WOW, what an end to the week summer. Two big pieces of news for Long Island City occurred within the last 24 hours, after a six-month local news cycle usurped by city, national and worldwide headlines. First, a young man was shot and killed one block from Center Boulevard in Hunters Point early yesterday evening. While this news is startling and seemingly an abrupt punctuation mark on a crazy summer both near and far, I’m not quickly tempted to extrapolate the nightly shenanigans in the park to it. One look at the picture1 of the young man lying on Borden Avenue being aided by a police officer and knowing now that he’s in his last minutes of his life is much graver than what we’ve been dealing with.2 I still believe the parks will calm down after the summer is over and that this is a one-off incident much like the occasional shootings that intrude on the Upper East Side or Tribeca. I hope.
Of greater long term significance, is the decision by NYC to pull the plug their land from the YourLIC Waterfront Master Plan. I have no idea why they made that decision, but it effectively puts the kibosh on the plan and any coordinated effort and sends everyone back to their own drawing boards. Or more likely in suspense for the foreseeable future, given the pandemic and its effect on the economy overall and real estate in NYC. I can’t say I’m unhappy about this turn of events. First of all because I have long felt that densification in NYC has long needed a re-evaluation, and much more so in light of Covid. And this project was dense: ~8.5 Citi Towers dense. Second, I felt that the amenities of the project were much more a reflection of the developers whims and what would add value and attract tenants to their buildings, rather than what was truly good for the community. As far as I’m concerned the community outreach was a misdirected dog and pony show with a foregone conclusion.
Either way a long pause for the air to clear, maybe literally, and then a new look at the landscape3, both literally and economically, is probably best for everyone. For the time being the city doesn’t need any more apartments or office space, and Hunters Point doesn’t need any more noise or commotion.
//HEY, want to do something positive for our spectacular pair of waterfront parks and earn an unprecedented rate of return in an ultra-low interest rate environment? Through September 8th TF Cornerstone will match any contributions made to the Hunters Point Parks Conservancy 1 for 1. NYC’s parks don’t run by themselves, and better yet the people overseeing HPPC live in the neighborhood, have their fingers on the pulse of these parks, and have done a great job shepherding them largely with their own sweat equity and what amounts to a shoestring. Click here and donate now.
Man Shot And Killed On Borden Avenue In Long Island City – +a very sad picture
City Severs Ties To Long Island City Developers for Post Amazon Plans – waterfront master plan is no more
Covid 19 May Claim LIC Film Studio And One Man’s ‘American Dream’
LIC Manufacturer Mana Products Acquired By Private Equity Firm
BQX Will Be Up To Next Mayor – as I said on day one, this one’s DOA
Anonymous says
September 7, 2020 at 10:38 pmWith all due respect in re. to the last comment, for the time being Hunters Point needs to CREATE noise or commotion to show new leaders what we so badly desire – NEW JOB OPPORTUNITIES and NEW HOUSING ….FOR ALL! We need to elect new leadership who is willing to look out for the best interests of all of us & they need to show us ideas on how to get there.
Our leaders have chosen not to lead/listen, instead they choose to shout/pound their chests & actually divide us. All of them actually complain that Trump does this but they don’t see it in themselves. With the opportunities they’ve been presented, they have done NOTHING EXCEPT LOSE THEM.
WE AS A COMMUNITY HAVE TO TAKE ACTION BY MAKING NOISE AND STANDING UP FOR OURSELVES!
NYCType says
September 8, 2020 at 10:19 amVery sad photo indeed, and I think there is a need for accountable leadership in this borough. That leadership is not Brent O’Leary or Jimmy Van Bramer. The neighborhood has been calling for a much needed police presence at the park for months. A group of naysayers have opposed saying that it would lead to further minority harassment by the police. We all knew it was a matter of time before A person was killed. And, that it would be regardless of race or whether they were local. And here we are today. This neighborhood needs to ask some tough questions on where it is going. It seems that they’d all rather put their heads in the sand and pretend anti social behavior is not happening rather than deal with the risks. You can’t bury the problem. All those people bored at home crafting petitions from behind their computers need a heavy dose of reality.