Condo ‘fire sale’ unexpectedly lures families to nabe
Letia Frandina and her newborn at her store Little Closets on Vernon Boulevard
From the August issue: Some New York City neighborhoods are known for being family-friendly, with their toy stores, maternity boutiques and stroller-choked sidewalks. The Upper West Side. Tribeca. Park Slope. Even the Financial District. But there’s a new neighborhood joining their ranks: Long Island City. Brokers and residents say the post-industrial Queens neighborhood — largely viewed as a still-gritty area favored by young professionals — is now experiencing a massive, and somewhat unexpected, baby boom, accelerated by a market-driven “fire sale” of condos. The trend is stemming from two key factors. First, young professionals who moved to the area a few years ago are now starting families, and with prices down, they can afford to upgrade into larger apartments in the neighborhood, brokers say. And second, amenity-rich new residential towers in the area are drawing young parents looking for more space than their money can buy in Manhattan.
