OuterB on Queens Real Estate

Well, the “Astoria Castle” finally got its gates. It does not improve things.

There’s more construction across the street. Who knows what it’s going to look like in the end!

Spotted tonight on the way home, the artist’s rendering of the senior housing going up in Astoria just west of the Astoria Blvd subway station. There used to be a parking lot there. In the near future, it will be affordable housing for people of our grandparents’ generation. This sign is on the Astoria Blvd side of the construction.

The building has really grown since the last time I posted about it. I think the picture is a little misleading, but that’s the nature of these sorts of renderings.

Related:
Astoria Senior Housing Construction [previously on OuterB]

This weekend I was running down by Astoria Park, and walked a segment of 19th Street alongside the Pistilli Riverview East building - the side that looks onto the park. And you know, apart from the stucco covering, that part of the building really looks just fine. I mean, the nature of the original building has a kind of monolith air to it, but the ornament and the way the windows are situated within make for a nice industrial look. But that 21st Street side is still just ghastly.

Some of my current work requires me to bone up on certain American mythic personalities, so I’ve been paying close attention to the trailers being released of the upcoming Batman movie, The Dark Knight . First, it looks fabulous - I love Christian Bale as Batman and Batman Begins was truly excellent. And second, in this trailer, about a third of the way through, a building is blown up and I swear, it reminds me so much of the 21st Street side of the Pistilli building. See for yourself and let me know if you agree:

The Dark Knight Trailer 2

But with all this being said, I’m sure it will be nice to have new neighbors in that part of town. Despite the fugliness of the east side of the building, it’s gotta bet better to have people there than the previous tenants - rats and (rumored) prostitutes.

Related:
Pistilli Riverview East in Astoria Wins Honors

[previously on OuterB]

While doing some research, I came across this article

, which is now 20 years old:

The Koch Administration is planning to build up to 1,000 new condominium apartments for middle-income New Yorkers on 14 acres of vacant, city-owned land in Astoria, Queens, the City Housing Commissioner said yesterday.

The Koch Administration is planning to build up to 1,000 new condominium apartments for middle-income New Yorkers on 14 acres of vacant, city-owned land in Astoria, Queens, the City Housing Commissioner said yesterday.

The new development, at 33d Avenue and 14th Street in Astoria, is also to include construction of a new public high school for about 2,500 students.

The Queens site is the second to be chosen for development under a new collaborative arrangement between the city and a group of leading New York builders.

Under the plan, developers will build the housing at no profit on land donated by the city, and will also receive direct city subsidies to keep apartment prices low.

It’s hard to imagine that many middle-income units being built in one fell swoop nowadays. Mostly these days we hear about luxury condos costing upwards of $750K (or more) for a one bedroom apartment.  It’s also hard to imagine vacant land in Astoria!

I’m guessing this public school they reference is Long Island City High School

, which was built in 1995. It’s incredibly overcrowded - over 4,000 attend and that brings it up to 179% capacity. Yow.

As I look at the Google map of the area, there is no intersection of 33rd Avenue and 14th Street - the athletic field from LIC Highschool has interrupted this.

I wonder if the critics of development/overdevelopment would feel better about new building if more current developments were aimed toward middle-income people? I suspect some of the vitriol lobbed at the new developments has something to do with anger toward the rich. Or are the development foes simply against all development?

I’d also like to know how the buildings mentioned in the article above were received.  Please leave us a comment if you have insight on this.

What I do think we can all agree on, is that current infrastructure must be upgraded before so many more come to western Queens. Trains, roads, power conduits - all are stretched to their limits right now. The area needs some serious upgrades.

• KOCH PLANNING 1,000 MODERATE-PRICED CONDOMINIUMS FOR QUEENS [NY Times]

Yes, yes, it’s true - Pistilli Riverview East was honored by the Queens Chamber of Commerce at their Building Awards dinner last week.  They’ve been honoring buildings for 95 years!  Riverview East is one of 7 buildings recognized in the “Rehab” category, which also included a branch of the Queens Borough Library and a car washing facility.

According to the Queens Gazette, Pistilli has “perspicacity and drive” in developing the former Eagle Electric Company. I just wish it wasn’t so ugly. Or used that nasty stucco.

Related:

Pistilli Building Receives Chamber Honors [Queens Gazette]
Pistilli’s Riverview Says: “Queens People Don’t Cook” [previously on OuterB]

Take a look at the article in the Times Ledger about the Astoria community meeting held Wednesday, November 28 at the Quinn Building on Broadway. It had a decent summary, though the writer got the URL of the online forum incorrect: instead of astorianyc.blogspot.com (AKA Joey in Astoria

), it should read astorians.com.

Zoning and development was one of the issues approached:

CB 1 District Manager George Delis said the rapid rate of development taking part in the neighborhood was both a blessing and a curse.

“We go along with how the community feels,” he said. “I support new development - on the one hand, it’s good for the community. But, on the other hand, we don’t want buildings to be too high. Right now in Long Island City we have 14-story buildings going up and people are outraged.”

Delis said he has heard rumors that areas near the western Queens waterfront might be considered for higher density zoning, such as R6 or R10, which would allow for much taller structures. But he said he hopes to retain lower zones for most of Astoria.

There are plans for future meetings, but those will most likely be organized after the holiday season, which is crazy busy for most everyone.  We will keep you updated on the progress.

Related:
Astoria leaders vow to save quality of life [Times Ledger]
Important Astoria Community Meeting [previously on OuteB]

An OuterB friend pointed me to Kevin Walsh’s most recent page on Old Astoria Village on his site, Forgotten New York . He recently led a tour in the area, which I understand from those on the tour, was very well-received. He references the recent talk here on OuterB about the Rosemont Mansion, too. Regardless of your position on development in the area, the page is full of interesting tidbits about the neighborhood, and as always, lots of great pictures. Check it out!

Back to Astoria Village: It’s Good for You [Forgotten NY]
Property for Sale in Old Astoria [previously on OuterB]

Photo credit: hexadecibel on flickr

via a Creative Commons license

Peter Horowitz on his Astoria Real Estate Blog lists a 3 bedroom apartment in the Broadway area for $1,800! These days a decent 2 bedroom in Astoria goes for close to $1,600, so this is a good deal, all things considered:

Here we have an incredible deal for an immaculately kept 3 bedroom only 3 blocks from subways. It is located just off Broadway on a quiet and safe tree-lined street. The apartment is rent stabilized

and is on the 3rd floor which is the top floor in the building. The entire building is very clean and the landlord is great.

Elsewhere  I’ve written about this upcoming Astoria Community Meeting, happening tomorrow night.  What has changed is that I’ve been asked to be a moderator, along with my fellow Astorian, Costa.  We’ll be holding the meeting in a kind of “debate style”, where pre-formed questions regarding quality of life issues - litter, graffiti, development/overdevelopment/infrastructure - will be asked of our representatives.  George Delis, of Community Board 1 and Pete Vallone, Jr, Astoria’s City Councilman will be there, among others. 

Here’s more info:

Over on the astorians.com there have been a number of conversations regarding “quality of life” issues in the greater Astoria community. Forum member Debbie Riga decided to do something about it, and has put together a meeting, which will be held on Wednesday, November 28 at 6:30pm. Here’s the press release I received regarding the meeting. I hope all of you who are concerned about the issues that affect are community will consider attending. And fellow Astoria bloggers, please feel free to post this on your own blog.

Over the past few years, a number of internet forums where residents of Astoria discuss various issues which pertain to the area have been created. While most of the participants are relatively new (5 years or less) to the area, many have resided here for years. The meeting is expected to bring together a mixed audience and will be representative of a diverse group of people.

The purpose of this meeting is to give everyone an opportunity to meet each other, and to give our Representatives the opportunity to respond to the most pertinent questions that center around our community. Most of those questions will be focusing on quality of life issues which include overcrowding, overbuilding, transit issues, trash, Astoria Park, noise pollution, local crime etc. The questions will be formulated prior to the event by a smaller group of people in an effort to focus on the issues.

While there are many Associations in Astoria, this is the first opportunity which will bring together old and new residents, and people who use the Internet as their main source of information regarding the area.

Date – Wednesday, November 28^th, 2007
Time

– 6:30 p.m.
Place – Quinn Memorial Building / 35-20 Broadway / Gallery – Lecture Hall

For further information, please contact:
Debbie Riga
212-726-7501
917-576-1924
Debbie.riga@morganshotelgroup.com

Just wanted to make you aware that Old Astoria Village has been placed on the Neighborhoods at Risk section of the Historic Districts Council website.  Neighborhoods at Risk are described as “…Historical and architecturally significant neighborhoods [that] are not protected by the New York City Landmarks Law yet.”  Here’s a blurb from the page on Old Astoria Village

Astoria Village has suffered greatly from building speculators with large sums of cash in hand. Numerous important houses have been demolished, only to be replaced with large, boxy multi-family dwellings. The need to save what remains is crucial - as a memory of the Village and a reminder of the importance of preserving districts before its too late. While a district may no longer be possible, candidates for individual landmarking still exist in Astoria Village and should be protected by designation.

Also, I’ve become aware that the Landmarks Preservation Council visited Astoria Village in 2002 to look at the old houses in the area.  Not all of them were considered “landmarkable” - I am guessing  this is because they had been altered too much from their original condition - but some were, including the Wayt House and First Reformed Church, among others.  Some have asserted that the LPC has not visited Astoria, which is simply not true.

Related:
Neighborhoods at Risk: Astoria Village [Historic Districts Council]
Property for Sale in Old Astoria [previously on OuterB]
hexidecibel’s photoset of the recent Old Astoria Tour

[flickr]

Photo credit: hexicedbel on flickr via a Creative Commons license