Filipino BBQ & Sushi at ‘Ihawan’ to open soon, Long Island City

For over a year now, the stalled restaurant-to-be, Ihawan, has sat vacant and forlorn on 50th Ave right across from Cafe Henri. There have been all sorts of rumors as to why… something about the C of O not legally permitting a kitchen. Let’s just say, there were probably lots of lawyers and tears involved to get a restaurant to the finish line and not be able to cross it for one year and almost 4 months.

Well whatever the conflict is, it seems to be resolved now »

Antigone at the Secret Theatre, Hunters Point, Long Island City

You don’t need to go to Broadway, or even Brooklyn, to see great theater. Hunters Point boasts two excellent theaters, The Chocolate Factory whose new show, Red Metal Mailbox – [ ], is opening tomorrow night, and The Secret Theatre, whose latest production with The Queens Players, Sophocles’ Antigone, directed by Greg Cicchino, liQcity attended this past weekend.

The two theaters couldn’t be more different in terms of vision, approach, and repertory. While The Chocolate Factory excels in presenting new experimental and multimedia work, The Secret Theatre presents classics from the theater repertory, whether it’s Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, produced beautifully last fall with just the right proportion of kitch, or the classic Hamlet, coming up in April.

Within a few minutes of the Secret Theatre’s Antigone »

Baby’s clothes at Ethereal Boutique, 47-38 Vernon Blvd, LIC

liQcity welcomes two new sponsors who also have some great stuff for Long Island City, especially if you’re staying local this weekend »

Dutch Kills, 27-24 Jackson Ave, Long Island City, (718) 383-2724 –photo

First of all, it’s not a $15 cocktail. Proprietor Richard Boccato is very clear about that. Drink prices at the impending Dutch Kills bar, will range from $6-$12ish and include beer (on tap & bottled), wine, signature cocktails, and top shelf sippers. The main focus here though, is on the classic cocktail. You can munch on the artisanal vittles of Sage General Store listening to some live music, while marinating in the sultry atmosphere with its deep dark walls and dangling crystal chandeliers.

You can also steep in a little LIC history »

Pulaski Bridge, Long Island City

Some stuff going on around Vernon/Jackson tonight…

1) The Creek is hosting a community meeting tonight @ 7pm about creating a separate bike lane on the Pulaski Bridge, which runs between Long Island City & Greenpoint, Brooklyn:

“As long-time cyclists, TA members, and commuters in NYC, we are researching and advocating for the creation of a protected bike lane on the Pulaski bridge between Greenpoint, Brooklyn and Long Island City, Queens Separate pedestrian and bike paths are critically needed on the bridge to improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike. In addition, our goal is to facilitate efficient multi-nodal access between North Brooklyn, Long Island City, eastern Queens, and important public transit hubs to and from Manhattan and other parts of the City.” 7pm, 10-90 Jackson Ave, just west of 11th St, Hunters Point

2) Live Spanish pop tonight at the LIC Bar »

Pulaski Bridge intersection, Hunters Point, Long Island City

Last night at the committee meeting regarding traffic and transportation in Long Island City (specifically Hunters Point), the DOT gave a presentation of their proposal to make the Jackson Ave & 11th St intersection a little bit safer for human beings to get across. The proposal includes »

5th Street parking to vanish like this view? -Long Island City

Ok Hunters Pointers, here’s your chance to get involved some good ol’ fashioned community politics (if you dare). On the table, the very controversial issue of neighborhood parking, specifically in the Vernon Jackson zone on Vernon, and also 11th Street. One possibility is increased metered parking on side streets near Vernon. (Hopefully also the DOT will address the dangerous intersection at Pulaski & Jackson Ave.) And parking also might be temporarily (permanently?) removed along the entire stretch of 5th street.

According to many but confirmed by none »

10-17 Jackson Ave, Long Island City. Rendering courtesy of V Studios

The new development rising on the famous corner of Vernon Blvd & Jackson Ave is finally identified as 10-17 Jackson Ave, a 9-story condo development with ground floor retail:

“It will contain approximately 33 units and ground floor retail which is being built with the potential for a restaurant in mind. The exterior will be a combination of floor to ceiling ribbon glass, stainless steel shingles, and perforated aluminum screens. The architect says that he is going to pains to blend in with the community.”

In other Long Island City news »

View from 49th Ave & 5th Street looking South, Long Island City

The hotel development boom in Long Island City is not limited to Dutch Kills, though it certainly is concentrated in Queens Plaza. But never fear Vernon/Jackson, we are on the hotelier’s radars as well. It looks like a couple of adjacent parcels on 50th & 49th Aves between Vernon & 5th St are going to be transformed into a hotel »

Sage General Store, 24-20 Jackson Ave, Court Square, LIC (718) 361-0707

This fall really boosted Long Island City’s supply of food. Just a quick recap of what’s opened since August: foodcellar, SHI, Duane Reade, Manducatis Rustica, and Sage General Store. Not to mention what’s in the works: MetFoods, Sushi Siam. Though it’s not very new, let’s throw Ion’s Corner Romanian Cafe into the mix as well, since it’s new to us. And Ihawan‘s with us in spirit.

Over in Court Square »

Site of new Pestraske saloon, Dutch Kills, 2724 Jackson Ave, Long Island City

A very long time ago, there were rumors that a new Sasha Petraske bar was brewing quietly on Jackson Ave @ Dutch Kills St. Where? Exactly »

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 »

Sprint/Nextel opening on Jackson Ave between Vernon Blvd & 50th Ave, LIC

Fall marks the arrival of many things. In Long Island City, it seems to be wireless stores like Verizon which opened at the Echelon on Jackson Ave, and now Sprint/Nextel, which is opening up between Vernon Blvd & 50th St at the bottom of a brand spanking new Fedders building. woohoo.

In contrast »

Sage General Store, 24-20 Jackson Ave, LIC

Sage General Store, true to Long Island City “soft” opening style, is holding a free tasting tomorrow Thursday, Oct 2nd, from 12-2pm in their new location at 24-20 Jackson Ave, right next to Court Square Wines. The soft opening begins over the weekend, and the new Sage is offering an expanded menu including daily casseroles, gourmet sandwiches, salads, brick oven pizza, soups, Blue Plate Specials, and desserts. Not to mention »

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 »

Duane Reade opens Friday, corner of 5th St & 47th Rd, LIC

Queens West sprouts another soft opening this Friday, courtesy of Duane Reade, at the corner of 47th Rd & 5th St. (You can’t miss it. It’s shiny.) And this is no ordinary Duane Reade, mind you. It’s the LX model. Cosmetics counter, fancier appearance, etc. According to the store’s rep, more “high-end”.

And up on Vernon Blvd »

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 »

Corner of Purves & Jackson, mystery Scarano building dubbed Vere 26 Condos, LIC

Around the time we first launched, liQcity covered the Scarano designed building at the corner of Purves St and Jackson Ave as a mystery development. Today, the name of the condo building has been revealed as Vere, or Vere26 Condos as indicated by the website address on the new signage. Currently, nothing on the website except for a holding page.

The sales center for the Vere »

SHI, New fine dining Chinese fusion restaurant, Queens West, LIC

The long awaited SHI is on its way to a soft opening a bit later this month… which will inevitably lead to the hard opening – no pix yet, but Queens Wester’s are about to get some fine dining in the mix.

UPDATE: SHI is currently open for take-out only:

Hello all,

First, I’d like to thank everyone in LIC for making us feel welcome and really showing us their support and encouragement. There is a sense of community here that we don’t see in the city. We can’t wait to add to the character of LIC.

After much delay, we’re finally ready to open our doors! (The Take-Out side at least anyways.) Perhaps another week for the dining room to follow. So please stop by and say “Hi” starting after 5:00 pm.

Thanks, ShiBrothers

SHI
4720 Center Blvd
Reservations: 347-242-2450
Take Out: 347-242-2448
Website: www.shilic.com
MENU

It’s interesting »

The L Haus Condos are materializing. Pulaski Bridge, Hunters Point, LIC

As we expected »

1) Tomorrow, Saturday, August 16 at 7pm, there will be a gathering at McReilly’s to show support and discuss a possible fund raising effort. The Daily News will be writing a story and a staff photographer will be there. There are also some people interested in organizing a fund raiser to assist with whatever their next move will be. The talk at the moment is they want to “just get through this month” and then regroup to focus on finding a new space. All are invited.

2) HALLETS COVE WALK-UP PADDLES, LIC Boathouse »

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 »

There’s one spot at the intersection of 11th street and Jackson Ave where you can stand in place and swivel around to catch four new developments taking shape around the Pulaski Bridge base. We checked in during the spring, and here’s the summer update:

First up is Hunters View, brother of One Hunters Point on Borden Avenue. The outer facade is almost finished, and it’s starting to look more like the condo building we all knew it would be. (Live like a rocket, right?) According to the sales agent, both buildings of the Hunters Point Condos are just over 50% sold.

Hunters View condo building, Jackson Ave, Pulaski Bridge, LIC

Right next door »

Verizon Wireless coming to LIC

Well, maybe some will sing a happy tune for Verizon Wireless in LIC, but at liQcity, we’re always hoping for more independent commerce to serve the needs of the exploding community. A liQcity tipster sent a photo of the Verizon Wireless sign in the right ground floor retail spot of the Echelon condos. (No word on what’s happening to the left retail spot.)

Interesting »

Looks like Vernonites are expanding their business empires these days… and why wouldn’t they?

1) The Brasil Coffee house has an offshoot called Fast & Delicious around their corner of 49th Ave. Rather interesting Brazilian menu actually: rotisserie meats, steak, rice & beans, pita sandwiches, salads, and empenadas/croquettes.

2) Last week we spotted this seemingly new sign above the Butcher Deli on Vernon @ 50th Ave. A juice and hookah bar called The Butcher Cafe. Interesting combo. Well…many stranger concepts have succeeded in NYC so it’s fair to say anything has a chance around here. (Or does it?)