OuterB on Queens Real Estate

And since I’ve been gone, more links for you!

Here are some nice maps of new developments in Long Island City, Astoria, Whitestone, Fresh Meadows, and College Point. [StreetEasy]

Photo evidence that Bjork and/or Matthew Barney are in town. Whenever I think of those two, I am reminded of this McSweeney’s gem. [Curbed]

Sleaze Alert: Dennis Gallagher, a Queens Republican, has been charged with rape. Um, eeuw. [City Room]

There are over 22,000 public bridges in NY State. 2,000 of them are “structurally deficient”, which was the designation of the 35W bridge in Minneapolis that collapsed this week. Three bridges in the city are rated as “poor” by the city, including the bridge at Willow Lake at 76th Road in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens. [NY Times]

Mayor Bloomberg signed into law a new anti-graffiti law. [City Room]

Hats off to Chef Darren Lawless of the wonderful Il Bambino, to be the only Astoria restaurant to be included in NY Mag’s 2007 Cheap Eats issue. I can vouch for the deliciousness served here.  Other Queens eats include Burmese Cafe and Frisby in Jackson Heights and Little Pepper in Flushing. [NY Mag]

The trees might be gone at St. Saviour’s, but activists won’t give up on the site. [Times Ledger]

Douglaston House stays in its historic district. [Queens Chronicle]

Forest Hills preservationists are looking for buyers to save two of the century-old townhouses on the East side of 72nd. [NY Daily News]

Queens loves surfers!  Brings me back to my California roots. [nyc.24.us]

ConEd loves Queens… leasing 120,00 square feet of space in Jamaica! [Globe St.]

Apricots are available this weekend at the Sunnyside Farmer’s Market. [City Room]

• Soudview Point in College Point Designed With Feng Shui - They Say [Courier]
• 2 Small Queens Hospitals in a Struggle for Survival [NY Times]
• Middle Village Rezone
  Meeting [Daily News]
• Too Biz-y to Develop Flushing’s Iron Triangle? [Daily News]
• Landlords - Hey, We’re Not Villains [Daily News]
• April Housing Starts Slow [Money]

• 44-27 Purves St [QueensWest]
• Bring World’s Fair Back to City, Mike’s Urged [Daily News]
• Developer Trims $15M Spa Plan for College Point [Daily News]
• For Whom Long Island City Tolls [Curbed]
• View from 600 Feet Below With City Sandhogs [AM New York]

• Average home price in Queens tops $500K (Real Deal)
• Forest Hills Neighborhood Profile (About.com)
• LIC’s New Badge Building (Curbed)
• Affordable Apartments a New York Luxury (NY Times)
• College Point Residents Fight To Stop Of Construction Of Hotel/Spa (NY1)
• Towers on Hold in Elmhurst (Daily News)
• 6,988 Violations for Tax-Break Receiving Landlord in Flushing (Times-Ledger)
• Critics of Downzoning (Times-Ledger)
• Home Depot Coming to Jamaica (Courier)

BEECHHURST $480,000

7-30 157th St., Beechhurst, NY

Renovated two-bedroom, one-bath townhouse on a 1,600-square-foot
lot, with hardwood floors, updated kitchen with new appliances, new
bath, formal dining room, fully finished basement (with family room and
laundry room), new windows, new doors, enclosed porch and beach rights.
Taxes $2,500. Asking price $499,000, on market five weeks. (Broker:
Anthony Carollo, Carollo Real Estate)  Source: NY Post, 6/4/05

Beechhurst is up on the north coast of Queens, north of Bayside, next to College Point.  Note that the property sold has "beach rights."  At least the water is a lot cleaner than it was 20 years ago, though I don’t know too many people willing to swim there.  There’s an on-going controversy in Beechhurst over the Beechhurst Yacht Club and its possible conversion to a topless bar.

 
COLLEGE POINT, $650,000

11-17 126th Street, College Point, NY

Two-family detached colonial. 3 bedrooms and 1 bath in primary; 1 bedroom, 1 bath in secondary.  85-years old, 2 car garage, 50×100 lot, on market 12 weeks, taxes $2,019, listed at $699,000. (Broker:
Anthony Carollo, Carollo Real Estate)  Source: NY Times, 5/29/05

Here’s a price comparison -  College Point versus Kew Gardens.  These two-family homes sound comparable to me, though the Kew Gardens one seems the better investment for renting out.  Kew Gardens is on the LIRR and express subway, but in College Point, you need a car.

COLLEGE POINT,  $650,000

11-17 126th St., College Point, NY

Detached two-family home on a 5,000-square-foot lot, with
three-bedroom, 11/2-bath duplex with dining room and eat-in kitchen
over one-bedroom, one-bath unit with eat-in kitchen; property features
full basement with separate entrance, pull-down attic and two-car
garage. Taxes $2,019. Asking price $699,000, on market 12 weeks.
(Broker: Anthony Carollo, Carollo Real Estate)

Source: NY Post, 4/30/05

KEW GARDENS, $650,000

121-09 85th Street, Kew Gardens, NY

Five-bedroom, two-family, 83 year-old, 3 bedrooms/3 bath in one duplex, 2 bedroom, 2 bath in other. taxes $3,040. Asking price $649,000, on market 20 weeks (Broker: Weichert Realtors FH)

Source: NY Times, 5/1/05