June 29, By 2020 Michael Dorgan The public is about to get its first opportunity to weigh in on preliminary plans released by a group of developers last month to build as many as 15 buildings on a large tract of Long Island City waterfront property. A public workshop on the preliminary plans will be… Read more »
June 27, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Several Queens lawmakers have called on the mayor to redistribute NYPD funds into the Parks Department in order to increase the role of Park Enforcement Patrol (PEP) officers at city parks. The legislators want the NYPD – whose relationship with the public has been strained in recent weeks –… Read more »
June 27, 2020 Staff Report An online service honoring approximately 70 western Queens residents who have died from COVID-19 will take place Sunday. The event, titled Remembering Locals Lost to COVID-19, will take place via the video-conferencing application Zoom on June 28 at 2 p.m. It will last a little over an hour. The service… Read more »
June 27, 2020 By Asha MacKay Chakra Cafe, a Turkish coffee and breakfast shop located on Queens Boulevard, has weathered the tough days of the crisis. Having opened one year ago, the operators soldiered on as COVID-19 hit the borough hard. Instead of closing, says owner Ahmet Albayrak, “we came together with employees, sacrificed more,… Read more »
June 26, 2020 By Michael Dorgan The campaign office of State Sen. Mike Gianaris was targeted with graffiti Wednesday night. The front of the Powhattan Democratic Club office, located at 41-05 Newtown Rd. in Astoria, was sprayed-painted with the “anarchy” symbol, a spokesperson for the senator has confirmed. The building was used as Gianaris’ campaign… Read more »
June 26, 2020 By William Smith A prominent strip in Hunters Point is about to get a makeover. The Newtown Creek Alliance, an organization that focuses on revitalizing the Newtown Creek, is partnering with the Hunters Point Parks Conservancy to beautify a stretch of 48th Avenue between 5th Street and Center Boulevard. The project will… Read more »
June 25, 2020 By Michael Dorgan A new bridge connecting Queens to Manhattan — that would only carry cyclists and pedestrians — has been proposed by a group of transport experts. The bridge, which is being called Queens Ribbon due to its slim design, would run from Long Island City through Roosevelt Island and into… Read more »
June 25, 2020 By Christian Murray The New York City Council passed legislation Thursday that legalizes the operation of most e-bicycles and e-scooters. The legislation is a long time coming but the council had to wait for Albany to pass legislation allowing municipalities to approve their use. That took place earlier this year after much… Read more »
June 25, 2020 By Christian Murray A developer plans to demolish at least eight stores on Roosevelt Avenue in Woodside and replace them with a 13-story, 213-unit apartment complex. Woodside 63 Management LLC., which is led by the Astoria-based real estate firm EJ Stevens Group, is looking to develop a 210,000 square foot building on… Read more »
June 25, 2020 By Michael Dorgan The Queens Public Library (QPL) has announced that it will reopen some of its local branches on July 13 with restrictions. Seven locations will be open to the public for pickups and returns while nine additional sites will accept returns, President and CEO of Queens Public Library Dennis Walcott… Read more »