long island city

THANKSGIVING 2016

November 22, 2016 by editor Leave a Comment

So much natural beauty to be thankful for

WITH the huge bag of Halloween candy still half full and the Christmas lights on Vernon Boulevard having been up for a week, Thanksgiving’s presence can seem a harried affair. Especially given the abbreviated work-week and expectations of crowded getaways.

Nevertheless, let us take a moment to remember all we have to be thankful for in Long Island City. Short commutes. World-class parks. Two brand-new schools. A soon-to-be-completed library that’s a masterpiece. [Read more…] about THANKSGIVING 2016

LICTALK IS NOW ON FACEBOOK

November 16, 2016 by editor 1 Comment

The whole world knows it! — The whole world knows it now

Hey readers, there’s a great new website with oodles of juicy personal stuff about everyone on the planet. I just used up all my vacation days through 2020 to wander through the profiles and stalk every woman who’s ever said ‘Hello’ to me, …and those that didn’t. Not that I maintained an actual list – hard copy anyway. In all my perusing, something must have gone awry, a technical violation of some sort, because I’ve been personally banned from the site.

Fortunately there’s a commercial angle to this endeavor, so for $79.99 there is now an LICtalk Facebook page! That’s right folks, in addition to [Read more…] about LICTALK IS NOW ON FACEBOOK

SUPER MOON AND STARS AND PLANETS IN LIC

November 14, 2016 by editor 2 Comments

...and at night we get less light — …and at night we get less light

IN addition to all the other great things about living in LIC, include the ability to actually see the stars, planets, and moon. Unlike Manhattan, there is considerably less ambient light in our immediate vicinity, which allows incandescent bodies in the sky to stand out.

Of course that advantage won’t matter much if you can’t see the sky in the first place. Fortunately here in LIC the towers are not packed tightly in a grid, which combined with the river on the west side and low-rise zoning in the east, provide unobstructed views for many of those living in towers, as most here do.

Yet even if one doesn’t have a view of the heavens from their apartment, that lack of grid-packing/zoning restrictions combined with Gantry/Hunters Point Parks gives everyone an opportunity to view the night sky just by walking around.

Thanks to the clarity here, several planets are frequently visible to the naked eye. Most notably Venus periodically shines brightly in the West over Manhattan early in the evening.

Tonight’s celestial entertainment is [Read more…] about SUPER MOON AND STARS AND PLANETS IN LIC

REVEALING THE NEW FACE OF LONG ISLAND CITY

November 9, 2016 by editor Leave a Comment

Big changes have come to LIC. First, the long-vacant red-brick building on 48th Avenue between 5th Street and Vernon Boulevard lost it’s scaffolding and revealed it’s new facade. In addition to modern windows and a sandblasted exterior, construction has resumed and new floors are being added. 3 1/2 years ago we shared a rumor that this was going to be a hotel with a steakhouse. One new president later and I’m thinking condos.

Secondly, the two-story industrial building on the northwest corner of [Read more…] about REVEALING THE NEW FACE OF LONG ISLAND CITY

CITY ANNOUNCES BQX STREETCAR ROUTES IN LIC, NEW BRIDGE?

November 2, 2016 by editor Leave a Comment

Likewise, LIC might get a lot closer for Greenpoint too

CITY officials unveiled potential streetcar routes for the proposed BQX connector in a presentation yesterday. Long Island City options include 21st Street into Jackson Avenue, 11th Street, or Vernon Boulevard. All the plusses and minuses are laid out in the presentation.

Of possibly greater significance, and a key factor in determining which of the routes they choose, are the three bridge options for crossing into Brooklyn. The first one, is to use the existing Pulaski. Yet not only would the use of the bridge itself be logistically difficult given the newly carved out bike lane, but the study notes that the intersection leading up to it on the Queens side would be challenging.

That would leave the remaining two options as more plausible: either a new bridge crossing over at Vernon Boulevard, or a new bridge crossing over at 2nd Street and running east/west for two blocks across 51st Avenue. Both of these would mean massive changes for Hunters Point.

Though my gut tells me there would be more positives than negatives with a second bridge ((Negatives: lots of disruption during the lengthy construction process, more traffic/noise when it’s up and running, a serious change in lifestyle for 51st Ave residents. Positives: a very convenient transit alternative for the immediate hood and greater and quicker connectivity to Greenpoint/Wmsbg including via bike/walking)), it also very much confirms my initial reaction to the BQX Connector when it was first proposed back in February: [Read more…] about CITY ANNOUNCES BQX STREETCAR ROUTES IN LIC, NEW BRIDGE?