Queens

Durst Organization pays $173.5M for LIC site once slated for tallest tower in Queens
December 16, 2016

Durst Organization pays $173.5M for LIC site once slated for tallest tower in Queens

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Back in 2015, Property Markets Group and the Hakim Organization announced plans to erect the tallest tower outside of Manhattan in Long Island City at 29-37 41st Avenue. The residential building, then dubbed Queens Plaza Park, would rise 914 feet atop a Queens Plaza site and boast high-end condos and a projected $363.2 million sellout. However, in July 2016, the developers abandoned those plans, putting the site up for sale for an undisclosed amount. Now, as the Times reports, the Durst Organization has scooped up the site for $173.5 million and is considering going forward with the massive construction, but as a rental tower with more than 1 million square feet.
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JFK’s TWA Hotel breaks ground, gets new renderings
December 16, 2016

JFK’s TWA Hotel breaks ground, gets new renderings

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The shovels were out at JFK's TWA Flight Terminal yesterday, as MCR Development and JetBlue broke ground on their project to turn Eero Saarinen‘s mid-century modern masterpiece into the high-end, 505-room TWA Hotel. According to a press release, Governor Cuomo attended the festivities, noting that the conversion "will preserve this iconic landmark while cementing JFK’s status as a crown jewel of aviation." The news also came with two renderings that show the two, six-story, crescent shaped hotel buildings that will rise on either side of the existing structure.
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Lottery opens for 100 units in Far Rockaway’s new Passive House, from $653/month
December 9, 2016

Lottery opens for 100 units in Far Rockaway’s new Passive House, from $653/month

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Edgemere is a small neighborhood in the Rockaways that was full of beachfront hotels and bungalows back at the turn of the century. After Robert Moses tore down its most magnificent hotel and replaced it with a parking lot in 1941, the area soon fell into disrepair and became a ghost town. Just this year, however, the city released its Resilient Edgemere Community Planning Initiative to repair Sandy damage, protect the neighborhood from future flooding, improve transportation, and build resilient housing. One of these new projects is called Beach Green Dunes, a brand new Passive Building at 44-19 Rockaway Beach Boulevard with amenities like a roof garden, courtyard, parking, and fitness center. An affordable housing lottery for its 100 units opens today, ranging from $653/month studios to $1,597/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
Iconic JFK Terminal begins its life as the ‘TWA Hotel’ with new signage
December 6, 2016

Iconic JFK Terminal begins its life as the ‘TWA Hotel’ with new signage

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After sitting vacant at JFK Airport for 14 years as a vestige of jet-age architecture, Eero Saarinen's iconic 1962 TWA Flight Terminal received a new life in the summer of 2015 when it was announced that the neo-futurist structure would be reborn as a high-end hotel. MCR Development teamed up with JetBlue and the Port Authority to develop a "505-room LEED-certified hotel with restaurants, 40,000 square feet of meeting space and a 10,000-square-foot observation deck," as 6sqft previously described. Initial reports referred to the project as the "TWA Flight Center Hotel," but the Times now confirms that it'll simply be the "TWA Hotel." And with construction four months in, Curbed noticed that signage for the hotel has gone up, preserving the airline's logo and font.
See the sign ahead
The 15 best NYC holiday markets and indie pop-up shops
November 30, 2016

The 15 best NYC holiday markets and indie pop-up shops

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December's first days bring a dazzling parade of holiday gift markets all vying for the opportunity to find new homes for a bounty of goodies and crafty gifts. We're all familiar with the big NYC markets at Bryant Park and Union Square, but some of the best finds—and the most fun—can be found at smaller, cooler pop-ups and neighborhood markets. Some are only around for a weekend, others for the whole month or longer. In addition to locally-made jewelry and crafts, vintage finds, artfully curated fashions, home items and other things we didn't know we needed, these hip retail outposts sparkle with drinks, food, workshops, tarot readings, nail art, music, and family fun to keep shoppers' spirits bright.
Find out where to get the goods
Apply for 195 affordable units in Long Island City’s glitzy new rental tower The Hayden, from $913/month

Current view of construction via 6sqft

November 22, 2016

Apply for 195 affordable units in Long Island City’s glitzy new rental tower The Hayden, from $913/month

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Rockrose Development's newest Long Island City rental The Hayden commenced its affordable housing lottery earlier this November. As first reported by Court Square Blog, the massive 50-story, 924-unit, amenity-filled complex at 43-25 Hunter Street will deliver 195 below-market units to the western Queens neighborhood when it opens sometime in 2017. The subsidized units are earmarked for households who earn no more than 60 percent of the area median income, and according to the building's official lottery webpage, range from $913/month studios to $1,183/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
Queens, Brooklyn see ‘drastic’ rise in foreclosures
November 14, 2016

Queens, Brooklyn see ‘drastic’ rise in foreclosures

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October brought a significant spike in home mortgage foreclosure rates, according to The New York Post, with more than 1,100 homes heading into foreclosure. That number represents a 32 percent increase from the previous month and a 37 percent increase from one year ago, with 400 new cases in Queens (nearly twice as many as a year ago). 365 cases were recorded in Brooklyn, a 20 percent increase, with the state overall seeing a 15 percent increase since September and 10 percent year over year, according research by Attom Data Solutions.
Find out more
Headed for auction, Trump’s childhood home could fetch Queens couple $10M
November 11, 2016

Headed for auction, Trump’s childhood home could fetch Queens couple $10M

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A divorcing couple in Jamaica Estates, Queens just got something new to fight over: proceeds from the sale of their relatively modest six-bedroom Tudor home at 85-15 Wareham Place, which will head for the auction block in the first week in December. The house, which the estranged couple tried to sell for $1.65 million, chopped to $1.2 million, then pulled from the market, just happens to be where President Elect Donald Trump spent his terrible twos, and is expected to fetch at least 10 times that ask at auction, according to the New York Post.
A rising Trump floats at least one boat
Apply for 63 newly-built affordable units off the Rockaway Beach waterfront, from $494
October 28, 2016

Apply for 63 newly-built affordable units off the Rockaway Beach waterfront, from $494

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Rockaway Beach is having a rebirth of sorts as more and more New Yorkers head for its waters on the hottest of days. On top of new restaurants, coffee shops, art galleries, surf clubs and other hipster hotspots popping up along its main drags, now comes an opportunity to live in a brand-new construction at 9306 Shore Front Parkway, just steps from the sand. Per the NYC Housing Connect, households of up to six earning 40, 50 or 150 percent of the area median income can now apply for 63 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments priced between $494 and $2120.
more details here
ODA reveals renderings of Long Island City condo with inner courtyards

22-12 Jackson Avenue is the larger project to the right; 22-22 Jackson Avenue is on the left

October 7, 2016

ODA reveals renderings of Long Island City condo with inner courtyards

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ODA Architects have been on a roll across the city over the past couple years, marking their territory with their cantilevering cube-itecture. The other design element they're becoming known for is the use of inner courtyards, seen most prominently at their massive Rheingold Brewery project and Bushwick hotel. They're now incorporating both signature features at a new condo project in Long Island City at 22-12 Jackson Avenue, directly adjacent to their rental at 22-22 Jackson and across from the giant 5Pointz redevelopment site and MoMA PS1. CityRealty brings us the first look at renderings of the 175-unit, H-shaped building, which is the latest in a string of developments in Court Square.
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Renderings revealed for Tishman Speyer’s massive, mixed-use developments in Long Island City

Residential tower at 28-10 Jackson Avenue (L); Commercial tower at 28-07 Jackson Avenue (R). Via Tishman Speyer

September 20, 2016

Renderings revealed for Tishman Speyer’s massive, mixed-use developments in Long Island City

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There are currently nearly 30 under-construction and proposed projects in Long Island City, which, as 6sqft recently described "is sprouting a small city worth of skyscrapers, ushering in thousands of new residents, hundreds of hotel rooms, and a few hundred thousand square feet of office space." Two big-time projects come from Tishman Speyer Properties, who are erecting a trio of slab residential towers that will together usher in 1,900 new apartments. In a Wall Street Journal piece today, we get a first look at this glassy consortium, along with new details about the developer's adjacent two-towered commercial project that will be home to WeWork, Macy's, and yet another food hall.
Find out more about these projects
Apply today for six units in prime Astoria, starting from $1,158/month
September 12, 2016

Apply today for six units in prime Astoria, starting from $1,158/month

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Starting today, qualified New Yorkers can apply for six affordable apartments at 28-22 Astoria Boulevard, a new mixed-use building just two blocks away from the Astoria Boulevard N, Q station and three blocks from the popular Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden. The seven-story, red-brick corner rental has 25 apartments with retail on the ground floor. The affordable units, reserved for those earning between 60 and 80 percent of the AMI, are three $1,158/month studios and three $1,330/month one-bedrooms, quite the deal considering market-rate units in the building are renting for around $3,000/month for one-bedrooms and $4,300/month for two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify here
Live in ODA’s stacked Long Island City rental for $850/month, lottery opens for 35 units
September 8, 2016

Live in ODA’s stacked Long Island City rental for $850/month, lottery opens for 35 units

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For those who think affordable housing and creative design don't go together, this Long Island City rental from ODA Architects could very well change their minds. Known as 2222 Jackson Avenue, the 175-unit, 11-story building features the firm's signature stacked cube shape and an exposed concrete facade that "maintains the structure’s seeming ability to change shape as natural light plays with the unique silhouette of the structure," according to the teaser site. As of tomorrow, 35 apartments here will be up for grabs through the city's affordable housing lottery. Units will range from $850/month studios to $1,274/month three-bedrooms, quite the deal considering residents will be living right across from MoMA PS1 in one of the city's trendiest 'hoods.
Find out if you qualify
Interactive graphic explores the diversity of Queens through its 59 endangered languages
September 1, 2016

Interactive graphic explores the diversity of Queens through its 59 endangered languages

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Queens is one of the most diverse places on the planet, and it's believed that around 500 languages are spoken here. Fifty-nine of these, however, are endangered, meaning that those who speak these languages are the last people on Earth who know them. This number is staggering, considering the fact that UNESCO puts the worldwide number of "critically endangered" languages at 574, which is why artist Mariam Ghani has embarked on a mapping project that explores these disappearing tongues. First shared by Fast Co. Design, The Garden of the Forked Tongues is an online, interactive graphic and an acrylic mural in the Queens Museum, both of which plot colored polygons to represent how the languages are distributed throughout the borough.
All the info
Friday 5: Waterfront living for less in Long Island City

Every Friday 6sqft rounds up five of the best rental deals showcased on CityRealty.com’s no-fee rentals page, a space where house hunters can find the best concessions being offered by landlords across the city.

August 26, 2016

Friday 5: Waterfront living for less in Long Island City

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With its location just a hop, skip and jump away from Midtown Manhattan, and the trendiest parts of Brooklyn, Long Island City (LIC) is increasingly becoming a magnet for real estate developers, businesses and new residents banking on the area's growth. But beyond the convenience offered by its prime waterfront location—and, of course, its comparatively affordable prices—LIC also boasts buildings with unbeatable amenities and stunning skyline and river views. Ahead are five brand new LIC buildings currently offering free rent and other concessions.
see the best deals this week here
LaGuardia Airport to get $5M in repairs prior to complete revamp
August 24, 2016

LaGuardia Airport to get $5M in repairs prior to complete revamp

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Though work on Governor Cuomo's LaGuardia Airport overhaul commenced in June, the first part of the project, the replacement of Terminal B (which will alone carry a $4 billion price tag) is expected to be completed in phases between 2018 and 2022. But travelers will now get some more immediate relief, as the Wall Street Journal reports that $5 million in improvements are coming to the terminal by the end of the year in order to keep it up and running until the new buildings opens its doors to passengers in 2020. This includes repairing the current leaky ceilings, adding well-lit signage, improving ventilation and air conditioning, putting new seating and tables into the two food courts, painting walls, sprucing up restrooms, and bettering the acoustics at security checkpoints.
More this way
Take a Staycation at This Restored Bungalow in Rockaway Beach
August 3, 2016

Take a Staycation at This Restored Bungalow in Rockaway Beach

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You don't have to leave town if you're looking for a late summer getaway. You could just rent this restored Rockaway Beach bungalow, available on Airbnb for $130 a night. The two-bedroom pad, which the hosts call a "classic old bungalow," fits five guests. Lots of windows and a double-height ceiling mean the space has a lofty vibe, but mostly it's a charming and cozy place to shack up in New York City's surf town.
Take a look around
Hip Apartment With Spacious Private Balcony Asks $695K in Ridgewood
July 28, 2016

Hip Apartment With Spacious Private Balcony Asks $695K in Ridgewood

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This super-stylish condo apartment comes from the Glenridge Mews, a complex in Ridgewood, Queens comprised of nine interconnected buildings with private walk-ways lined with lush greenery and landscaping. The outdoor space doesn't end at the apartment, as the 1,089-square-foot pad comes with a 75-square-foot private balcony large enough for a modest outdoor dinner party. And inside, tons of windows and exposures to the east, west and south ensure a bright, cheerful spot that's now asking $695K.
Take a tour
Jamaica Estates Home Where Donald Trump Grew Up Asks $1.65M
July 15, 2016

Jamaica Estates Home Where Donald Trump Grew Up Asks $1.65M

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A common question about Donald Trump is "Where did he come from?" and this new listing for his childhood home in Queens may be one piece of the puzzle. Newsday reports that the Jamaica Estates home in which the presidential hopeful lived as a young boy has hit the market for $1.65 million. The six-bedroom tudor home at 85-15 Wareham Place is listed as his address on his 1946 birth certificate (he was born at nearby Jamaica Hospital) and is located in an affluent enclave where the average sales price is around $2 million according to DNAinfo.
More on Trump's beginnings
Proposed Site of Queens’ Once-Tallest Tower Will Be Sold By Developers
July 11, 2016

Proposed Site of Queens’ Once-Tallest Tower Will Be Sold By Developers

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Just about a year ago, 6sqft revealed renderings for Queens Plaza Park, an 800-unit 70+ story, 915-foot tall skyscraper planned for Long Island City's Clock Tower Building site (it would've encircled and incorporated the 88-year-old structure). At the time, this proposed height would've made it the tallest tower in Queens, as well as the tallest building outside Manhattan. However, it's now not only lost its superlatives (it's since been outdone by the 964-foot Court Square City View Tower in LIC and JDS' 1,066-foot 340 Flatbush Avenue Extension in Downtown Brooklyn), but the project is being scrapped altogether (h/t Curbed).
More details
July 6, 2016

The History of Bowery Bay Beach, the ‘Coney Island of Queens’

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This past holiday weekend, New Yorkers flocked to Coney Island for the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, the fireworks display, and to enjoy the beach and boardwalk. For some, though, traveling all the way out to the end of Brooklyn with beach chairs and coolers is daunting, which is why it's sad to learn that back in the 19th century, there was another amusement destination in the city, at the site of present-day LaGuardia Airport. Bowery Bay Beach (later named North Beach) opened in 1886 on the shores of Bowery and Flushing Bays. Built by noted piano manufacturer William Steinway in partnership with brewer George Ehret, it included beaches, swimming pavilions, a huge beer hall, zoo, and the Gala Amusement Park. At one time it was more popular than the parks in Brooklyn, earning it the moniker "the Coney Island of Queens."
So what happened?
POLL: Should the New York State Pavilion Get a Creative Makeover?
July 6, 2016

POLL: Should the New York State Pavilion Get a Creative Makeover?

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Yesterday, 6sqft shared some of the best and wackiest proposals from an ideas competition reimagining Philip Johnson's iconic New York State Pavilion. Built for the 1964-65 World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, it's struggled in recent years to find financial support, and the competition is a way to drum up enthusiasm for the necessary $52 restoration. The ideas ranged from the expected (elevated parks, event spaces) to the socially conscious (refugee housing, a homeless shelter) to the totally out there (a cheeseburger museum, a UFO landing pad). And while a new incarnation for the historic site would certainly draw visitors and interest, is that the appropriate way to honor the cultural and architectural merit of a structure that was built for a specific purpose at a very special point in time? Plus, preservationists have already secured close to $6 million for repairs, and the structure got a $3 million paint job last year.
Tell us what you think
Competition Reimagines New York State Pavilion As a Cheeseburger Museum, Hanging Meadow
July 5, 2016

Competition Reimagines New York State Pavilion As a Cheeseburger Museum, Hanging Meadow

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Philip Johnson's iconic New York State Pavilion in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park was built for the 1964-65 World’s Fair, but has struggled in recent decades to find its purpose. Because of its architectural and cultural merit, however, preservations have made great strides in the past several years: a restoration task force secured $5.8 million for repairs in 2014; it received a $3 million paint job last fall; and now it's creating quite the buzz thanks to an ideas competition put on by the the National Trust for Historic Preservation and People for the Pavilion (h/t WSJ). The competition, which organizers hope could help drum up enough enthusiasm to aid in the $52 million total restoration, has drawn more than 250 submission, including wacky ideas like a cheeseburger museum, a giant time-telling machine, and a UFO landing pad to more practical functions like a brewery, hanging gardens, live-work space for artists, and event venues.
See some of the entries here
$625K for This Charming Two Bedroom in a Prewar Co-op of Jackson Heights
July 5, 2016

$625K for This Charming Two Bedroom in a Prewar Co-op of Jackson Heights

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The prewar cooperatives of Jackson Heights are well-known for their interior courtyards, not to mention lovely apartments with generous floor plans. This two bedroom comes from the Fillmore at 83-10 35th Avenue, which was built in 1935 by the architect Thomas K. Reinhart in the Art Deco style and includes a glorious planted courtyard that's shared by residents. This particular apartment, asking $625,000, is sitting pretty on the top floor of the building.
See the interior and the courtyard
Apply Today for Six $947/Month Apartments in Astoria’s Artsy Welling Court
June 30, 2016

Apply Today for Six $947/Month Apartments in Astoria’s Artsy Welling Court

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Welling Court is a tiny enclave in Astoria, tucked between 30th Avenue and Vernon Boulevard, near the base of Astoria Park. It's best known for the funky street art that adorns its building's walls. Organized by the Welling Court Mural Project, there are now more than 140 murals from international artists, and each June the group puts on a huge block party to celebrate that year's art. If this arsty community appeals to you, a new rental building has recently gone up in Welling Court, and it comes with six low-income apartments that are now up for grabs through the city's housing lottery. 11-07 Welling Court is a six-story, 27-unit building from Architects Studio and developer Halil Todic. The affordable residences, created through the city's 421-a program, are $947 a month for individuals earning between $32,469 and $38,100 annually or two-person households earning between $32,469 and $43,500.
More info
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