Dear liQcity readers,
If you’re noticing that comments are occasionally randomly being deleted, it’s because we’re manually deleting spam, and occasionally a real comment gets accidentally erased.
Spam sucks. It’s insidious. Terrible. Truly a virus. And it’s actually All Your Fault, liQcity readers, that we’re being bombarded with it now. When the blog launched six months ago, we truly thought we’d be talking to virtually no one for at least that long. But of course, we underestimated the fervor of LIC residents, and the diabolical power of Curbed.
Bike Lane at Queenswest
After installing new bike racks on Jackson Ave, it seems bicyclists in LIC and western Queens in general, still have a few hurdles to overcome in improving the bike lane situation. Streetsblog reports:
“Last month, DOT striped buffered bike lanes on Vernon Blvd, part of a package of safety improvements for the north-south corridor that parallels the western Queens waterfront PDF. Bike facilities are scarce in this part of the city, and the addition of the new lanes, which eliminated a lane of parking along parts of the route, has not come without opposition from the local community boards, CB1 and CB2.
Hanging at Gantry Park for ‘Live at the Gantries’ by the QCA, Long Island City
The ‘Live at the Gantries’ summer performance series brought to us by the QCA continues tonight at Gantry Park with Blue Pipa, Chinese folk music.
“Along with her accompanying musicians, Min Xiao-Fen of Blue Pipa is renown for her exploration of traditional and modern music from all cultures. Famed for her virtuosity and fluid style on the pipa, she has recorded and performed with Björk.”
The show starts at 7pm.
As it’s been noted, the prime Queens fireworks waterfront viewing spots were rendered useless on Friday, since Macy’s moved the barge further downtown towards the Brooklyn Bridge for what seems to be controversial reasons.
Macy’s, the corporate sponsor of the fireworks, seems to have been influenced by NBC, who seems to have been influenced by Tishman-Speyer, to move the barges further south this year, so that the televised view of the fireworks would display more of the city skyline. Gothamist also points out, that Stuyvesant Town was curiously displayed over 7 times as the backdrop for the fireworks. Seems Tishman-Speyer, the owners of Stuy Town, are having some trouble renting out their market rate apartments. Cashing on their relationship with NBC (they own the headquarters), they were able to somehow get Macy’s to move the barges. Somehow there’s a missing link in the hip-bone-connected-to-the-knee-bone chain, but the ad campaign for Stuy Town is a bit too obvious to ignore.
New cafe opening on Vernon Blvd
The owners of the Manducati restaurant on Jackson Ave have been working on a cafe and small gourmet market on Vernon near 46th Ave. Peeking into the doorway, the cafe looks ready to pop any day now. Word on the street (literally) is that the gelato is to die for. Good timing.
Legal streetart coordinated by Chashama, Vernon & Borden Ave, LIC
5pointz may have been the first legal walls for streetart in Long Island City, but now they’re not the only ones. Simone Development, the developers behind the Hunters Point Condos double whammy, have collaborated with Chashama, an non-profit arts group, to beautify their construction site walls with streetart created by local artists.
Under Public Farm One aka P.F.1., at P.S.1., Court Square, Long Island City
Nothing marks the arrival of summer in LIC quite like the PS1 Warm Up parties. If there is any entity that can lay claim to putting LIC on the mainstream radar, it’s PS1. While many complain about the nuisance factor of the Warm Up party attendees’ disruptive passage from PS1 to Water Taxi Beach in their endeavor to continue partying, it’s really a cool event. This year, the courtyard installation kicks up more than a few notches with an urban farmland installation entitled ‘Public Farm One’. Aka P.F.1.
Having checked out the installation sans throngs of swaying hipsters »
Proxy/Fiction by Jonathan Lev opens tonight at Art-O-Mat
From Art-O-Mat gallery:
Just a reminder to ignore those threats of rain & come join us tonight. (Well, maybe bring an umbrella.)
You are invited to an Opening at Art-O-Mat TONIGHT, June 26 from 6 to 9 pm.
Art-O-Mat is pleased to present Proxy / Fiction - Paintings by Jonathan Lev
Our First Summer exhibition will open tonight, Thursday June 26, with a reception from 6 to 9pm.
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:
From the Queens Council on the Arts:
“Celebrating the rich musical and ethnic tapestries of Queens in boisterous style, Live at the Gantries, LIC’s new summer performance series begins tonight in Gantry Park at 7pm.”
Silvercup condo development site, 44th Drive, Court Square, Long Island City
The Silvercup East project at the LIC waterfront might be taking longer then expected, but the Studios are moving forward on another development project near Court Square at 21-45 44th Drive. Located right next door to the Information Technology High School.
A one story warehouse on this 164 x 100 lot has been paved away for a 7-story, 70-unit new construction condo project. Some possible ground floor retail. It will be interesting to see how this turns out, as this is Silvercup’s first attempt at a purely residential project. –Contributed by Eric Benaim
Meanwhile, the latest word on Silvercup’s stalled waterfront project »
Dutch Kills Alert
This news has been widely circulated on the web today, but in case you missed the news of random violence at Queens Plaza, it seems wise to just be aware. A woman was stabbed in front of her daughter by a stranger riding a bicycle at the corner of Queens Plaza North and 22nd St in Dutch Kills.
Latest news was that she was in critical condition.
- Random stabbing at Queens Plaza [Gothamist]
Remediation tent at Queenswest
You didn’t think we’d post that video, write inflammatory content, but do nothing? After contacting Joe Conley, Chairman of Community Board 2, he contacted the DEC and this letter arrived in the liQcity inbox today:
Hi Joe:
I inspected the Site today morning and discussed dust problems with Site contractor and engineering consultants. The dust blowing in the video was emanating from the sand which was used to pre-grade the tent (second) lay down areas. It was a very dry and windy day about 2 weeks ago. Since that time, a sprinkler system has been laid out along the truck route and has been effective. The areas near the East River have been covered with a layer of clean fill cover and are in the process of being rolled. After the area is rolled the material will be stable preventing dusty conditions.
Long Island City view of the Sewage Treatment plant at Newton Creek
1) Catching up on some linkage this morning. It seems they’re turning the orbs of the sewage treatment plant at Newton Creek into an art installation. That’s new. A nearby resident of the plant remarked that it ’smells suspiciously like spoiled Chinese food’. Hmmm… .
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.
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