The best Long Island City and Astoria apartments with skyline views
Photo by Harry Gillen on Unsplash
Few New York City neighborhoods have changed as dramatically as Long Island City. In just two decades, the Queens neighborhood has gone from an industrial hub to a mini Midtown, with gleaming, glassy skyscrapers and thousands of new residents. Thanks to several city rezonings (and another just approved) that allow for more housing, the neighborhood’s population has increased by 78 percent over the last 10 years, as City Limits reported. With soaring high-rises come sweeping views of the iconic NYC skyline, seen from new heights. If spectacular vistas top your list of apartment must-haves, these are some of the best rental buildings in LIC and Astoria with unbeatable skyline views.
Some of the properties featured here are part of paid partnerships, which help support our editorial work. All buildings are selected and independently reviewed by the 6sqft team.
The Italic
26-38 Jackson Avenue
One of the newest towers to join the ever-growing Court Square area of Long Island City, the Italic is a 50-story skyscraper with 360 apartments. Developed by a joint venture of Fetner Properties and Lions Group, the rental building joins The Bold, its 28-story sister tower across the street. With its lofty height, the Italic offers prime views of Manhattan from both apartments and amenity spaces.
Designed by SLCE, the Italic offers studios to two-bedroom apartments. Units boast floor-to-ceiling windows, flexible floor plans, in-unit washer/dryers, and high-end finishes.
The impressive amenity suite includes a state-of-the-art fitness center, two bay golf simulators, a basketball court, co-working spaces, and a full demonstration kitchen ideal for entertaining. For those stunning skyline panoramas, head to the rooftop terrace, where 360-degree views of Manhattan are on full display.
This part of the neighborhood is also seeing a restaurant boom, with places like Soothr, Gulp, Serafina, Chef Papa Vietnamese Kitchen, and the JACX & CO Food Hall transforming the food scene.
Rentals currently start at $3,995/month for a studio, with concessions for select apartments. See The Italic’s full availability here.
5Pointz LIC
22-44 Jackson Avenue
5Pointz LIC is a massive new development directly across from the Court Square subway station. The project includes two high-rise towers, one at 41 stories and the other at 47 stories, and over 1,100 apartments.
The site was formerly home to the 5 Pointz warehouse that held studios and exhibition space, and later became covered in street art and graffiti. The complex was razed, resulting in several lawsuits filed by the artists and eventually a $6.75 million payout from the developer.
Now in its next chapter as a residential project, 5Pointz LIC is also home to the Museum of Urban Arts, an outdoor space celebrating street art and murals.
Residences range from studios to three-bedrooms and feature hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, and oversized windows that bring in lots of natural light. The luxury penthouse units offer double exposures, Viking appliances, and private terraces.
5Pointz offers one of the best amenity packages in the area, with over 90,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor perks. Residents can enjoy a huge gym with group fitness rooms and a sauna, a basketball court, a game room full of fun arcade games, and an indoor pool enveloped by glass. Plus, the Court Square branch of the Queens Public Library is expected to open at the building soon, and there’s a Trader Joe’s across the street.
To make life even more convenient, the building has an on-site resident manager and dedicated concierge. The views from both towers are the cherries on top, with amazing sights of Manhattan, the East River, and beyond, from both the apartments and the amenity spaces.
Current availabilities at 5Pointz start at $3,818/month for a studio. Learn more about the property and see all available apartments here.
Lumen LIC
23-15 44th Road
At 731 feet tall, Lumen LIC is one of the tallest buildings in Queens, guaranteeing incredible views of the Manhattan skyline. Developed by Camel Partners and designed by Hill West Architects, the luxury Court Square development includes over 930 apartments and 12,000 square feet of amenities.
The apartments, ranging from studio to three bedrooms, feature interiors by Whitehall and MARKZEFF Design and come in two different design schemes. The units feature custom cabinetry, quartz countertops, and Bosch washer/dryers. Select units boast private terraces or balconies.
Capitalizing on the building’s soaring height, the amenity package offers a rooftop terrace with incredible Manhattan and East River views and a sun-drenched indoor pool wrapped in glass. There’s also a co-working space, a fitness center, several lounges, a pet spa, a children’s playroom, storage, and much more.
Current availabilities start at $3,820/month for a studio. See all availabilities at Lumen here.
Hearthstone
34-35 44th Street
Developed by Silverstein Properties, Hearthstone is a new rental development in Astoria. The building, designed by Hill West Architects, contains 354 one- and two-bedroom luxury apartments, ranging in size from 445 square feet to over 1,200 square feet. Surrounded by low-slung buildings, the Hearthstone has expansive Long Island City and Manhattan views.
Apartments feature kitchens with custom cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, and bathrooms with spa-like rain showers and porcelain tile flooring. For the ultimate comfort, there’s central heating and cooling, an in-unit washer/dryer, and custom closet systems.
Amenities at the building include on-site parking, a fitness center with an outdoor terrace, a children’s playroom, a courtyard with a dog run, storage, and a sky-lounge with space for both work and play.
The net-effective price for a one-bedroom starts at $3,497/month. Take a look at all Hearthstone availabilities here.
Malt Drive
2-20 and 2-21 Malt Drive
On the waterfront in Hunter’s Point South, Malt Drive is a sprawling new development from TF Cornerstone and SLCE Architects. Named for the beer distribution center that once stood at the property, the three-tower complex spans two sites, with a 33-story tower at 2-20 Malt Drive and two towers, standing 25 and 38 stories tall, at 2-21 Malt Drive, with more than 1,380 apartments total. Due to its prime East River waterfront location, Malt Drive offers unobstructed views of Manhattan.
Apartments range from studio to two-bedroom units, all with high-end finishes and in-unit washer/dryers. Select homes offer private outdoor terraces and floor-to-ceiling windows.
Amenities include a fitness center, courtyards, an outdoor swimming pool overlooking the East River, rec rooms, co-working spaces, and rooftop terraces with spectacular views. Plus, residents have easy access to the brand new Malt Drive park, 3.5 acres of public green space designed by SCAPE Landscape Architects.
Studios are priced from $3,610/month. See all availability at Malt Drive here.
Jasper
2-33 50th Avenue
Located in a prime Long Island City spot, sandwiched between the restaurants and shops of Vernon Boulevard and the scenic green space of Gantry Plaza State Park, Jasper is a 12-story rental that launched leasing earlier this spring. The Empire State Building, along with the rest of NYC’s iconic skyline, is perfectly framed from the building’s rooftop.
The building contains 499 apartments, ranging from studio to three-bedroom layouts. The modern units boast smart home automation, like keyless entry and climate control, custom closet buildouts, and chef’s kitchens with quartz countertops and smart appliances.
Amenities are found inside and out, from a light-filled fitness center and club room to multiple outdoor spaces, including a landscaped roof deck with an outdoor pool and a dog run. This month, the gourmet grocer Dumbo Market opened at the building, offering fresh groceries, a deli, and a cafe. Other retail tenants at Jasper will include a childhood development center, Bright Start, Club Pilates, Glowbar, Frankie’s Brooklyn Pizza, Tiger J Taekwondo, Matsuzuki Sakura, Kidstrong, Peanut and Honey, and Stretch Lab.
Current availabilities start at $3,826/month for a studio. Learn more about living at Jasper here.
Center Boulevard at Hunter’s Point South
5203 and 5241 Center Boulevard
Designed by ODA and SLCE, the two-building development on Center Boulevard has a front-row seat to the Manhattan skyline. The high-rise towers, which were completed in 2021, include 1,100 apartments and amenities distributed between the two.
Units range from studios to two-bedrooms, all with open layouts, washer/dryers, and spacious living areas. Many apartments have multiple exposures and picture-perfect skyline views.
Residents can access amenities in both buildings, like a fitness center with a yoga room, co-working spaces, a children’s playroom, on-site parking, and a landscaped roof deck. And across the street, Hunter’s Point South Park and Gantry Plaza State Park serve as a stunning front yard.
Currently, apartments at the complex start at $5,695/month for a two-bedroom apartment. Get all the details here.
Gotham Point
1-15 57th Avenue
One of the defining projects of the Long Island City skyline is Gotham Point, a two-tower development with over 1,100 apartments. Developed by the Gotham Organization and RiseBoro Community Partnership and designed by Handel Architects, Gotham Point opened in 2022 as part of the redevelopment of Hunter’s Point South.
At the southern tip of Hunter’s Point South Park, Gotham Point delivers amazing waterfront views of Manhattan and the East River. Apartments range from studios to three-bedrooms and feature open layouts, state-of-the-art finishes, and panoramic vistas.
Residents have access to more than 50,000 square feet of amenities, including a 34th-floor rooftop terrace, a residents’ lounge, an indoor/outdoor fitness club with a yoga studio, a dog spa, a children’s playroom, and personal concierge services. Right outside the front door, the scenic waterfront park includes a central green, playgrounds, a dog run, a bikeway, a 30-foot cantilevered viewing platform, and more.
Gotham Point residences currently start at $3,729/month for a studio. See all availabilities here.
Jackson Park
28-16 Jackson Avenue
Jackson Park is a massive development of three high-rise apartment towers, at 42, 44, and 53 stories tall, and over 1,800 units. Debuting its first phase in 2018, the complex was developed by Tishman Speyer and designed by Hill West Architects and Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects.
Apartments feature well-designed layouts with flexible floor plans and floor-to-ceiling windows for sweeping city views. Units have washer/dryers, 9-foot ceilings, solar shades, and resident-controlled heating and air conditioning.
The impressive amenity suite, dubbed The Club at Jackson Park, takes up five stories and 45,000 square feet. Operated by the Wright Fit, the club is dedicated to health and wellness, with a gym, group fitness studios, a pilates studio, a 75-foot indoor lap pool, massage treatment rooms, a meditation lounge, athletic courts, an outdoor heated pool and hot tub, cabanas, and more. Residents can also enjoy a 1.6-acre private park, which has a great lawn, a dog park, a play area, a sun terrace, grilling stations, and more.
Across the street is Tishman Speyer’s commercial development, the JACX, which is home to the popular JACX & Co. food hall.
Jackson Park rentals currently start at $3,305/month for a studio. See all the floor plans and available units here.
Alta LIC
29-22 Northern Boulevard
Situated at the access ramps to the Queensboro Bridge and above the elevated subway lines of Queens Plaza, Alta LIC has one of the most unique views of both Manhattan and Long Island City. Developed by Simon Baron Development and Quadrum Global, the 43-story development offers spacious studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, with designer finishes and open floor plans.
Residences feature oak wood flooring, individual climate control, in-unit washer/dryers, high-end kitchen appliances, and well-designed baths with soaking tubs.
The amenity package includes several indoor and outdoor lounges, two rooftop sundecks, a fitness center with a yoga studio, a golf simulator lounge, an outdoor movie theater, an indoor lap pool, and a pet club with a rooftop dog run.
Currently, available apartments start at $3,352/month for a studio. Learn more about living at Alta LIC here.
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