) and Cafe Henri was definitely at the top of the list.
A clone of the popular West Village spot, Cafe Henri might technically be a bistro, but it’s absolutely a cafe. And most definitely a creperie. I know crepes are not everyone’s thing, but their menu is quite diverse and has evolved in the last few years. There’s your expected pastries and coffee drinks, an excellent selection of sweet and savory crepes, french sandwiches and croque’s, salads, breakfast staples like eggs benedict (made 3 ways), and some bistro entrees like coq a vin and steak frites. It’s the kind of place where anyone is bound to find something that they would want to eat.
We seem to have accidentally tripped a nerve yesterday with Arris Lofts dwellers who are concerned that our citing a rumor about hookers at Arris Lofts will give a bad impression of the neighborhood.
Let’s get a few things right on the table. liQcity is a blog. Curbed is a blog. Blogs deal in rumors and hearsay. None of the information on this or any other blog is pure fact. In fact (ha), most of it is just opinion. So treat it as such.
More relevantly, LIC is a transitioning industrial neighborhood in New York City. That much I’m sure we all can agree on. While Hunters Point is definitely safer than one might expect, there are still plenty of shady spots, and illicit activity absolutely transpires. To what degree? Well that’s the grey area. I’ve seen used condoms strewn about at Gantry Park - where they hookers or an overexcited couple who just put down 20% at the 5th St Lofts? Who knows.
11-15 50th Ave has teeny tiny windows
11-15th 50th Ave at the Pulaski Bridge, Hunters Point
Oy. We’ve been trying to figure out what’s going on at 11-15 50th Ave for some time now. Various sources have indicated that they’ve also been trying to figure it out, but chronically get no response from the developer. Oh, liQcity gave it a shot too of course. A woman on the phone said she had no idea if it was rental or condo, and that it currently has no other name besides 11-15 50th Ave.
We speculated it’s likely to be condo because the developer filed for a CPS1 period with the attorney general’s office, but now we’re seeing the teeny, tiny windows and wondering if that means it’s going to be rental. Large open windows are ideal in condo sales because obviously they’re more desirable to buyers, and owners pay their own heating bills (usually, if not, they’re lumped into condo fees). If it’s a rental building, small windows are preferred because the landlord picks up the heating bill. It’s unfortunate how tiny the windows look on this building as it currently will have gorgeous views of the skyline, especially on the west side of the building.
LIC Weekend Open Houses - Feb 2/3
Not much has really changed since last weekend's open houses - same developments still on the market. Some of them seem to have sold a few. That's about it. Overall, we're looking at the same story, except the weekend weather is supposed to be sunny and in the high 40's. Have fun.
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Powerhouse50-09 2nd St, Hunters Point 19 still available Prudential Douglas EllimanOpen House: By appointment only |
This is not the usual rat one sees at a construction site, or is it?
Yesterday, liQity photographer Jenni Snead stumbled across a union protest against One Hunters Point for employing non-union workers:
“The first thing I saw when I came out of the subway was the giant, blow-up strike rat on the corner of Vernon & Borden. I snapped a few shots and spoke briefly with the strikers, who claimed they had been on this site for months now, just not with the inflatable rat. I got a photo of one of the guy’s embroidered jacket - Dockbuilders Local Union 1456”. I wandered away when one of the construction workers walked down to the picket line and started getting upset, saying not to take his picture, etc.”
Hmmm, a union striker not wanting publicity? Interesting. Anyway, we hope the giant rat scares away the real ones.
Toyoko Inn development site, Jackson Ave, Courthouse Sq
If you thought the only hotels going up in LIC were in Dutch Kills, oh boy were you wrong. A while ago it was announced that a Japanese hotel chain, Toyoko Inn, purchased 5 adjacent parcels of land on Jackson Ave for for $17.75M. The parcels are located in Courthouse Square at 2405, 2409, 2411-2415, 2417 and 2419 Jackson Avenue. It’s a huge footprint!
- Long Island City is turning Japanese [Curbed]
Arris Lofts at 27-28 Thomson Ave, Courthouse Square, LIC
I visited Arris Lofts a long time ago, back in the day when they were still cool. IE before all the Arris bashing began on curbed.com. I can’t really say I blame the bashers, since the building had some ‘curiosities’ even before we heard about the hookers.
For those not in the know, Arris Lofts hit the market last year, and wins the prize for being the most controversial development project in LIC. What they did right: they didn’t knock the building down, but renovated that gorgeous, odd-shaped industrial building; they emphasized large windows and the high ceilings (both already there, but Arris needs points so let’s give them another one), they used Costas Kondylis. Well that last one remains to be seen, because even on my visit I was very confused by 1BR’s with 2.5 bathrooms, and the kitchen being just a console on the living room wall.
Anyway, after all the hoopla, turns out Arris Lofts is still buzzing through the wire, and word’s not so good. Except for this word.
A collaged view of Fusion LIC, 4251 Hunter St, Courthouse Sq, LIC
It’s hard to get a unobstructed shot of the well-known condo development Fusion LIC, so liQcity photographer Jenni Snead fused (pun intended) one together. There’s an Open House this weekend for the 6 listings still on the market, all listed by Halstead.
Star Building at 42-26 28th St
We’re running into some more unidentified conversions going on in LIC. How surprising. The latest one is the old Star building, which is located near the Fusion LIC site in Courthouse Square. It seems work has just recently begun. Anyone have any knowledge of what’s happening to the Star Building?
From Forgotten-NY: “Long Island Star building, 28th Street and 42nd Road, was home to the Long Island City Daily Star, founded in 1865 by Thomas Todd, memorialized in a plaque on the building’s exterior. The paper merged with Flushing’s North Shore Journal in the 1930s and soldiered on until 1968 as the Long Island Star-Journal. Developers have it in their gunsights.”
Garden in Transit… Zebra style?
This junker was spotted on Jackson Ave in the Courthouse Square area. It appears as though somebody went shred-happy with a Garden in Transit decal from a flower taxi. It definitely, um…spruces up that ride.
Kimaya Lofts, 2608 Jackson Ave, Courthouse Sq.
Only thing better than a ‘Name that Dev’, is stumbling upon an identified new development that hasn’t really hit the presses. I’ve barely seen mention of this new addition to Jackson Ave, near the Purves twins. But here it is!
Roving liQcity photographer Jenni Snead reports:
“I discovered a new development being squeezed into a teeny, tiny lot between Dykes Lumber & Mr. Wonton on Jackson Ave. It’s going to be a high-rise; kind of a tall, skinny, triangular building that never quite meets a point at the top. There was no construction work started at the site yet but there was a big banner tied to the fence with the architect’s rendering. It is apparently going to be luxury lofts and office space. The development is called Kimaya Lofts and I got several photos of the sign itself and the lot it’s going to go in.”
Seems there could be a whole blog just dedicated to Name That Development in Hunters Point, considering how many there are.
Well, regardless, here’s another one discovered: 44-30 Purvis (aka Purves) St. This site also wraps around to Thompson, facing a very notorious neighbor: Arris Lofts. Maybe the hookers will expand their territory? Well, they’ll have to wait a while, because it looks like the development site is still up for sale. Here’s the listing, as advertised by Greiner-Maltz.
For some more shots of the dev site, including a peek through the fence, check out the flickr set.
All references to this multi-named building are 26-26 Jackson Ave, 44-01 Purves, or Corner of Purves. (DOB even has it as Purvis) Let’s go with Corner of Purves.
Corner of Purves & Jackson
The building went up very quickly, and then there was work stoppage for a good while. Seems like things have picked back up, because DOB (Dept of Buildings) has a complaint filed today against the building for unsafe working conditions. Interestingly enough, the Certificate of Occupancy is for a garage and factory.
Upon doing some digging, it’s been uncovered that the building is going to be 43 units, mixed residential and commercial, and designed by controversial architect Richard Scarano. He’s controversial for many reasons… here’s one, and here’s another, and if you want more….
E & I Deli, Vernon Blvd @ 50th Ave, Hunters Point
If you’ve been reading this blog for five minutes, you know that there’s a grocery store issue… as in we don’t have one. And I’m tired of hearing that C-town counts as a grocery store. Fine, technically C-town is in Hunters Point, but if you live in Queenswest or Vernon/Jackson, two of the other sub-neighborhoods of HP (which is a sub-nabe in and of itself), that C-town is as far away, if not further than The Garden in Greenpoint. Or really, let’s just leave it at that it’s far away. And my question is: is it a good grocery store? It’s too far for me - I just go to The Garden, lug my groceries from the city, or I go to the E&I Deli, aka the Korean deli on Vernon.
Surprisingly, E&I has a really savvy buyer. The deli is definitely stocked with some ‘yuppie’ vittles. You know, overpriced and organic. It also has a great selection of Asian foods as well… which is very much in line with the theme of our burgeoning restaurant scene.
Thank you E&I deli. If it weren’t for you, we’d have to walk the 5000 miles to C-town (aka 15 minutes).
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? »
Nevermind the dog, beware of the owner.
Um… yeah. Explosive Detection Services has a bit of an attitude. Ok. That’s understandable. Keeping the Mid-town Tunnel from exploding is fine with us.
City Vet 45-44 Vernon Blvd 718.433.1334
Is Hunters Point starting to become an actual residential neighborhood? Well between finally having a bagel shop, and with Starbucks on the way… what else is missing besides a local vet? (ok, yeah yeah… grocery store, movie theatre, $20M library, etc) While we’re waiting for all that, at least we can get our pets’ teeth cleaned. City Vet is open for business and taking appointments.
Tuk Tuk 49-06 Vernon Blvd 718.472.5598 718.472.5597
So far there are three Asian fusion restaurants at Vernon/Jackson; Ihawan and BANY Ten57 on the way, and Lucky Mojo’s operating on 51st Ave. Holding the Thai fort down, and not fused with any other kind of cuisine, is Tuk Tuk, a transplant from Smith St in Brooklyn. Tuk Tuk’s been on Vernon for a while and the food has been reliable from day one. I’m a Thai food fan, and Tuk Tuk offers all the standards, plus some interesting specials. Carnivores and herbivores can eat together in harmony - tons of options for everyone. They’re affordable in my book; entrees run from $8 to $16, and portions are generous.
The ambiance is chill and minimal; the service is very friendly and unobtrusive, and they definitely make an effort to get to know their regulars. Delivery is lovely - usually very timely and the food’s nice and hot. Tuk Tuk is definitely a staple in my diet, though sometimes that’s been because there are no other Asian restaurants. Doesn’t matter though - Tuk Tuk’s an established neighborhood fav, and we hope they stick around for a good while.
LIC Weekend Open Houses - Feb 9/10
The weather’s not looking so good for this weekend, but we know there’s a bunch of die-hard condo buyers out there. Same round-up as last week and the week before. Don’t know what’s going on at the Foundry LIC - last week they had 12 available and this week they have 14. If anyone takes any good pics, send them our way.
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The Foundry LIC2-40 51st Ave, Hunters Point 14 still available Prudential Douglas EllimanOpen House Sun, By appointment only
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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.
The developments around here are moving at such a clip, sometimes it’s hard to keep up with them. The weather’s been pretty dismal for photos, but here’s a nice one of the progress on Hunters View. It’s part of the Hunters Point Condos double whammy - between both buildings they’re 40% sold according to them. Enjoy the view
Hunters Point Wines and Spirits, 47-07 Vernon Blvd, 718.472.WINE
Vern-Jax’ers may not have a grocery store, but we certainly have an abundance of places to pick up booze. But booze is hardly what Hunters Point Wines & Spirits is selling in their remarkably beautiful storefront on Vernon Blvd between the 47th’s. Owner Paul Huston has been in the wine business for 30 years and not only does he know wine, but he’s also an LIC lifer. I think I’ve seen a lot of change in 4 years… imagine what LIC must have been like 30 years ago. It certainly wouldn’t have hosted a store like this.
HP Wines specializes in hard-to-find handcrafted bottles, as opposed to what Huston refers to as ‘mass-produced commercial horseshit’. And from the looks of things, he’s telling the truth. I spent this morning chatting with Mr. Huston, who like all good wine connoisseurs, is passionate about his product and showed me an artisan crafted sake produced and hand delivered to the emperor of Japan. It’s probably not hand delivered to Vernon, but it’s definitely a great example of the rare treats stocked on those gorgeous shelves. Which includes a great selection of spirits, as well as organic and biodynamic wines.
Mario’s Deli, 4723 Vernon Blvd, 718.937.3193
Sometimes things and places are right under your nose, but you miss them entirely until one day you see a video about your neighborhood and shots of a deli with amazing looking home-cooked food right on Vernon that you noticed but wrote off as just another deli. Oops. Well luckily, the loss is only mine and it’s righted now. Mario’s Deli has been on Vernon Blvd forever, and clearly there are many in the know because every time I go in there, it’s hopping with hungry people.
It’s still V-day in Hunters Point.
Welcome back from President’s Day. At least this year it feels very well deserved.
Hey there liQcity readers. We're back from a brief hiatus in posting. Thanks for bearing with us... and to those of you who sent us emails wondering where we are... we're right here and not going anywhere. Sometimes, you know - things come up.
Here's a video about Long Island City that's circulated before, but it's from an interesting NYC real estate video blogger IntoTheBox so we're throwing it back out there. It's nice to see video of LIC in general, and it'd be even better to see more of it. If you have any good footage of LIC, feel free to send it our way.
Ruins in LIC - the Schwartz Chemical Factory demolished
I was walking around the Gantry Park and Queenswest this afternoon during the tail end of the snow, and I discovered the ruins of the building next to the Powerhouse on the corner of 50th Ave & 2nd St. It was the Schwartz Chemical Factory. There were tennis courts in the last incarnation of this building, and from word on the street, it seems this site is going to be part of the Powerhouse empire. So far it’s called Powerhouse 2.
There’s been some interesting conversation lately about what’s going on with the real estate and development in the hood. Well it’s been going on for a while, but in the last couple of weeks on liQcity there’s been a lot of negative commentary towards new construction and the ‘yuppification’ of LIC.
Coming across another piece of history being wiped out is definitely a sad moment for me, but after watching it day after day for 4ish years, I’m almost getting used to it. Center Blvd is a whole new world, and it’s not necessarily pretty, but for some reason LIC hasn’t yet lost it’s magic. It’s still surprisingly quiet and peaceful despite all the construction going on.
February is always a good time to start thinking about the summer, and this year PS1 MoMa is bringing the farm to the city - the aptly dubbed “URBAN FARM’ container garden installation in the PS1 MoMa courtyard. More eloquently stated by the Architect’s Newspaper:
[URBAN FARM] calls for a sun shelter constructed as a butterfly roof of linked planters, a container garden in the air. Intended to be a working farm, the structure is an effort “to create a neighborhood-based ecological infrastructure,” said principal Dan Wood. Heavy-duty cardboard tubes, some as wide as yard in diameter, will be bolted together to form the pavilion. Some will be filled with plants, and some will allow light through; others will contain sound equipment or be carved out to create quiet alcoves.
Ethereal, 47-38 Vernon Blvd
Ok. It’s really happening. The transformation of Vernon Blvd continues, with the arrival of Ethereal, a women’s clothing boutique located right next to Nook and Crannie at 47-38 Vernon Blvd. I walked by this morning and it was closed, but the store has a grand opening sign - it’s about to crack any second.
A peek in the window produced a lot of reflection from the street, as witnessed in the photographs. But you can get a sense of the flavor. Looks trendy.
Yuppification or general improvement/evolution of the neighborhood? Or both?
Landscape sculpture and designs by local artist Nigel Rollings entitled An Unexpected Vistor, showing at Art-o-mat, March 20 - May 11th. The muse: Long Island City.
Development site for Kimaya Lofts, Jackson Ave - Courthouse Sq, LIC
Remember the Kimaya Lofts? How could you forget? Well we got some scoop on this precarious looking development, and if you are afraid of heights then do not buy at Kimaya. The teeny tiny 25X100sqft lot is going to host a 200FT, 14 story, mixed residential and commercial loft building. Ground floor retail, lower level offices, and residential upstairs. Starting asking price/sf are reported to be in the range of $550/SF, and for residential there’s likely to be a mix of floor-throughs and 1/2 floor apartments.
The interesting thing about this building, is that it’s delivering RAW loft space, with some apartments featuring 18ft ceilings. There’s also reported to be a slight setback around the 10th floor to allow for a terrace. And perhaps to maybe stabilize the building?
Aah well, if you buy on the upper floors, just maybe invest in some hang-gliding gear or a parachute so you can make a soft landing in case of a light breeze. I jest, but the raw loft space is actually a nice alternative to the cookie cutter luxury condo. Sales are rumored to begin in May/June.
The backside of East Coast 3, Rockrose Development, Queenswest, LIC
Corner site of the controversial CUNY dorm building, 46th Rd & 5th St, LIC
Hunters Point new development fanatics: remember our mystery development at 46th Rd & 5th St? Well we did solve the mystery a while ago, that the site is (was?) to be a CUNY dorm.
According to an article released today in the Daily News:
“The initial proposal, which called for a 13-story residential building on Fifth St. with 169 apartments, ground-floor retail and 220 grad-student dormitory units, was unanimously rejected by Community Board 2’s land use committee in November.”
The main reason for rejection was the lack of community use, and a concern on the part of local residents that in the face of so much high-rise condo development, such a large scale dorm will add little value to the hood.
“Now the owner, OCA LIC, plans to reintroduce the plan this spring, and has offered space to the Queens Council on the Arts to sweeten the deal…”
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]
Bjork lovers: Deitch studios in LIC presents a free public screening of Bjork’s new video ‘Wanderlust’ on Thursday, March 13th. First come, first served.
Deitch Studios
4-40 44th Ave, At the East River, Long Island City
Thursday, March 13th, 7pm