What’s good in the hood
The Amish Market that is… The Amish Market will be setting up shop in the newest East Coast Building, originally it was supposed to be Jubilee, but now the word is in that the Amish Market is coming, they will be accompanying Duane Reade, Starbucks, The Recently opened Blue Streak Wine, in addition to a Japanese Fusion Restaurant, is Center Blvd the next Vernon Blvd? will just have to wait and see…
Well I was walking around Queens West today, when i noticed a new Crane. Normally that wouldnt be to weird considering this is Long Island City, and there is construction every which way you look… But this one was at the Queens West Site, for the 5000 middle income housing… Are they starting to work on this? as i walked up to take a picture something else happend… Cement trucks started showing up. Looks like they are getting an early start, plans call for 5000 new apartments, with anywhere from 30-40 being at market rate and the rest middle income…. we will keep our eyes on this…
Well it’s move in day at Two Court Square, the new Citibank building in LIC, actually move in day was yesterday, but all the same. Citi employees will be moving into a new floor, every week for the next 2 months or so, and then on January construction starts on Phase 2, bringing the tower up to 38 stories….
After reading the curbed article on The Powerhouse, i decided to take a walk down there and see what was going on, to my surprise, they have just started installing the Windows, and i must say its looking pretty sexy… I think this is going to be an attractive building, the way Karl Fisher blended the old with the new is very nice. I just cannot get enough of conversions, there each unique and very rarely have cookie cutter apartments… The masterplan for the project calls for another 250 units or so, spread in three different phases. This rendering was first brought to light on Queenswest.com, and shows a pretty attractive building, and the only other condo building offering a pool aside from The Arris.
And as for that tennis park in front, the owner is the city and parks department i highly doubt they will ever sell it, just look at whats been going on the past few years, more parks have been revitalized and created then ever before in NYC history, thanks to Bloombergs goal for making parkland within a 10 minute walk from everyone.
About five weeks ago, the New York Times reported a story about the Bum of Long Island City, John Harte “The Unofficial Attendant of an Ad Hoc Parking Lot” Who had his 15 minutes of fame when this picture came out with his story in the Sunday Times
He would basically just save parking spots for people and in return would get food, clothes and money…Soon after that story came out a construction crew had come one day and just fenced him out. He lives in this beatup car, at the lot next door, there putting up Condo’s, the very site where he said he was born on September 2nd 1935 and where he has made LIC his home for the past 72 years, around the corner his kids were born. A fence is blocking out the spaces where people used to park the cars that John used to look after, a banner advertising the new project going up right on it is a sign of change the neighborhood is going through… Now John has nothing… if you see him, buy him lunch or a cup of coffee, he has some great stories to share about his time spent in Long Island City…
So im back from my three week Hiatus, was out of town and then sick for a bit, but do i have some stuff to make up for it, in the next week i have alot of news to report about LIC, some good, some sad and some very upsetting, all in all its gonnah be a crazy week of reporting….
The Q&A is a new section we will be doing every now and then, interviewing local residents and business owners of L.I.C.
This edition brings us to the latest storefront on Vernon Blvd, Nook N’ Crannie
Q: Tell us about yourselves?
We are David and Naomi Tepper. Naomi is a Brit with creative flair and David an American with a background in business. David spent most of his childhood years in Spain where his father founded Betel International, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping drug addicts, alcoholics and the homeless. We met in Madrid, Spain while working at Betel of Spain’s headquarters. After spending some time in England, where we married in 2005 we moved shortly thereafter to New York City to direct Betel of America which is based in Astoria. Nook n’ Crannie stores are owned by Betel of America, Inc., a non profit organization.
Q: How did Nook n’Crannie get its start?
The first Nook n’Crannie opened its doors in February 2007 on Ditmars Boulevard in Astoria. Betel centers around the world have always set up furniture stores to financially support the Rehabilitation centers. We wanted to create a new image for Betel of America and indeed a new style ‘Betel furniture store’. Our desire was to create the type of shopping environment to which we would naturally be drawn: a great ambiance, clean and pleasant surroundings, eclectic mix of furniture; antique, vintage and retro items all at affordable prices. We want the Nook to be a place that the whole community can enjoy – a nostalgic place where people can come and reminisce about the memories certain antiques provoke, a local establishment where people can come to outfit their apartments with vintage items without having to trek into the city and a store where weekends strollers can pick up the perfect trinket.
Well that beautiful storefront next to my office on Vernon Blvd, is finally gonnah show some life, and a great addition to the neighborhood i think. Nook N” Crannie, a household specialty shop, selling everything from Furniture to Odds & Ends, will be having its grand opening on Saturday July 28th, i reported about this a couple of weeks ago, David Grossmann of Nest Seekers represented the tenant in obtaining the space. With all the new people moving in, im sure they will do great… Nook N’ Crannie is an established store located in Astoria on 31st and Ditmars and is now making its way to Vernon Blvd… Make sure to stop by and pick something up…
Well as if you didnt know already, Vernon Blvd is getting hotter by the minute, right off the Queens Chronicle
The gentrification of Vernon Boulevard continues as more upscale businesses move in to serve the needs of luxury apartment owners.
Joe Conley, chairman of Community Board 2, said it’s rare to see a block in Long Island City without some kind of construction. “It really has just exploded in the last two years,” he said. “The good news is it’s changing. The bad news is it’s too fast.”
Perhaps spurred by the development of luxury housing along the waterfront, new businesses are sprouting up in the area in rapid succession.
Masso’s, an Italian restaurant, opened at 47-25 Vernon Blvd. about a year and a half ago. Owner Francine Di Tomaso, who also manages Luca Lounge in New York City, said she was lured to the Long Island City location by the neighborhood’s “good vibe.”
So far business has been great. “We love the development,” she said. “Queens needed a neighorhood like this.”
You can check out the link or read more….http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18605468&BRD=2731&PAG=461&dept_id=574903&rfi=
I can finally get my Venti Iced, Tripple Latte Skim, 4 sugars….To add to the weekly retail buzz, there is word that a Starbucks will be coming to the East Coast buildings, they will be joining Duane Reade, a gourmet market and will be competing against Brasil Coffee House. This will be the first Starbucks to hit the area, ive heard of another one, but wont announce it till i can actually confirm it. Stay Tuned…
Finally something we can all use, a cool furniture, and interior design store on Vernon Blvd, Briggs & Costa, are preparing to open up shop, they finally took down the paper thats been covering the window to unveil a beautiful window display with lots of cool household goods and furniture, feels like Dumbo…Right now they are only open by appointment, but will be opening up shop shortly, they carry an array of imported furniture, household goods, candles, textiles and even really cool lighting and art… Deffinately a cool addition…
Well that nice little building on Vernon with the Blue garage door and tiny storefront that used to house Licorice is going to be a Photo Studio/Gallery…
Well That old brick wall on Vernon Blvd that used to be an apartment, next to the Pharmacy is gonnah be a Statefarm, and as exciting as insurance is, i probably would have preferred another eatery..
The wall came down today and was replaced with a storefront…
After a year of renovations, “Blend” a new latin fusion restaurant will be opening on Vernon Blvd, right next door to Communitea, the space is really beautiful, it looks like they spared no expense, the bathrooms are amazing, and there will even be a garden out back… Keep a look out for this new eatery in town, it will be opening up in a couple of weeks…
So the Manducatis family is back, this time they are about to open up a high end gourmet market right Vernon Blvd, its about 5000sqft and will have everything from cheeses, to olives, breads, wine and even gelato…They will even be serving brick oven pizza’s and be importing foods from around the world… The space is amazing and currently under construction, it will encompass the entire ground floor of this large building and will resemble that of ZeBars, should be opening up this summer…
Well that beautiful storefront on 47-42 Vernon Blvd just got leased, David Grossmann of Nest Seekers representing the tenant and Rick Rosa representing the landlord, have leased out the space, now in preperation, we will be announcing the new addition to Vernon Blvd along with a Q&A with the business owner…Stay Tuned…
Its about that time, Warm Up @ PS1, one of my favorite LIC passtimes, ive been going to this for the past 9 years, and a summer just isnt a summer unless it’s spent Saturday afternoon’s at Long Island City’s PS1, Williamsburg has McCarren Pool, and we have this… Every Saturday in the summer from 3-9pm, the PS1 is packed with music afficionados, who thrive on hearing the best of electronica, hip hop and experimental music… over 3000 people flock to pay there $8 dollars and enjoy there day in Long Island City, theres a great cafe, wine garden and yes beer is served as well. Afterparty is held at the Water Taxi Beach and/or at LIC Bar… please dont hesitate to go and experience this LIC tradition… For more info check out
http://www.ps1.org/ps1_site/content/view/274/102/ or you can join the myspace group at http://groups.myspace.com/summerwarmup
Hello everyone, i havent formally introduced myself, my name is Eric Benaim im a Vice President at Nest Seekers International, and have decided to take my love for Long Island City and start this little old blog, which lately has been getting noticed By Curbed.com as well as other sites…
A bit about myself, ive been in real estate for 6 years now, im a native New Yorker, born and raised in Queens, who has been focusing alot of attention in L.I.C. where i took my passion for the area to spearhead the opening of the Nest Seekers office, making it the first major firm to have a local presence, I am extremely well knowledgeable about the area, have done tens of millions of dollars in sales just in Long Island City and am currently working with several developers to help them shape the future of what the area will look like. In addition i give walking tours where i educate people on the history and future of the area. If anyone is interested in any assistance in either purchasing, selling, developing or just curious as to what its like in Long Island City, feel free to email me at ericb@nestseekers.com or call me at 646-443-3748 or you can just stop by our office on 47-44 Vernon Blvd and ask for me…
Enjoy the blog…
Originally uploaded by ericb555
Is it me, or was this not part of the original planning? The famed Schwartz Chemical Plant is coming down, once part of the skyline of L.I.C. is seeing its last days, as construction workers are taking it down. My only guess is that it was taken down to gain some more F.A.R., I wonder what will become of the site where whats left of the plant currently sits. Maybe some parking or hopefully some great open space. In anycase the plans call for 177 units, with plans to be selling sometime this summer… Pass by if you get a chance, it looks like a warzone inside that thing, or feel free to check out some pics at our photo pool…
http://www.flickr.com/groups/longislandcitynyc/
Well the first Bagel Store in Long Island City – Bricktown Bagel & Cafe on 51st and Vernon Blvd, has finally open after six months of renovations and constructions, i decided to check it out today for Breakfast and must say it was really good and very impressive… Stop by and check it out when you get a chance…
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