Things looking up for the L Haus Condos? Hunters Point, Long Island City

Baby Steps folks. The L Haus Condos have cleared the 15% sold mark, now marking the time for official sales closings. Curbed has the scoop:

“[... ] a pair of February sales have hit public record—both one-bedrooms a tad smaller than 700 square feet, which sold for $385k and $395k. The 122-unit Cetra/Ruddy-designed building near the Pulaski Bridge, with bundles of amenities and a funky L-shape that gives it a large landscaped courtyard, is no stranger to dangling carrots in front of buyers, and that’s getting ramped up with units now ready for immediate occupancy. What’s in play for buyers looking to pull the trigger immediately? »

The beginnings of a new hotel on Vernon Blvd & 9th St, Long Island City

Meet the newest addition to Long Island Hotel City: a ‘new 7 story transient hotel’ is apparently going up on Vernon Blvd in the huge lot at 44-29 9th St, near 44th Dr – girders are already starting to peek up above the blue construction fence. The lot is across the street from the Board of Education building and around the corner from the lovely old red brick building that once housed Next Level Floral Design.

Moving south on Vernon »

The light clock materializes: Murano Condo, Borden Ave, Long Island City

We’ve been hearing about the Murano – the ‘aurora borealis’ of Long Island City condos – for quite awhile now, but the mystical rainbow light show of the newest building on Borden Ave seems to have taken a giant step towards realization »

Inside the Hotel Indigo LLC lot, Dutch Kills, Long Island City

While the Long Island City focus has always been on the Queens West waterfront and Hunters Point, Dutch Kills – loosely defined as the area just north of Queens Plaza, heading up towards Astoria – has been quietly gentrifying itself into a frenzy. Not only have two new hotels gone up a block or two from each other on Crescent St (Country Inn & Suites and the Ramada), but lots are being ripped up, developments are starting and stopping and starting again, and towering buildings are settling into quiet blocks lined with family houses. Sigh.

Dutch Kills began its recent transformation after some crafty developers took advantage of the city dragging their feet (for, um, three years) when it came to rezoning the neighborhood to allow for medium-density residential development. Last time we ventured into this strange and rapidly developing land of churches, hotels, small houses, and construction lots, it was actually one of the hottest days of this past summer. Needless to say, we thought it was time for a wintry Dutch Kills update »

Hmm… anyone know what happened to The Star Tower condo project in Queens Plaza? Roe Development Corp’s 25-story tower across the street from its first LIC condo project (The Fusion), is (was?) slated to be Long Island City’s tallest residential high-rise. Months ago, as other developments were struggling, the Star Tower had already projected 50% sold, but now it’s pretty much dropped off the face of the earth »

The ‘Flower Tower’ Condos, as imagined by architect Karen Bausman — photo

Wow. Say hello to the ‘Flower Tower’ condo project. Curbed has the scoop on Long Island City’s latest new development, mysteriously slated for a ‘location near the East River’. Bye-bye curtain wall. Hello Solar Panal facade.

The brainchild of Karen Bausman, who says about the project: “As its name suggests, Flower Tower’s façade is designed to operate like a wall of morning glories—adjusting to sunlight throughout the day, both regulating light and gathering solar energy.”

From the website »

Murano Condo development rendering, Borden Ave @ 5th St, LIC

Spring brings a whole new color palette to winter’s dreary canvas, and our little Long Island City is getting a generous blast of Technicolor at the waterfront. A condo development formerly known as ‘The Prism’, and now officially dubbed ‘The Murano’, is clearly trying to distinguish themselves from the herd by featuring a ‘lightclock’, which will emit colored light out of a break in the middle of the building. The fun doesn’t stop there, as the light will change color on the hour, every hour. Yeah.

Marketed by The Developers Group, this 81 unit condo building with a curtain wall, is now online.

There’s really not much else to report with this. As a buyer’s beware »

The preserved wall at the OCA/CUNY development, 47th Ave @ 5th St, LIC

Well, we’ve left this Pandora’s Box alone for a while, but it’s time to face the Furies and update the world on the progress of what we call the OCA/CUNY development site. It’s kind of anti-climactic. Nothing is happening. So far. Except, we know that BSA has forced the development to preserve a lone wall of the previous construction, pictured above, which will serve as the entrance to an internal courtyard.

If you remember »

Signage for the forthcoming Z Hotel, Long Island City

In some places, the first sounds and sights of Spring are birds singing and flowers budding. In Long Island City, it’s jackhammers pounding and real estate developments sprouting. Though this season’s crop is blighted by the economy, there’s still some interesting new growth »

Powerhouse Condos, 2nd St & 51st Ave, Hunters Point, Long Island City

Over at Curbed, where they love the juicy goings-on of the LIC real estate market, they received notice of condos gone rental at the Powerhouse. Nothing too surprising there, considering the sales slump, except that upon investigation, it seems the building is not officially offering any units for rent, but a private buyer who purchased many units.

Here’s the offering »

L Haus condos, Long Island City

It seems the time has come for more creative financing for condo buying in Long Island City. The first development to fall down the rabbit hole (or, rather the second) is the L Haus condos located at the base of the Pulaski Bridge. There are three options:

1) Price Protection will offer buyers the opportunity to receive a rebate should any similar home be sold at a discount to their individual sales price »

The View at East Coast condos, advertising on Vernon Blvd, Long Island City

If you thought it would be a cold day in hell before condo developers in Long Island City gave money back guarantees on sales…. well that day might be today. Cold Indeed.

Rockrose Development Corp, the developers behind The View at East Coast condos, are offering their version of a Money Back Guarantee to the next crop of buyers »

The facade of the L Haus Condos, Pulaski Bridge, Long Island City

A lot of condo buildings in Long Island City are in the home stretch of completion, including the L Haus condos with its rather distinct facade.

On the LIC wire »

Prism Condos, Borden Ave, LIC

Broker blogger Andrew Fine has the scoop on the building quietly (haha) going up next to One Hunters Point on Borden Ave, between Vernon & 5th St. Facing the LIRR Railyard.

“”The Prism” (working name for now), an 81 unit condo building, will rise 125 feet on Borden Avenue between 5th Street and Vernon. This no ordinary condo comes with a 24 hour color light clock. As you can see from the rendering »

Sushi Siam, Vernon Blvd @ 48th Ave, LIC

The new Japanese/Thai fusion restaurant that’s been brewing at the corner of 48th Ave & Vernon (the old 5SL sales office) has some signage action. Sushi Siam will soft open sometime in the middle of November. According to the new owners, the restaurant will feature a full Thai menu, along with Sushi and traditional Japanese offerings.

The storefront right next door is also undergoing a transformation into a dentist’s office. Actually, that whole block on Vernon »

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 »

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 »

OCA & CUNY development site, 5th Street, Hunters Point, LIC

Long Island City developers O'connor Capital Partners won a long fought variance for their development site on 5th Street between 47th Ave & 46th Road. This means »

View from the Vere Condos 26-26 Jackson Ave & Purves St, Court Square, LIC

1) Vere Condos is hosting an opening party this evening from 6-9pm at their sales office located at 26-23 Jackson Ave, across the street from the building. At the corner of Purves St. Free, just drop by.

2) Elliman’s hosting “A Night in LIC” tonight from 6:30-8pm at three Hunters Point development projects »

Here’s some more low-rise real estate action on 5th Street, a 5-story rental building with ground floor commercial at 49-09 5th St, between 50th & 49th Aves. Brought to us by Plaxall, who also have another rental building in the works, around the corner on 49th Ave adjacent to the 5th st site. Both sites are currently beautified with artwork provided by The Space.

In the last 5 years, 5th street has undergone a serious transformation »

Prestige Condo Development, 5th St & 50th Ave, Hunters Point, LIC,

The Prestige Condos (formerly known as Greenview) at the corner of 50th ave are hitting the market in the fall. Loft units in a low rise building, with staggered roof-decks and rolling Hunters Point views… and of course, the skyline of an other unmentioned borough, as per the standard luxury amenities in LIC »

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 »

If you’ve never been to a PS1 Warm Up party, here’s a little taste of the vibe, shot straight from the dance floor on Saturday. The people shown in the video -dancing in costume- are actually on an LIC neighbor’s rooftop terrace overlooking the courtyard. More evidence that LIC has a heartbeat. And one you can shake your booty to.

• PS1 Warm Up Parties return under PF1 [liQcity]

Amish Market’s foodcellar manifesting signage. Queens West, LIC.

Ok well it’s still being brought to us by the Amish Market, but the first actual grocery store to manifest in Queens West (and Vernon/Jackson) is named foodcellar. We’ll have to make the mental shift now. It’s a big one, but we can do it.

Prowling about on Vernon Blvd »

Deitch Studios, Hunters Point waterfront, Long Island City

LIC continues to manifest in commercial media, this time serving as the backdrop for a Rhapsody MP3 player commercial. Not to mention Ugly Betty, which is getting a lot of attention since Miz Lohan has been gracing us with her uh, presence. Though LIC, as we all know, has made many cameo appearances on screen including Munich, The Darjeeling Limited, Third Watch, Gossip Girl, and Grand Theft Auto.

In other news »