Search Results for: Long Island City

February 8, 2019

Amazon is rethinking its move to Long Island City

After facing months of intense backlash from residents and local officials, Amazon is rethinking its plan to open a massive complex in the Queens neighborhood of Long Island City, the Washington Post reported on Friday. Sources told the newspaper, which is owned by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, that executives at the tech company have had discussions to reassess the plan to open its "HQ2" in New York City. "The question is whether it's worth it if the politicians in New York don't want the project, especially with how people in Virginia and Nashville have been so welcoming," a source told the Post.
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January 2, 2019

New renderings released of Long Island City’s Skyline Tower, Queens’ soon-to-be-tallest

The Skyline Tower, a 67-story condo building under construction in Long Island City, ended the year on a very high note. In addition to being named 6sqft's 2018 Building of the Year, the Hill West Architects-designed, 778-foot-tall tower became the first in Queens to pass $1 billion in total sell out. Plus, the property, which developer United Construction & Development Group first filed plans for in 2016, sits across the street from One Court Square, where Amazon is leasing one million square feet of office space before the company moves to its new HQ2 complex along the waterfront. On Wednesday, new renderings of Skyline Tower were released, showing off the interiors, views, and new subway entrance at the future tallest tower in Queens.
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December 26, 2018

Major 7 train disruptions between Long Island City and Manhattan in January and February

On weeknights in January and the first week of February, as well as all weekends in January, the 7 train will not run between 34th Street-Hudson Yards and Queensboro Plaza, the MTA announced. As 6sqft reported last month, after seven years of installing modern signals on the 7 line, the system failed the first day it went live. The upcoming work will address repairs needed on a 2,000-foot section of track near Grand Central, "where defects were discovered" during this recent Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) modern signaling system installation.
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December 7, 2018

New renderings of 1,100-unit Hunter’s Point South project in Long Island City

New renderings were released this week of the one million square foot development coming to the Long Island City's Hunter's Point South neighborhood. Designed by Handel Architects, the complex features two high-rise towers, retail, and community space. Notably, the project is expected to bring 1,100 new residential units, with 80 percent of them permanently affordable. The complex sits less than a mile from the planned office complex of Amazon, which chose the Queens neighborhood last month for its new home. As CityRealty reported, the two towers will rise 57 and 33 floors, with the taller of the two reaching 600 feet high, which would make it the tallest building on the waterfront.
See the LIC project
November 29, 2018

Where I Work: See how Stickbulb’s first-ever showroom is lighting up Long Island City

Before opening their first showroom, sustainable lighting brand Stickbulb had just one wire rack of shelving and one workbench, with their supplies spilling out into the communal areas of their building. They desperately needed more space. The company found it this year in a 10,000-square-foot former steel factory in Long Island City. With its terracotta walls and wooden floors, not only does the new space aptly complement Stickbulb’s modern LED light fixtures, but the former factory gives them enough room to show off how their products are made and the people who make them. Sustainability remains a core mission for Stickbulb, which was founded six years ago by Russell Greenberg and Chris Beardsley, the creative team behind RUX Design. Using salvaged wood from demolished buildings and dismantled water towers, Stickbulb products always have a story to tell. "The idea is that the customer can trace back the wood that they have in their light fixture back to the original building it was a part of," Russell told us during a recent visit to the company's showroom. Ahead, take a tour of Stickbulb's new space and hear from Russell and Chris on starting the studio, the process behind finding reclaimed wood, and the bright future of the growing company.
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November 15, 2018

Residential interest in Long Island City surges 300% after Amazon’s HQ2 announcement

Amazon’s decision to divide its second headquarters between Long Island City and Arlington, Virginia was confirmed on Tuesday, bringing with it questions about how the neighborhoods will withstand the influx of 25,000 new workers each. According to a new study from RENTCafé, LIC already has an occupancy rate of 98.2% and about 15,400 units currently either under construction or in a planning phase, so Amazon’s announcement is sure to add fuel to an already bustling market. In fact, according to listings site CityRealty, searches for residential apartments in the neighborhood are up 281% compared to the daily averages prior to the announcement.
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November 13, 2018

See the waterfront site in Long Island City where Amazon will bring its new mixed-use campus

Amazon officially announced on Tuesday its plan to bring its second headquarters to Long Island City, following a 14-month long contest among hundreds of cities across the country. The company will also open a second new headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, with each location expected to house 25,000 new employees; Nashville will become home to Amazon's "Operations Center of Excellence," equipped for 5,000 full-time jobs. In Queens, Amazon intends to construct the mixed-use complex across both public and private sites that sit along the East River, in an area known as Anable Basin. Although the HQ2 project still must undergo a public and environmental review, as well as a possible rezoning, the tech company said it will receive over $1.7 billion in incentives from New York State for its project, which is expected to cost over $3.6 billion, and has the potential for another $1.3 billion "as-of-right" benefits from New York City.
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November 12, 2018

A move to Long Island City could allow Amazon to reap nearly $1B in city tax breaks

The state of New York is keeping the incentives it used to woo Amazon under wraps, but even without those benefits, an existing tax program could work in Amazon's favor -- to the tune of almost $1 billion. After a highly publicized search, the tech giant is nearing a deal to locate half of its new headquarters in Long Island City. And as The Real Deal explains, that move means Amazon will qualify for the city’s Relocation and Employment Assistance Program (REAP), which offers employers a $3,000 credit per employee per year for 12 years if they move their business into the outer boroughs and certain parts of Upper Manhattan. With Amazon’s projected workforce of 25,000, that would mean a total credit of $900 million.
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November 8, 2018

New housing lottery in Long Island City misses the ‘affordable’ mark

With speculation about Amazon's chosen HQ2 cities landing on Long Island City this week, the questions of transportation and affordability in the neighborhood have come to the forefront. And a new affordable housing lottery in the area does not look good for the latter. As of tomorrow, New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for 10 units at the newly constructed, mixed-use rental 40-05 Crescent Street. Located on the border of Astoria, the building houses 32 rentals, an underground parking garage, and two floors of manufacturing space. The "affordable" units range from $2,125/month studios to $2,741/month two-bedrooms.
See what the qualifications are
November 7, 2018

Amazon looking at proposed Anable Basin mixed-use site for new home in Long Island City

With Amazon nearing a deal to make Long Island City home to its second headquarters, a big question remains: Where in the Queens neighborhood will the tech-giant house its 25,000 employees? One possible location sits within a waterfront area known as Anable Basin, named for a 150-year-old inlet, sources familiar with the plan told Politico New York. As 6sqft reported last November, the family-owned plastics company Plaxall, who owns the site, proposed a massive rezoning of the area that would allow for 335,000 square feet for industrial spaces, nearly 5,000 housing units, and a new public school.
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November 6, 2018

Amazon’s HQ2 could be headed to Long Island City

Amazon is close to naming Long Island City home to its second headquarters, following a competitive, yearlong search by the tech giant. The company is reportedly splitting "HQ2" between two locations, with the other being Crystal City, Virginia, a suburb outside of Washington, D.C, according to the New York Times. The news comes less than a week after New York City announced plans to invest $180 million in the infrastructure of the evolving Queens neighborhood.
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October 31, 2018

City plans to invest $180M in Long Island City infrastructure

Yesterday the de Blasio Administration released the Long Island City Investment Strategy, an effort by the city to support sustainable growth in the waterfront neighborhood. Following an upzoning in 2001, the area has seen incredible transformation in the form of thousands of new apartments and waterfront towers. The city admits that the reason behind its strategy is such rapid development, which has strained neighborhood resources and the quality of life of residents. $180 million is designated for the area, which is on top of $2.2 billion the city says its already invested over the years. "We are investing $180 million in Long Island City to address the needs of today while preparing for a more sustainable future." Mayor de Blasio stated in a press release.
Where will the money go?
September 12, 2018

Public waterfront space to be part of massive Long Island City Innovation Center project

Developer TF Cornerstone has released new details about public open space slated to be part of the proposed project spanning over 1.5 million square feet at 44th Drive on city-owned land along the Long Island City waterfront, LICpost reports. Known as the Long Island City Innovation Center, the proposed massive city-led development, which will need zoning changes in order to move forward, includes office, retail, and manufacturing space and two high-rise residential towers with over 1,000 units, 25 percent of which would be affordable. The latest news concerns the acre of publicly accessible open space that is also part of the controversial development. According to TF Cornerstone, this open space will become a waterfront park with a focus on resiliency and sustainability.
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August 31, 2018

Apply for three middle-income units right off the 7 train in prime Long Island City

Away from the hustle and bustle of Court Square, the area of Long Island City around the Vernon Boulevard-Jackson Avenue subway stop is the perfect combination of the neighborhood's industrial past and current, amenity-filled reincarnation. Near hip spots like the Alewife Taproom, Tuk Tuk Thai restaurant, and Fifth Hammer Brewing Company, a middle-income housing lottery has just opened for three units at 10-44 Jackson Avenue. Reserved for households earning 130 percent of the area median income, there is one $2,201/month studio and two $2,320/month one-bedrooms. In addition to being close to plenty of food and drink options, this new 10-unit rental is less than a block away from the 7 train and a short walk to the newly opened Hunters Point South Park.
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August 21, 2018

My 5,400sqft: Inside father and finance pro Stephen Fox’s sprawling Long Island City condo

No, that's not a typo. Stephen Fox’s home really measures 5,400 square feet. And slightly more than half of that space comes in the form of two terraces--a lower one equipped with a grill and dining area and a huge rooftop area with more room to play and entertain than some city parks. Both spaces boast views of the Manhattan skyline, as well as a front-row seat to the ever-evolving Queens neighborhood of Long Island City. After first purchasing a unit in the building, a former 19th-century factory, in 2006, Stephen and his wife Julie later snagged a larger apartment. The couple, who both work in finance, then bought the unit next door, combining them to make for an even more palatial home. They now share the light-filled space with their two children, three-year-old Mason and two-year-old Logan. Stephen recently gave 6sqft a tour of his home, shared what it was like to settle down in LIC, and told us how he's seen the neighborhood change over the last decade.
Take a look around
July 20, 2018

Yet another tall tower is headed for Long Island City

42-50 24th Street rendering via Dynamic Star Long Island City has been fertile ground for new skyscrapers for over a decade–and the biggest additions are still yet to come. Despite concerns over an apartment glut, developers are racing to send 60- and 70- story towers skyward, including the Durst Organization's Queens Plaza Park, United Construction's Court Square City View Tower, and Stawksi Partners' 43-30 24th Street. A newcomer to this party is a mixed-use tower from Dynamic-Hakim and Property Markets Group (PMG) set to rise at 42-50 24th Street, CityRealty reports.
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July 9, 2018

Despite 200-foot height cut, 67-story tower in Long Island City will still be Queens’ tallest

The soaring condo tower planned for Long Island City's Court Square shrunk in height this week, dropping from a proposed 984-foot tower to 778 feet, Curbed NY reported. This isn't the first height fluctuation for the building, dubbed the Court Square City View. Developer Chris Xu proposed a 964-foot tower in 2016, bumped it to supertall status at 984 feet in 2017 and now, according to the WSJ, the tower will rise just under 780 feet. Despite reducing in height by more than 200 feet, the tower will still be the tallest building in Queens upon completion.
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May 18, 2018

Lottery opens for 59 middle-income units near MoMA PS1 in Long Island City, from $2,098/month

Applications are now being accepted for 59 newly constructed, middle-income units in the heart of thriving Long Island City in Queens. HAAK architects designed the 12-story building at 11-39 49th Avenue, which boasts a unique patchwork facade made of tricolor brick. The rental sits less than a block from the 7 train and MoMA PS1 and less than a mile from Gantry Plaza State Park on the waterfront. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, which range from a $2,098/month studio to a $3,131/month three-bedroom.
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May 17, 2018

Proposal calls for a floating pedestrian bridge to connect Greenpoint and Long Island City

A Kickstarter campaign launched on Thursday for a civic design project aimed at reconnecting the neighborhoods of Greenpoint and Long Island City and the residents who live there. Brooklyn-based studio CRÈME/ Jun Aizaki Architecture & Design's concept, called Timber Bridge at LongPoint Corridor, calls for constructing a floating bridge made of durable timber that would sit on Newtown Creek and expand past to the LIRR rail yard in LIC. Not only would it provide people greater access to transit options, according to the design team, Timber Bridge would give bikers and pedestrians a safer commute than the Pulaski Bridge, a less-than-ideal path with lots of cars.
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May 17, 2018

$5.5M converted firehouse could be Long Island City’s most expensive sale

A listing broker for this 1848 former local firehouse told the Wall Street Journal that its $5.5 million asking price was “aspirational,” but the neighborhood certainly has changed since its owner purchased the three-story, 3,500 square-foot converted townhouse in 1981 for $115,000. Long Island City turned fancy and this Federal-style firehouse got an architect-led overhaul that gave it three bedrooms, a 17-foot vaulted ceiling, a home office/library, a garden, a terrace, a garage, an elevator, and a sliding glass wall.
Hop in the elevator, take the tour
May 11, 2018

The Urban Lens: Queens-born Kris Graves captures a rapidly disappearing side of Long Island City

6sqft’s series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, Kris Graves shares photos from his “A Queens Affair". Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. Queens-born photographer Kris Graves has been shooting his series “A Queens Affair” since 2005. Recently, he published a limited edition and currently sold-out softcover book, LOST LIC, containing some of his thousands of shots of the borough. A hater of glass, he describes his motives to take photos of LIC simply: he wants to capture the rapidly disappearing nooks and crannies of the neighborhood before they’re gone forever. While some of his previous work, including photos of every police precinct in New York, have been comprehensive, with “A Queens Affair,” Graves admits he does not know if the project will ever truly be complete.
The landscapes in many of his photos have already changed drastically
March 27, 2018

First rendering unveiled for Durst’s Long Island City tower, projected to be the tallest in Queens

After picking up the Long Island City property for $173.5 million in 2016, the Durst Organization released this week the first rendering of its massive mixed-use building planned for 29-37 41st Avenue. Dubbed Queens Plaza Park, the 978,000-square-foot tower will hold 958 rental residences, as well as retail and office space. The rendering reveals a concave-shaped building which will wrap around the 90-year old landmarked Clock Tower, which is being saved and restored, as CityRealty reported.
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December 2, 2017

Now Leasing: Newly Opened Long Island City Rentals

Images (L to R): Jackson Park, ARC and Hayden The Queens neighborhood of Long Island City has had an incredible construction boom. Thousands of modern rental units in luxury sky-scraping buildings have nearly taken over the once primarily industrial district. To keep things competitive, developers are building to ever-increasing heights and equipping buildings with amenities worthy of an all-inclusive Caribbean resort.
Check out some of the latest to launch
November 14, 2017

Anable Basin proposal envisions a massive mixed-use district along the Long Island City waterfront

The plastics company, Plaxall, announced on Tuesday a massive rezoning proposal to allow for a mixed-use district in Anable Basin, the area surrounding a 149-year-old inlet located in Long Island City. Since founding the company more than 70 years ago, the Plaxall family has purchased and rehabilitated properties in the neighborhood and currently manages over one million square feet of space. Achieved through rezoning, the proposal calls for 335,000 square feet for industrial uses, 4,955 housing units with 25 percent of them affordable, a 700+ seat public school and a new, elevated promenade. If the rezoning is approved, construction is anticipated to begin in 2020 with a completion date in 2034, but no official timeline has been set.
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November 3, 2017

Live across from Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City for $867/month

On Monday, the lottery opens for 21 affordable units in a new luxury residential building located on the border of the trendy Queens neighborhoods of Astoria and Long Island City. The mixed-use rental at 11-06 31st Drive, called the Vernon Tower despite being just eight-stories, sits directly across from Socrates Sculpture Park and just a few blocks from the Noguchi Museum and waterfront promenade. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the units ranging from $867/month studios to $1,123/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify