View of Manhattan from Long Island City waterfront
Long Island City is undergoing a transformation, with massive amounts of private development and city infrastructure work underway. The waterfront is thriving, with four parcels of high-rise rental properties due in the next two years from TF Cornerstone. Court Square, near Queens Plaza, awaits two mixed-use residential and retail projects from Rockrose. Next year, Hunters Point South will start to bring 5,000 housing units to the Queens West coastline, with 3,000 units set aside for middle-income residents. Other new additions to the area include a waterfront public library, 35 residential projects, and Jet Blue’s corporate headquarters. Public investment in Long Island City, spurred by a zoning change, the Business Improvement District and programs organized by the New York City Economic Development Corporation, have also improved transportation. “We can’t just rely on Manhattan for the future of the city,” said Seth Pinsky, head of the EDC. “Look at where Long Island City was a few years ago. Not many people knew it was there. Today, we’re at a tipping point for this neighborhood where growth could go from steady to exponential.”