Queens

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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Architecture And Design

See inside Long Island City’s new public library designed by Steven Holl Architects

Photo © Paul Warchol

September 25, 2019

See inside Long Island City’s new public library designed by Steven Holl Architects

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.
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Architecture And Design

Rendering courtesy of IKEA U.S.

September 24, 2019

IKEA will open in Queens next summer

IKEA is coming to Queens. The Swedish furniture store announced on Tuesday plans to open a new location at a shopping center in Rego Park next summer. The store, located in the Rego Center, will be the first in the United States with a new layout, according to the company.
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Uncategorized

$139M street repair and infrastructure upgrade project kicks off in Far Rockaway

Rendering of Mott and Central Avenues next to the planned new public library, courtesy of NYCEDC

September 23, 2019

$139M street repair and infrastructure upgrade project kicks off in Far Rockaway

About 25 blocks of Downtown Far Rockaway will soon see major changes as the Queens neighborhood gears up for one its largest infrastructure project in decades. Construction will kick off this week on a $139 million plan to revamp the area's streets, pedestrian space, and stormwater drainage, city officials announced Wednesday. The project, expected to take three years to complete, falls under the city's Far Rockaway rezoning plan, which was approved in 2017.
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Policy

Robert de Niro-funded studio taps Bjarke Ingels to design $400M ‘vertical village for film’ in Astoria

Renderings courtesy of Bjarke Ingels Group and Wildflower Ltd.

September 20, 2019

Robert de Niro-funded studio taps Bjarke Ingels to design $400M ‘vertical village for film’ in Astoria

The star power involved with Robert de Niro’s planned production studio in Astoria continues to grow. The development group—which includes developer Wildflower Ltd, Raphael De Niro, and Jane Rosenthal—has just revealed a first look at the 650,000-square-foot facility designed by Bjarke Ingels Group. The $400 million project, called Wildflower Studios, will establish a hub for the creation of film, television, and other forms of entertainment, including augmented reality and virtual reality. The facility is expected to create more than 1,000 daily union jobs.
Get a first look at the renderings

Development plans for ex-Amazon site in LIC move forward with emphasis on local community goals

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

September 19, 2019

Development plans for ex-Amazon site in LIC move forward with emphasis on local community goals

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

Uncategorized

September 18, 2019

Citi Bike expansion in Bushwick and Ridgewood begins next week

Next week, Citi Bike will begin the first phase of a four-year expansion that will double the system’s New York City footprint. The blue bikes are coming to a larger area of Bushwick and, for the first time, Ridgewood, Streetsblog reports. L train riders will have more options thanks to 85 new stations in those neighborhoods.
More on the rollout, this way

Transit

You can now take a private helicopter to brunch at JFK’s TWA Hotel

Image courtesy of MCR and Morse Development

September 17, 2019

You can now take a private helicopter to brunch at JFK’s TWA Hotel

It'll cost you a pretty penny—$340 per person, to be exact—but you can now take a private helicopter to brunch at JFK's buzzy new TWA Hotel. Helicopter service Blade and the Gerber Group have partnered on the limited-edition offering, which is open for reservations on Sundays only through November 3rd.
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Trump’s childhood home heads back to the auction block after failing to find a $2.9M buyer

Images courtesy of Paramount Realty USA

September 17, 2019

Trump’s childhood home heads back to the auction block after failing to find a $2.9M buyer

President Donald Trump’s boyhood home in Jamacia Estates is headed to auction after spending 19 days on the market last February for $2.9 million, the New York Times reports. The home is no longer owned by Trump or his organization; the current owner bought the property in 2017 for $2.14 million anonymously via Trump Birth House LLC. The unassuming five-bedroom Tudor has since been used as an Airbnb rental, and it was briefly rented by refugees via anti-poverty organization Oxfam to bring attention to the refugee crisis during the 2017 UN General Assembly.
It's not about real estate

Long Island City’s Skyline Tower is now the tallest outer-borough building

Rendering by Binyan Studios

September 13, 2019

Long Island City’s Skyline Tower is now the tallest outer-borough building

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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Restoration of Philip Johnson’s 1964 New York State Pavilion will begin this month

Image via Purpleturtle52 on Wiki Commons

September 10, 2019

Restoration of Philip Johnson’s 1964 New York State Pavilion will begin this month

Plans to restore the Philip Johnson-designed New York State Pavilion at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park have been inching along slowly over the past five years. Now, the project finally has a construction start date, Untapped Cities reported. Work will begin by the end of the month and is expected to be completed in March 2021. As 6sqft previously reported, the project has acquired just over $24 million in funding from the Mayor's office, Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, City Council, and a FEMA grant for Hurricane Sandy repairs.
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Architecture And Design

September 6, 2019

This $2.8M ivy-covered Tudor in Forest Hills Gardens was the location for ‘Mildred Pierce’

Located within the greater Queens neighborhood of Forest Hills, Forest Hills Gardens is one of America’s oldest planned communities. The ivy-covered three-story single-family home at 17 Bow Street, built in 1905, has been lovingly maintained by its owners over the last 35 years. From the outside it's a picture of storybook charm and Tudor architecture, garage included. Inside is original woodwork as well as six bedrooms. The home's historic cachet and unique early modernity made it a logical choice for filming "Mildred Pierce," a period HBO series about 1930’s Beverly Hills. It's asking $2.795 million.
Take the Tudor tour

Distinctive Homes

Steven Holl-designed Hunters Point Library to finally open next month

Photo by Vitali Ogorodnikov for 6sqft

August 23, 2019

Steven Holl-designed Hunters Point Library to finally open next month

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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Architecture And Design

New 2.5-acre complex will bring 500+ rentals to the Astoria waterfront

30-77 Vernon Boulevard. Renderings by Pax Brooklyn, courtesy of Fogarty Finger

August 22, 2019

New 2.5-acre complex will bring 500+ rentals to the Astoria waterfront

A sprawling new residential development at 30-77 Vernon Boulevard from Cape Advisors and Wainbridge Capital will bring over 500 rental apartments to the Astoria waterfront area (h/t Yimby). The 522,000-square-foot construction site on two-and-a-half acres of land will be comprised of three adjacent buildings designed by Fogarty Finger. New renderings show a white and gray façade with rooftop recreation areas; amenity spaces will include a private courtyard, indoor and outdoor lounges, a fitness center and a rooftop pool East River and Manhattan skyline views.
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Photo courtesy of sarahtarno on Flickr

August 21, 2019

JetBlue installs its logo on Long Island City’s landmarked Pepsi-Cola sign

The iconic red Pepsi-Cola sign in Long Island City got a new look on Tuesday. In partnership with the soda company, JetBlue began installing this week an illuminated logo, a blue arrow, and a picture of an airplane on the sign that overlooks the East River, as first reported by the Wall Street Journal. The signage, which will only be up until Oct. 1, advertises the airline's switch from serving Coca-Cola to PepsiCo products earlier this summer.
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Uncategorized

Waitlist reopens for ‘moderate-income’ rentals in Long Island City, with units up to $5,183/month

Via Flickr cc

August 19, 2019

Waitlist reopens for ‘moderate-income’ rentals in Long Island City, with units up to $5,183/month

Applications are currently being accepted to replenish the waitlist for moderate-income apartments at two Long Island City buildings. Located across from the newly opened Hunter's Point South Park, the towers at 1-50 50th Avenue and 1-55 Borden Avenue were developed in 2013 as part of the neighborhood's waterfront redevelopment, with a majority of the apartments set aside low- and middle-income households. But apartments available through the current waitlist are for households earning between $104,538 and $278,300 annually with units ranging from a $2,992/month one-bedroom to a $5,183/month three-bedroom. In 2017, the median household income in Queens was just over $64,500 per year.
Do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

The Queens County Fair will debut a three-acre corn maze inspired by the Unisphere

Image via Wiki Commons

August 14, 2019

The Queens County Fair will debut a three-acre corn maze inspired by the Unisphere

The 37th Annual Queens County Fair taking place in September at the Queens County Farm Museum will include a three-acre corn maze inspired by the iconic Unisphere in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, as Patch first reported. Commissioned for the New York World’s fair of 1964-65 and designed by landscape architect Gilmore Clarke, the Unisphere is a steel rendition of the Earth and has become one of the Borough’s most enduring symbols. Sponsored by Con Edison, “The Amazing Maize Maze” is set to debut during the fair on September 21 and remain open through October 26. It will be the only corn maze in New York City.
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Events & Things To Do

Astoria food hall opening this fall promises to showcase the diverse cuisines of Queens

Rendering courtesy of EJ Stevens Group

August 7, 2019

Astoria food hall opening this fall promises to showcase the diverse cuisines of Queens

Last summer, a developer announced plans to convert a restaurant supply store and warehouse in Astoria into a food hall. Now, after some construction delays, the World Artisan Market is officially moving forward, as Eater NY first reported on Wednesday, with an expected opening date in the late fall. Developed by the EJ Stevens Group, the former warehouse at 34-39 31st Street will be converted into a retail space with 18,000-square-feet of storefronts which will offer a diverse mix of vendors, from Korean barbecue to a French-Scandinavian bakery.
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Food & Dining

James Turrell installation reopens at MoMA PS1 after nearby construction impedes views

Image via Flickr cc

August 6, 2019

James Turrell installation reopens at MoMA PS1 after nearby construction impedes views

James Turrell's celebrated Skyspace installation at MoMA PS1 is open to the public again after views from a high-rise construction encroached on the piece and forced a temporary closure back in January. Meeting is a site-specific, permanent installation that was installed in the museum in the 1980s and offers a simple pleasure: gazing upwards toward an unobstructed view of the sky. The aperture is framed by LED lights that change over the course of the day, creating interesting optical effects between the color of the sky and that of the room.
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Events & Things To Do

Queens locals say Billie Holiday monument should be in historic Addisleigh Park, not Kew Gardens

Photo via Wikimedia

August 5, 2019

Queens locals say Billie Holiday monument should be in historic Addisleigh Park, not Kew Gardens

Residents in southeast Queens are pushing the city to place a monument of jazz artist Billie Holiday in their neighborhood, instead of Kew Gardens, as the city proposed. In March, First lady Chirlane McCray announced plans to erect four statues of trailblazing women across the boroughs, including commissioning one of Holiday near Queens Borough Hall. But as Patch reported this week, locals want the monument to be in the Addisleigh Park Historic District, where Holiday, as well as many other prominent jazz musicians, lived in the late 1940s and '50s.
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City Living

Is this marker in Woodside, Queens really the center of NYC?

Photos via Nicole Mondrus for 6sqft

July 30, 2019

Is this marker in Woodside, Queens really the center of NYC?

By Nicole Mondrus

Located in the middle of a traffic median on Queens Boulevard and 58th Street in Woodside, a marker set in the pavement makes a bold claim: “The Geographic Center of NYC.” The math used to calculate geographical centers is fairly complicated and doesn’t quite account for other environmental factors. However, there seems to be a fair consensus as to the streetside marker in Woodside: It isn’t the geographical center at all.
What's the deal?

City Living

Amazon might end up in Queens after all, considers Maspeth site for new distribution facility

Google Street View of the Maspeth site

July 30, 2019

Amazon might end up in Queens after all, considers Maspeth site for new distribution facility

As Amazon's search for new warehouse space continues, the retail giant is looking to Queens again, as Crain's reports. Several sources have said the company is considering leasing the site at 55-15 Grand Avenue in Maspeth, which can accommodate over 700,000 square feet of space. If the deal goes forward, Amazon would scrap the existing, former warehouse and build a custom distribution facility from the ground up.
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Uncategorized

Sip, surf, and sunbathe: A guide to the Rockaways

Photo via Flickr

July 29, 2019

Sip, surf, and sunbathe: A guide to the Rockaways

By Nicole Mondrus

The Rockaways is the quintessential beach getaway for those looking to soak up some sun and still remain in the city. Once known as “New York’s Playground,” the Rockaways offers a 5.5 mile stretch of bustling boardwalk and over 120 acres of sandy beach. While definitely a go-to spot for city-dwellers, navigating the Rockaways can be daunting if you're unfamiliar with the Queens neighborhood. We’ve rounded up the best of the Rockaways, including how to get there, where to soak up the sun, and, of course, the best spots to wine and dine.
Rockaways this way

Events & Things To Do

Rockaways beach house with bay views and an in-ground pool seeks $3.85M

Listing images by Matt Vacca; courtesy The Corcoran Group

July 19, 2019

Rockaways beach house with bay views and an in-ground pool seeks $3.85M

If you don’t mind the trek, you can find some nice properties out in the Rockaways—like this home at 148-16 Newport Avenue, nestled in the affluent enclave of Neponsit. With a $3.85 million price tag, it’s by no means a bargain—despite its distance from pricier Manhattan and Brooklyn—but if you have the budget, you’ll get 4,800 square feet of living space and an impressive backyard complete with an in-ground pool, gazebo, and sweet Jamaica Bay views.
Get the full tour

Distinctive Homes

Deluge of dirty water from construction site next door floods Queens subway station

Image courtesy of @subwaycreatures via Youtube.

July 19, 2019

Deluge of dirty water from construction site next door floods Queens subway station

A rush of brown water flooded into the Court Square-23rd Street station in Long Island City Wednesday night, making for a soggy commute–and a dangerous one for one passenger who was nearly swept onto the tracks. The MTA said the unfortunate overflow was caused by a plywood construction wall in a nearby building site, where the skyscraper known as Skyline Tower is rising, giving way in the recent downpour, the Daily News reports.
More subway surfing, this way

Queens’ priciest condo ups asking price to $3.9M

Photo courtesy of Compass

July 17, 2019

Queens’ priciest condo ups asking price to $3.9M