Living life is fun and we’ve just begun
To get our share of the world’s delights
(High!) high hopes we have for the future
And our goal’s in sight
THE next step in the quest to deck over and develop Sunnyside Yards has been announced. An architecture firm has been hired by the city to form a master plan for the massive development. In addition the city created a local steering committee which according to Curbed “will spend the next 18 months organizing public meetings and workshops to elicit feedback from Queens residents on how best to proceed with the megaproject’s development, and address the needs of local residents.”
My thoughts on this project are well-known:
It will be NYC’s version of the Big Dig – way over-budget and way past deadlines
The Big Dig’s focus on affordable housing is a distraction from dealing with the more difficult and intractable problems of the city:
Current and imminent strains on those already here
As for the rationale behind it, according to Curbed “The city was also propelled by the fact that Queens could see the addition of more than 80,000 people in the next 20 years”
Since when have progressives become so indifferent to the environmental strains of densification, whether they be in NYC, the U.S.A, or the planet? Growth comes at what price? (A question that should definitely be asked of the Steering Committee on their listening tour)
Fortunately, while the administration currently has the power to pursue this folly, just as it did with the BQX which we found analogous to Sunnyside Yards, the lengthy time horizon will not be its friend. Especially given where we are in the economic cycle and the current supply of apartments both within LIC and citywide. Independent of that and in a reversal of the last few decades, there are some big macro trends that are propelling the next generation (and retirees) to consider leaving big cities: taxes and overcrowding. Plus Louisville has The Derby!
//THE weekend is here and time to leave all worries, LIC and non, behind. One way to do that is to watch Sister Sledge’s video of ‘We Are Family,’ filmed on the waterfront of Long Island City back in 1979. By the positioning and landscaping it looks to be just south of where Tennisport was located between Borden and 51st Ave1
Sunnyside Yards Mega Project Is No Longer a Pipe Dream – time will tell
The New Magnetism of Mid-Tier Cities – for many millennials second cities are becoming their first choice – Louisville!
Sister Sledge’ We Are Family Official Video – NYC skyline from LIC in 1979
Summer Rental Surge Won’t Be Strong Enough to Impact Concessions – “A lot of what’s coming out now was planned a few years ago. It’s not like they can turn off the tap.”
LIC’s Co-Living Hybrid Unveils It’s Rentals – almost 500 of them, but maybe a kegerator in lieu of a 2nd month free?
Douglas Elliman Acquires Space Marketing Shop – will their Vernon Blvd locations be combined?
Queens Ice Man Reveals the Action Behind the Artistry – located in LIC, this guy gets profiled about every 2 years
- you can see what looks like a tennis fence in the video [↩]
fuelgrannie says
May 9, 2018 at 5:07 pmi hate how you refer to queensbridge residents as “the poor:” it’s condescending, insulting and incorrect. they are lower and middle income families: they’re also humans. i love them as my neighbors: why don’t you?