TOP TEN COMMENTS ABOUT LIC’S FUTURE

Last week, an organization named Bisnow held a real estate event entitled “The Future of Long Island City.”  Per the photos, it looked like your standard networking scene: suits ‘n ties, coffee and donuts, Jimmy Van Bramer.  Furthermore, seeing as how it came exactly one week after the LIC Partnership’s Real Estate breakfast, one would think there wasn’t much new to say on the topic.  Au contraire.  So here is LICtalk’s Top 10 comments from this blowout, in no particular order, plus our spin on them.

1.  Jimmy Van Bramer wants ferry to also dock further north in LIC.  Good idea …oh wait, that would bring more traffic to the area, I just don’t know.

2.  Jimmy Van Bramer says that Woodside is the geographic center of NYC, thus logically Manhattan is the real outer borough.  Yup, everybody’s getting on my bandwagon.  Here’s where I called Manhattanites the real bridge and tunnel people.

3.  Andrew Nimmer of TheLocalHostels mentions his new hostel coming to LIC in the fall.  Hostel is french for orgy.

4.  Al Holloman of CBRE says that 5-33 48th Avenue is slated to be medical offices, restaurants, and retail.  Hmm, I heard a boutique hotel and steakhouse, but by the time it’s finished I would recommend condos. 

5.  One expert called LIC “the best place in NYC to be under 5 years old.”  Gosh, I didn’t realize that everyone in the NYC real estate world was reading my website.

6.  Eric Benaim says that it seems like everyone moved to LIC five years ago and all decided to procreate.  Or as I like to think, LIC is the breeding ground for yuppies.

7.  Per the developer, 40% of the first two Hunters Point South towers will be two-bedrooms or larger.  You just need to work less to qualify.

8.  Justin Elghanayan of Rockrose says that when they first started leasing 5 plus years ago, the average renter was 26 years old.  Today that number is 32.  LIC For Life?

9.  Winick Realty’s Hal Shapiro, the leasing agent on the Lightstone retail space(adjacent to The Powerhouse), is hoping for a gourmet market and a coffee shop.  Uhh, didn’t Eric Benaim let the cat out of the bag the week before that we’re getting a supermarket? 

10.  Christie Brinkley and Billy Joel held their wedding reception at LIC’s Waters Edge, the site of Bisnow’s confab, back in 1985!  Ok, this is one from the past, but I think we’ve come full circle. Nobody has a better line on celebrities in LIC than LICtalk.  Whether they be Blake Lively, Tom and Gisele, or the New York Mets.

So, what’s the main takeaway from this top ten list?  LICtalk is in the thick of it when it comes to Long Island City real estate.  More importantly, we tell you what is going to happen in the future, so stay tuned…

What Is This, Europe? – Bisnow’s full article on their LIC event last Thursday

LIC Flea and Food To Open In June – not much new on this

New LIC Condo Five27 Quietly Goes Up for Sale – some Russian oligarch will probably buy it and turn into a one family home, for his daughter.

Mt. Sinai Queens in LIC is Expanding – $113 million expansion will create new 5-story modern facility w/ more emergency and operating rooms