Photo credit: Al Seidman courtesy of Compass

The lofts at the former Eagle Electric Manufacturing Factory at 27-28 Thomson Avenue in Long Island City, built in 1920, are uncompromisingly authentic, while the full-service Arris Lofts condo conversion benefits from the kind of impressive amenities for which the Queens neighborhood is known. Occupying 1,725 square feet of flexible living space with a bedroom, a home office, and two full baths, this generously-sized residence is quiet and sunny, configured with modern living in mind. It’s asking $1.49 million.

Tour the loft

Photo © Paul Warchol

A disability rights group filed a lawsuit on Tuesday that claims a new public library in Queens does not provide full access for those with mobility disabilities. The civil suit, filed by the Center for Independence of the Disabled New York and the Disability Rights Advocates (DRA), says the newly constructed Hunters Point Library in Long Island City, which took nearly a decade to build and cost more than $41 million, violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). While the library opened in September to praise from architecture critics for its innovative design, visitors immediately criticized the building’s third level fiction section, accessible only by stairs.

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Images courtesy of The Collective

London-based co-living company The Collective has opened its first U.S. location at the former Paper Factory Hotel in Long Island City. Designed in collaboration with Palette Architecture, the 125-room location will focus on a “short stay” model ranging from one-night to 29-day stays. Members will have access to communal living areas and wellness services, as well as a soon-to-launch restaurant and cultural programming. The company already has plans to expand on today’s opening by adding 100 additional rooms on top of the existing building by 2021. 

Take a look around

Rendering: Binyan Studios.

Skyline Tower in Long Island City, Queens, has officially become the city’s tallest building outside of Manhattan. The luxury condo tower has now topped out at 778 feet. As 6sqft recently reported, the 67-story building surpassed its neighbor and previous record-holder, the 673-foot-tall Citigroup Building, in September. Located at 23-15 44th Drive, the new Long Island City tower will offer about 800 studio to four-bedroom condominium apartments, priced between $500,000 and $4 million.

But it won’t hold the title for long

Photo via Joe Mabel / Wiki Commons

New Yorkers for Parks has released three new Open Space Index reports, a series of in-depth “neighborhood snapshots” of parks and open space in Staten Island’s Bay Street Corridor, Bushwick, and Long Island City. According to the reports, the Bay Street Corridor failed 11 of 14 open space goals, Bushwick failed 12 of 14, and Long Island City failed 11 of 14. The goals factor in characteristics including the total amount of open space, access, tree canopy, and overall maintenance. According to the City’s own standards, all of the neighborhoods lack sufficient open space and what does exist is often hard to get to or improperly maintained.

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Photo © Steven Holl Architects

Steven Holl’s Hunters Point Library has garnered glowing architectural reviews since it’s opening last month, but visitors quickly pointed out a critical issue with accessibility in the $41 million building. Although the library has an elevator, it doesn’t stop at the fiction section which is tiered on three levels above the lobby and accessible only via stairs. In light of the criticism, a Queens Public Library official has announced that books in that section will be relocated to an accessible area of the library, as Gothamist reported.

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Photo © Paul Warchol

Despite standing just 82 feet tall, the new Hunters Point Library manages to stand out among its skyscraper neighbors on the Long Island City waterfront. The concrete structure, designed by Steven Holl Architects, officially opened to the public Tuesday, about two decades after officials proposed building a new Queens Public Library branch. The delays, and the whopping $40 million price tag, appear to have been worth it, as the building, with its carved windows and incredible skyline views, continues to garner approval from top architecture critics.

Take the tour

Previous rendering of Anable Basin, courtesy of WXY architecture + urban design

Soon after Amazon canceled plans to build a new headquarters in Long Island City, the city began reviving earlier plans to bring a mix of residential and industrial spaces to the neighborhood. Developers and city officials are still in talks over how the 28-acre site—which includes land owned by both the city and plastics company Plaxall—will be used. As Politico recently reported, the vision is starting to come into sharper focus with property owners now engaging the neighborhood and community board to help determine the future of the waterfront site.

Here’s what we know so far

Rendering by Binyan Studios

A tower on the rise in Queens just became the tallest building in New York City outside of Manhattan. Hitting the 63rd floor, Skyline Tower has officially surpassed in height its neighbor and previous record-holder, the 673-foot-tall Citigroup Building. Located at 23-15 44th Drive, the new Long Island City tower offers studio to four-bedroom homes, priced between $500,000 and $4 million. Upon its completion, Skyline Tower will reach 762 feet and contain roughly 800 condos.

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Photo by Vitali Ogorodnikov for 6sqft

The long-awaited Hunters Point Library will open in Long Island City next month, more than eight years after its futuristic design was revealed, library officials announced Thursday. Designed by Steven Holl Architects, the concrete building with carved windows sits on the East River and boasts sweeping Manhattan views. After many construction and financial delays, the library will officially open on September 24.

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