queensbridge

DOE Proposes New Zoning Format For LIC Schools

January 13, 2022 by editor 1 Comment

There I was trying to drum up an angle to this weeks story grasping on random thoughts such as ‘Gee, with the 7-train Express not running this week pushing everyone onto the 7-train local, the subway cars are more crowded – just like old times.’ Or random facts, such as ‘Hmm, the American Copper Building’s rental towers located directly across the East River just sold for a whopping $850 million. Currently listed 1-br’s range from $4,958 to $6,070, 2-br’s start at $8,067. That’s a huge premium to LIC! Oh wait, I just heard an anecdote about a resident in 47-05 Center Blvd having their rent hiked 22%1.’

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after a significant reduction given the year before [↩]

‘Meanwhile Up In QueensBridge’

November 3, 2021 by editor 2 Comments

“Nothing happens. Nobody comes, nobody goes. It’s awful.”
Samuel Beckett, Waiting For Godot

IN between breaking news about restaurant opening’s and musing on the direction of local real estate markets, it’s not unusual that I include a link to a violent crime that recently occurred with the comment “meanwhile up in Queensbridge” if that’s where it took place.

The flippancy of this comment has nothing to do with the lack of gravity over the act, and everything to do with the exasperation of it’s recurrence and inability to change this state of affairs. In reading the headline about the shooting death of a 37-year old man several weeks ago, I was about to cut and paste the link and my usual comment once again1, but the frequency has increased to a level of desperation. The fact is that nothing short of a major overhaul will curtail this violence.

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in the same manner that I imagine the writers of these articles do by now [↩]

“KNOCK DOWN THE PROJECTS AND BRING IN THE CRANES”

August 29, 2018 by editor Leave a Comment

Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head

But at night it’s a different world
Go out and find a girl
Come-on come-on and dance all night
Despite the heat it’ll be alright

3 1/2 years ago LICtalk proposed razing Queensbridge. Not because it was a blight on Long Island City – its presence has minimal impact, but instead as a pragmatic solution to the endemic problems of, well …the projects. It took awhile, but now others are making similar arguments, most notably in [Read more…] about “KNOCK DOWN THE PROJECTS AND BRING IN THE CRANES”

THE NUDGER FROM QUEENSBRIDGE

July 25, 2016 by editor 2 Comments

‘We’re on one side of the river and the millionaires are on the other, but we have the better view.’ Elizabeth McQueen, Queensbridge

Stories about Queensbridge are infrequent here on LICtalk, and positive stories about it are practically nil. This weekend though, The New York Times wrote a very inspirational profile on Elizabeth McQueen, a former resident of the houses who spent many years nudging politicians and parks employees to refurbish and re-buttress the long-closed esplanade in Queensbridge Park. Though she passed away in February at the age of 83, she was able to witness her accomplishment with the re-opening of the esplanade in 2014. In light of all that she did to make it happen, this week it was officially declared “Elizabeth McQueen Way” by the city.

Now I can’t say that you’ll have anything named after you, but [Read more…] about THE NUDGER FROM QUEENSBRIDGE