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]

• Art & Porn in Long Island City – PS1 MoMa [Art Cal]

• Nigel Rollins exhibit open at Art-o-mat, Vernon Blvd [liQcity]

For those music lovers out there, here’s a Press Release from a local Long Island City business, Amie Street, which provides a great website promoting independent music. Check them out.

Hello:

Today, 2/26/08, Amie Street is releasing the entire catalogs of Beggars Group (XL, Rough Trade, 4AD), Matador Records and Polyvinyl Recording Co. — more than 15,000 songs.

Thom Yorke, Cat Power, Interpol, of Montreal, Devendra Banhart, The New Pornographers, Sigur Rós, Yo La Tengo, Pavement, Belle and Sebastian, and Architecture In Helsinki are just a few of the artists now available on AmieStreet.com.

This is an exciting new development in the digital music world, as more and more artists embrace fan-based pricing as a viable music sales model.

These artists, like all songs on Amie Street, are initially free to download and rise in price based on popularity, up to $0.98.

Check out the [press release] for more information, go to AmieStreet.com for the music, and feel free to call or email me with any questions.

Thanks, Zane

• Amie Street [Official Website]

Full Press Release »

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.

Mario’s deli achieves pure excellence »

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.

The Foundry LIC 2-40 51st Ave, Hunters Point 14 still available Prudential Douglas Elliman Open House Sun, By appointment only

Complete list of this weekend’s open houses »

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.

Powerhouse 50-09 2nd St, Hunters Point 19 still available Prudential Douglas Elliman Open House: By appointment only

Complete list of this weekend’s open houses »

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.

And best of all »

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.

Here’s a round up of this weekend’s Open Houses »

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.

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

The site today, sans the red brick building »

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.”

O.M.G. Can it really be?

liQcity is a M-F blog, but I’m busting out my computer on a Sunday, because the rumor of a Fairway coming to LIC is too good to wait until tomorrow.

liQcity received this juicy tip yesterday:

“I am a private chef in the city. I do my shopping everyday at Fairway on Broadway. There is a constant buzz in the store about the new Fairway that is going to open in LIC. I have been hearing this from the employees and managers of the store.”

A Fairway in LIC? My simple, humble human self is trying not to get too excited.

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.

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.

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 developing restaurant scene on Vernon.

Also on the street »

Domaine, bar a vins – 50-04 Vernon Blvd @ 50th St, 718.784.2350

Tucked away quietly on Vernon between 50th & 51st Street’s, is Domaine, a cozy and beautiful French wine bar (bar a vins). Owned by the fabulous proprietors who brought us Tournesol, the hood’s iconic French bistro just two doors down, Domaine serves up an exquisite selection of ‘old & new world’ wines along with killer snacks of raw oysters, artisan cheese (hello), sliced prosciutto, and shrimp cocktail. In a word: YUM.

If you’re dragging yourself up the subway stairs after your “lengthy” commute back from Manhattan, you only have to hobble about 5 feet to the quiet entrance of Domaine. It’s dark. It’s rustic. It’s romantic. It’s French. Perfect for a date (almost too perfect), yet acceptable for savoring a luxurious wine that you definitely don’t have sitting on your kitchen counter. At $8-15/glass, it’s a deal for the quality and selection. As usual, the carafe’s and bottles are more economical, so if your wallet’s a bit light from the holiday shopping frenzy, bring friends.

Hit up the joint on Thursday nights for live jazz. »

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….

Onward »