Google is an ambitious company, but are they flying a little off the handle by opening up their Street View mapping feature for Williamsburg and Long Island City? The look of both neighborhoods changes completely every three months or so in these development hot spots, as new buildings climb toward the sky and others get completed. Should Google have waited before sending out their platoon of roving camera cars to snap pictures of these 'hoods? Pictures that now, because it's Google, are outsiders' definitive views of these areas? Perhaps, but it's not like the market is going to collapse in the next couple of years and developers will back off. (Right? RIGHT??? Oh God somebody please tell us if it is!) But since the service is live, we decided to dial up some of Williamsburg's and LIC's most-hyped new developments, just to check up on how recent Google's photos are. Our assessment: not bad, but Google should probably pony up for a new round of photos in a year or so.
· Google Maps [maps.google.com]
That stuff seen blowing around with vigor in the YouTube vid? According to liQcity it's "toxic dust" on part of the big development site that Rockrose is remediating:
That particular site used to host a refinery, and like much of LIC, the soil is extremely toxic. So the question of the morning is: should that dirt be blowing around hither thither?...There’s a business idea for LIC entreprenuers: respirators and other toxic dust survival gear.
1) Soho: Prada is not fond of vendors. Racked reports that "Sauntering down Broadway late last night, we were attracted over to the Prada window by things other than the magical wood nymphs currently decorating the store." For instance, the warning that "summonses will be issued" to vendors out front.
2) Soho: Say bye-bye to the strange sneaker consignment boutique La Pizza Shop, whose logo was a pizza wrapped in shoe laces (it looked like a wormy meatball). Fear not, however, sneaker buyers, it's coming back as Global NYC.
3) Long Island City: Racked has a look inside to very important upcoming LIC retail outposts, the soon-to-open Market at Long Island City (aka Amish Market) and Duane Reade in Queenswest. After which, the world will no longer be the same.
4) Soho: Perhaps the October opening date for the Topshop on Broadway is a tad optimistic given that the place is still "just a big hole."
FIDI—Developer Larry Silverstein's 7 World Trade Center is no stranger to big art thingies, which makes the sudden appearance of a ring of white paper (we think?) around one of the upper floors all the more curious. Writes a tipster: "I took these pics downtown today. Notice a ring on one of the floors. Being a downtown architectural, real estate, and Curbed junkie, I was intrigued. New tenant in 7 WTC? During lunch I walked over and asked security what was going on, and they said it was a White House architectural competition, my interest was piqued.I looked it up on the internet and believe it is this. It says jury pending. Maybe that all star cast of characters is judging today! John Maeda, Liz Diller! Interesting how it rings the entire building, what a backdrop to the judging!" [CurbedWire Inbox]
LONG ISLAND CITY—This one goes out to you, Citylights haters: "I just wanted to clarify something with regard to your readers' outrage over high maintenance prices at Citylights. Part of the reason that the exorbitant maintenance fees are palatable is that we pay no (read, ZERO) property taxes. This is in effect for another 10 years or more, i believe. When the tax abatement ends our maintenance will go down significantly. In addition to that, all of the maintenance fees that we pay that are part of the building's underlying mortgage are tax deductible. So not only is it a great area to live, its quite affordable as well, more than you would think. Even if you are buying in now. The amount you WOULD pay in NYC in combined maintenance and property taxes are what we pay in maintenance alone (again, no property taxes!)" [CurbedWire Inbox]]
HARLEM—After a bit of backlash at new 123rd Street condo development The Dwyer, we knew it was only a matter of time until we heard from a customer again, especially after word came through that appliances had been delivered. Folks, we love a happy ending: "Last week I got the opportunity to walk through my finished apartment at the Dwyer. Must admit I was a little worried the quality would not be there since they had taken what seemed like forever to finish. Luckily my fears were totally unwarranted. Like any new construction there where a few small issues but nothing to lose sleep over. I've attached some pics of the finished product. It's been a long and winding road but it looks like I'll finally be calling 123rd and St. Nicholas home." [CurbedWire Inbox]
LONG ISLAND CITY—Over on the Queens West waterfront, the Jesuscondo known to mere mortals as The View is enjoying a "friends and family" opening, according to a tipster: "I was walking along Center Boulevard in LIC where the new Rockrose Building, The View, is being built. I look to my left a little and I see a glorious sales office open and ready to go. It's located in their rental building at 4720 Center Boulevard which is right on the water. The sales office is glass on all three sides and it faces the actual building that they are selling. Kind of sick. Plus the back conference room has glass that has, of course, beautiful views of Manhattan."
Those unfamiliar with Long Island City might think it's an industrial wasteland, given NYU's denouncement of the neighborhood as unworthy of a hostile university takeover. But how could an area not "developed enough residentially" give us such a sweet hangout? The above photos are of the huge landscaped deck at Rockrose's 4705 Center Boulevard (aka EastCoast 2) built on top of the luxury rental building's parking garage on the Queens West waterfront. When we last checked in, work was beginning on the communal lounge area/summer BBQ spot just off the indoor pool, and we must say it came out pretty nifty. But maybe that's just because we have a thing for orbs.
· EastCoast [Official Site]
· Curbed Inside: Long Island City's EastCoast 2 [Curbed]
Now that the cat has been let out of the bag regarding The View, Rockrose's Jesuscondo on the Long Island City waterfront, broker Andrew Fine is no longer sworn to secrecy about his trip inside the unfinished building, as well as other juicy details. So far, the most talked about design element is the terraces-upon-terraces-upon-terraces facing the Manhattan skyline on the southern end of the building. Well, here they are! Yum. Also, of the much-talked-about $1,100/sqft average, Fine says this: "Prices for 'The View,' for now at least, start just below $1000 per square foot. While the average may be at or above $1100 per square foot, none of the prices quoted take into account the outdoor space. Two-Thirds of the units will have outdoor space ranging from 64sf-1500sf." So there you go. Also, the only units that are stuck with eastern views into yucky Queens are corner units that also look at nonyucky Manhattan. The building's eastern glass façade is actually a windowed hallway. We've added some photos of The View's views (say that three times fast!) to the gallery above, as well as some older renderings of LIC's version of 15 Central Park West.
· "The View", LIC: Separating Fact From Fiction [A Fine Blog]
· EastCoast 3 Revealed: This View is Not a Scam [Curbed]
· Feeling LIC's Heat, Part IIII: Beast of the East Getting Glassed [Curbed]
On Sunday, at the New York Observer's Luxury Living showcase at the Puck Building, Rockrose will finally reveal renderings for the company's first condo project along the Long Island City waterfront, the EastCoast building that will either validate or ruin LIC. Except, oops, liQcity already got its hands on some of the images, marked up by a source who really doesn't want other brokers marketing units in the building. The name of the 184-unit building is, ahem, The View at East Coast by Rockrose. The project is designed by Handel Architects, and those early rumors of sky-high LIC prices seem to have panned out. 1BRs will start at $760,000, 2BRs at $1.2 million and 3BRs at $1.465 million. Often referred to as EastCoast 3 to differentiate it from Rockrose's rental buildings at Queens West, The View will boast jaw-dropping views (oh, now we get it) of Manhattan. And Roosevelt Island, if that's your thing.
· Eastcoast 3 debuts as The View; Rockrose broker fees paid to tenants [liQcity]
· Feeling LIC's Heat, Part IIII: Beast of the East Getting Glassed [Curbed]
· Checking In: EC3 & CB2 at Queens West [Curbed]
We've wondered what the big demolition site across Fifth Street from the Queens West development was going to be. Now we know: it's the possible site of a CUNY dorm and a 13-story residential building. So far, though, the potential new friends of Queens West across Fifth Street and the Toll Brothers Fifth Street Lofts, a couple of blocks away, hasn't been getting much love. The new development, which would be the work of O'Connor Capital, would go at 47th Avenue and Fifth Street. It would include a six-story dorm for 220 students, a 13-story residential building with 169 units and street level retail. Lawyers for the developer argue opponents are off-base when they say the buildings would be too big given what's across the street and still planned to the north. Besides, there is less likely to be synchronized hurling at the Rockrose buildings across the way because it will be housing for doctoral candidates. The proposal was rejected by the local community board, but it's coming back soon with some tweaks, like space for arts groups.
We can't deny the perfect storm of Long Island City tips, photos and information that have trickled in over the past couple of days. Folks, we are officially feeling Long Island City's heat. Today we'll be looking at a number of these stories, including this first one, a screed submitted by a reader just this morning. Is it shilly? Hilariously so, but who doesn't love the retail-as-neighborhood-savior debate? Away we go:
I am amazed how far Long Island City has grown and evolved over the past year. As all the new buildings are going up, the retail has been growing as well. We all know a vibrant retail district that includes ample restaurants will dramatically improve the value and sales of new homes and condos. With this I am excited to see that Delta Force Army Navy, one of the last great Army Navy stores in the United States, has opened its flagship store in Long Island City.
In a city filled with development controversies, the Queens West library scandal is probably not the most pressing matter. But hey, at least the issue appears to be headed toward a resolution. Planned for Parcel 8 along Center Boulevard—the Main Street of this waterfront chunk of Long Island City—the library was put on hold after the costs of cleaning up the site kept rising. This didn't sit well with residents, because developer Avalon Bay was allowed to build bigger in exchange for constructing the library. Now, according to the Queens West board, the Queens West Development Council has finally given the go-ahead to the library. The cost of the project is now hovering around $20 million, which seems like a lot, because, well, who the heck goes to libraries anymore? Still, with its Duane Reade, grocery story and now library all on the way, if Queens West isn't careful it could start resembling a real neighborhood soon!
· Queens West Library Gets Go Ahead [queenswest.com]
· In Long Island City: Go Buy a Book if You Want to Read [Curbed]
Anyone heading over to the formerly construction-filled streets of Queens West these days is far more likely to be squashed by a moving van or furniture delivery truck than pancaked by a bulldozer. A visit to booming LIC found heavy moving and delivery activity at the Rockrose and East Coast rental buildings that have been completed, and an awful lot of brick applied to the East Coast 3 building that is slated for $1,000+ per square foot condos. Since we visited for a mega-look at East Coast 2, the streets have been repaved and the athletic field looks set to go. And, if they could only get that Amish Market open, everyone would be happy.
FINANCIAL DISTRICT—On the ongoing demolition of historic 213 Pearl Street: "Work has moved to the rear of the building today. Two workers on the roof were using some sort of piercingly loud saw to slowly grind the roof off." Also piercingly loud: preservationists' anguished cries. [CurbedWire Inbox]
LONG ISLAND CITY—Reports are trickling in from Rockrose's 4705 Center Boulevard in Queens West, the luxury rental building recently featured on Curbed Inside. One tipster's bulleted list: "No Laundry because the card machines don't have a phone line. Current status - unknown; No facilities apart from Gym at set hours. Understood because they didn't have health and safety approve the facilities yet...despite tenants moving in November 1; Building work still going on in building to a certain degres; Apartments are really rather nice. Views are great, the windows block out a LOT of sound, so it's very peaceful; RCN doing a good job with cable setup. They are on site every day and have problems ironed out almost immediately." [CurbedWire Inbox]
Curbed Inside visits the interior of a structure with an eye towards revealing the design and architecture. If you've got a project you'd like Curbed to consider for shooting, drop us a line.
Sequels have to be bigger and badder than their originals to be successful, and don't think the Rockrose Development Corporation doesn't know that. The company's EastCoast project—a group of rental and condo towers in the Queens West chunk of Long Island City—had its first building open about a year ago, and even though the original is 100% leased, the Rockrose gang still decided to step up their game in both design and amenities for Phase 2. The second rental building is a 31-story tower officially known as 4705 Center Boulevard but referred to by anybody who's anybody as East Coast 2, and it's set to open any minute now. In addition to being the building that will finally bring Queens West its long-awaited grocery store, East Coast 2 will also provide Rockroseians with a parking garage, gym, lap pool and various other good-time activities. East Coast 3, a condo building, is currently under construction just northwest of EC2. Seven East Coast buildings are planned in total.
Late yesterday, word came via our sister site Racked that one of the biggest remaining reasons to hate on the Queens West chunk of Long Island City—no grocery store, dude!—is no more. Apparently there are supermarkets in this world other than Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, because broker Andrew Fine reported on his blog that Rockrose has a deal to stick an Amish Market in the coming East Coast Phase 2 rental building at Center Boulevard and 47th Avenue. Eat that, FreshDirect! A little more research shows that Nest Seekers broker Eric Benaim posted the news on his blog on August 30, pointing out that this Amish Market replaces the Jubilee that was supposed to go in ECP2. Supermarket, Starbucks—what's next, LIC, a Pinkberry? Don't go becoming a regular neighborhood on us.
· Breaking RackedWire: LIC To Finally Gain A Supermarket [Racked]
· Rejoice! Long Island City Finally Has A Supermarket [A Fine Blog]
· The Amish are coming!!! [longislandcitynyc.com]
Queens West South, how you confound us! Last October, the city announced that the 24-acre site that was to be the bizarre Olympic Village (above) would become a middle-income housing fortress. The city has yet to close on that deal with the Port Authority, and now the Times today runs with the story that Related Companies boss Stephen Ross wants the land transferred over to the Real Estate Board of New York (which he chairs) so that REBNY can build the 5,000 apartments. Ross would form a nonprofit corporate arm of REBNY to oversee the project.
Needless to say, some people have issues with this idea. When the original middle-income plan was announced, it was said that 100% of the units would be subsidized. Now the city is hinting that 40% of the apartments may go for market-rate values. Someone's gotta pay for this, right? Then there's the LICers, who say they have been completely locked out of the discussion. And let's not forget that Ross has to sway other developers into buying into his vision, one in which they won't make any money. Again—one in which they won't make any money. Godspeed, Stephen Ross.
· Plan for Middle-Class Homes on Queens Bank of East River Prompts Ideas and Protest [Curbed]
· Queens West South Plans Changing [QueensWest]
· Lament for What Might Have Been, LIC Edition [Curbed]
Comments
We can't deny the perfect storm of Long Island City tips, photos and information that have trickled in over the past couple of days. Folks, we are officially feeling Long Island City's heat. Today we'll be looking at a number of these stories, including this first one, a screed submitted by a reader just this morning. Is it shilly? Hilariously so, but who doesn't love the retail-as-neighborhood-savior debate? Away we go:
In a city filled with development controversies, the Queens West library scandal is probably not the most pressing matter. But hey, at least the issue appears to be headed toward a resolution. Planned for Parcel 8 along Center Boulevard—the Main Street of this waterfront chunk of Long Island City—the library was 
Late yesterday, word came via our sister site 
