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…

A piece that no longer exists at 5pointz studios - photo by Barrybar

Queenswest has a $20M library in the works? The price tag seems a bit steep.

• Queens West May Soon Be Hitting the Books [Curbed]

• Residential parking permits in LIC? Well that’s one option. [Queens Chronicle]

• If you’re moving in to the Rockrose buildings, bring your goggles. [Queens Courier]

• Music events in LIC this weekend [licpop]

The Echelon & Manhattan Skyline from Hunters Point, LIC

What? No Starbucks? According to the Racked article, there’s no reason cited for the deal dying, except speculation that Starbucks is limiting their ‘outer borough’ presence. Poor Queenswest. The little engine that couldn’t. Well, hopefully the Amish Market will come through someday. And the Duane Reade. In the meantime, QW’ers will just have to truck it all the way to Vernon for some local coffee, which is not half bad. In fact, some of it is darned good. We don’t even need or want a Starbucks - well not all of us. I know some were waiting for the chain, cigarettes and jitters in hand.

• CRIPPLING: Long Island City Denied S’bux [Racked]

• Powerhouses to the people [NY Times]

Old building to be knocked down for Rockrose Tower, Courthouse Sq, LIC

Walking around Courthouse Square this morning with a fellow LIC real estate obsessive, liQcity learned that this beautiful old building (along with the gigantic, adjacent parking lot behind it) at the corner of 44th Rd and Crescent St, right next to the United Nations Federal Credit Union, is being torn down to make way for a 42 story, 704 unit Rockrose rental building. Nice that it’s rentals - wish the price was as nice. Super lux apartments with fancy trimmings (expect any less?) - studios start at $2100/mo.

They’ll be knocking this building down and breaking ground in the spring. Supposedly there is one guy left living there, whose days are obviously numbered.

Incidentally, Rockrose also owns the triangular development site across the street as well. If anyone knows what’s going there, feel free to send us the scoop.

• A shot of the UN building construction in Spring 2006 [liQcity Flickr]

BANY Ten57 open on Jackson Ave

Here’s a few updates on the emerging restaurant scene in Hunters Point; the ASIAN INVASION marches on!

What’s open now: BANY Ten57 is open for business and the queenswest.com message board has some community reviews. Word on the street so far is ho hum.

On the Horizon: Thanks to multiple tipsters, liQcity has learned of a new restaurant opening at Rockrose, 4720 Center Blvd, called SHI, slated to open May 2008. Straight from the owners:

“Spearheaded by a pair of brothers who have been providing the United Nations and its community with quality Chinese food for the past 18 years, SHI will mix old-world, Asian tradition with modern stylings, both in food and décor. It will occupy the 4,100-square-foot space in the ground floor of the East Coast 6 building and include a bar, lounge, sushi bar, outdoor seating and VIP area, punctuated by an upscale design and spectacular views of Manhattan. SHI will feature contemporary cuisine that will borrow heavily from traditional recipes, plus the bar will showcase specialty drinks with an Asian flair. We look forward to becoming a part of the LIC community!”

New restaurant Shi opening at Rockrose, Queenswest, Long Island City

10-50 Jackson Ave getting shiny, Long Island City

So LIC’s approved for the Residential Parking Plan. One can only assume that this along with other key decisions about the logistical infrastructure of LIC lay in the hands of the Community Board.

Speaking of the somewhat elusive CB2, the CUNY building appeal will be addressed at the board meeting on Thursday, April 3rd at 7pm. An older post offers some information about the board.

While the Queenswest Library clean up continues, the Queens Library system is renovating its branch in LIC as well. So we’re getting a double dose of information, brainiacs be alerted.

An interesting statistic: ” In Long Island City, average apartment sales prices increased 44 percent compared to the same period last year [Jan 07-08]; Woodside saw a 32 percent rise and Elmhurst prices went up 15 percent.” -Queens Chronicle

• Long Island City approved for Residential Permit Parking plan [Times Ledger]

• Cleanup continues at Queenswest library site [Queens Chronicle]

• Queens Library in LIC system funded $400K for renovations [Queens Courier]

• Irish Center going strong in LIC [Queens Courier]

• Community service from Fresh Direct? [Earth Times]

• New York City Food Film festival at Water Taxi Beach this summer [NY Sun]

liQcity received sneakpeek renderings of the new Rockrose Eastcoast building that everyone is so in love with. There an interesting and funny watermark - in what we can only assume is an attempt to prevent brokers from marketing units in the building. (think?) Looks like it will work.

Officially titled The View at East Coast by Rockrose, the view heavy, corporately designed, 184-unit glass tower hits the market next month, starting at a whopping $1100/sqft.

Coincidentally reported, it seems Rockrose has offered all their current East Coast tenants a $500 rebate on rent, for every buyer they refer to The View. How sweet of them. The broker commissions are tens of thousands of dollars. But hey, who’s counting?

Look away at the future of Queenswest »

The Market at Long Island City, 5th St & 47th Rd, Queenswest, LIC

The Queenswest grocery store that’s been teasing us for over a year now is finally blossoming. Only it’s called The Market at Long Island City instead of the Amish Market - though operated by the same owners. I dunno, something about the Amish Market rolls off the tongue nicely… I feel like we’ll all still be calling it that anyway. Old habits die hard and you can’t teach old dogs new tricks. Right?

Also manifesting right next door is the Duane Reade. Need some proof?

Here you go »

A hawk eyed East Coast tipster sent in a photo of the progress on Avalon Riverview North roofdeck:

“The pool was green for a few days, and just recently turned a nice blue, the roof-deck is Astroturf…so much for a “green” roof-deck. Wonder if they’ll still try to snare a tax rebate for having a roof garden” from the city.”

Has anyone else noticed the demolition frenzy going on in LIC these last couple of weeks? It’s seriously been picking up. July 2008 is right around the corner, and Rockrose seems to be feeling the heat as well, since activity has begun on their site next to the United Nations Federal Credit Union.

Remember the beautiful building they’re knocking down? »

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Good morning liQcity readers. We’re back to bring you some footage of the toxic dust kicking up on the Queenswest development site. See those tents in the video? Supposedly they facilitate the toxic remediation that Rockrose is required to perform on the site before they can build more residential towers. That particular site used to host a refinery, and like much of LIC, the soil is extremely toxic.

So the question of the morning is: should that dirt be blowing around hither thither? Supposedly it should be tamped down (perhaps with water?) in order to prevent exactly what’s evidenced in the video. Clearly that’s not happening. Obviously to shoot such a video, one has to be within smelling radius, and it’s not flowers and peaches.

There’s a business idea for LIC entreprenuers: respirators and other toxic dust survival gear. Maybe they’ll start carrying them at the ensuing Duane Reade on the compound.

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.

As an additional temporary measure »

10 Court Square announces its arrival, Long Island City

A few weeks ago, the Post reported on the Skidmore Owings & Merrill-designed commerical tower for Rockrose, that’s going up next to the Citicorp Tower in Court Square. The building, surprisingly entitled 10 Court Square looks like it takes up almost an entire city block, having bought out most of the building owners since 1988. It’s delivering a whopping 800,000 SF to the face of Jackson Ave, conveniently located at the site of the Jackson Ave beautification project.

Reported in June »

Hunters Point waterfront, Long Island City

liQcity went kayaking with the LIC Boathouse last night, and if anyone in LIC is looking for nature, you might as well be looking for your nose. It’s right there.

First up in the latest LIC linkage »