NYC’s Blackout Plans

New York City’s Office of Emergency Management has apparently decided that a blackout might be a bad thing. So the City is paying the Army Corps of Engineers to study places that might be vulnerable to a power outage and suggest ways to respond. Like, you know, bringing in generators.

The Daily News takes a look at contingency plans for the new Fulton Fish Market:

The Hunts Point market handles all the fresh seafood in the New York region. A 10-day blackout there – like the one that crippled Long Island City and Astoria in Queens in 2006 – would leave thousands of city restaurants in the lurch.

That’s right: no increased oversight for Con Ed,  but we’ll pay the Army to make sure the City’s restaurants get their fish.

Residential Parking for LIC

Earlier today, Mayor Bloomberg announced the Residential Parking Permit Program that will be included in the congestion pricing legislation. Long Island City is one of four neighborhoods mentioned in the City’s RPP proposal. It’s not clear why Astoria isn’t one of the trial neighborhoods, but local community boards will have the opportunity to opt in later on.

The program will work a little bit like alternate side of the street parking. Area residents will get permits for cars registered to addresses in the neighborhood.   Some—but not all—spots in the neighborhood will be designated as RPP spaces. Each neighborhood then gets to pick a specific 90 minute period during which the RPP spaces will be off limits to anyone without a permit. 

Um, okay. Will the plan really cut down on all day park-and-ride commuters or will it just send them around the block a few more times while they look for a non-restricted spot? It probably will make it harder for anyone who wants to shop, eat or work in the RPP zones to find parking.

Meanwhile, a Washington state scientist  who helped popularize the idea of congestion pricing now says that he wishes he could take the idea back.

Ravenswood in the Daily News

Today the Daily News discovers Ravenswood –the  Long Island City neighborhood west of  21^st Street and North of the Queensboro Bridge. In typical real estate hyperbole they paint a picture of a wasteland full of soda-pop swigging old timey yokels, gritty factories, pioneering artists, and recently arrived Brazilians. For entertainment, folks hang out at Costco and watch Eric Gioia turn fast food joints into banks.

The waterfront Ravenswood power plant—known to everyone but the Daily News as Big Allis— is up for sale as a condition of British-owned National Grid’s recent merger with Keyspan. This is the first time we’ve heard anyone mention the possibility of it being sold to a developer and not another power company. Or, you know, FedEx. We’ll believe that when we see it.

Predictably, the reporter advises adventurous types to get in quickly while the neighborhood’s still frozen in time. There’s no mention in the article of any of the large residential projects already happening  in the area –Hallet’s Cove Condos, the under construction Hallet’s Cove II and Sohmer Piano Factory conversion, or the planned Alma Realty Towers.

One thing we did learn from the  News: Something called the Queensbridge Theater is opening this summer at 37-10 10^th Street, Long Island City. It will be a “rock and roll supper club” and “will be used not just for concerts, but for Broadway and Off Broadway shows, performances for children, Cabaret, dinner theater, art exhibits and community outreach.” Hmmm….

Links

A quick look at some of the things we’re reading:

• “Weekend in New York” suggests a day trip to Astoria for Greek restaurants and culture. (This  makes up for last week, when Seth Kugel recommended  Manhattan as the place to go for ethnic grocery stores.) [NY Times]
• No one like the idea of CoEd selling off waterfront property for a FedEx depot. [Queens Gazette ]
• How can you eat on a budget in Astoria? We’d say it’s pretty easy, but here’s a whole thread at chowhounds. [chowhounds]
• One line buried in an article about the Javits Center and Willets Point brings back the on-again off-again idea that the Sunnyside Yards could maybe someday be home to a new convention center. In any case, Sunnyside Yards is definitely the sleeper in the Planyc 2030 proposal. [NY Sun]

Political News

Robert Hornak, a Republican operative running for Peter Vallone  Jr.’s  seat on the City Council, kicked off his campaign with a fundraiser featuring Curtis Sliwa,  and Niger Innis.  Hornak, who’s a former chair of the New York Young Republican Club, seems to think that Astoria’s 22^nd Council district is “is the most conservative district in the city currently represented by a democrat.” Umm, has he been to the neighborhood lately? The Daily News also gives him a shout-out, as an “enemy of government fat” who’s betting on bipartisan support.

In a surprise move, Paul Vallone, is running for a council seat in Bayside, rather than moving back here to take over his brother’s seat when term limits kick in.  Costa Constantinides, a lawyer who has been active with the Queens County Young Democrats  and the Long Island City Alliance, had his own fundraiser last week.

Vallone Junior, of course is seeking the nomination for Queens Borough President. Meanwhile, Eric Gioia is promising that his run for public advocate will be the greenest campaign ever.

Ferries in the Future?

Christine Quinn called for a city-wide ferry system in a speech last week. One line from her speech,  “imagine…commuting from Astoria to downtown without having to brave the traffic at the Triboro Bridge, ” makes you wonder if Quinn and the people behind the congestion pricing plan have ever heard of the Queensboro Bridge, or for that matter the Brooklyn Bridge or the Williamsburg Bridge, since nobody would drive over the Triboro if they’re headed downtown.

But we like the idea of more ferries. The Gotham Gazette spells out some things that would help make the plan a reality, such as subsidies and easier commutes to the ferries.  Everyone we know who’s tried New York Water Taxi’s service from LIC agrees that it’s a great ride, but a little pricey for everyday, so subsidies probably would get a  more people out on the  water. There have also been rumors  that a new ferry dock might be coming to Astoria, possibly near Costco  and the Sohmer Piano condos.

Hotel Roundup

Channel 7 picked up on Eric Gioia’s proposal to change the approval process for new hotel construction and takes a look at how Dutch Kills residents are upset about all the new hotels and the zoning process.

There’s no denying the fact that the area could become an attractive, more affordable option for people visiting the city. But we have to have some sympathy for the tourists who undoubtably will book the “Astoria Grand Hotel” under the misguided assumption that they’re reserving a room at that other famous hotel with the word “Astoria” in its name.

 

Just how many hotels are up, under construction or being planned in Dutch Kills, Queens Plaza and the rest of LIC? Here’s our round-up:

• 1. The A Loft Hotel, brought to you by the people behind the W Hotel
• 2. The Z Hotel, with no relation whatsoever to the W Hotel.
• 3. The Ravel Hotel, on the site of the infamous Q Plaza Motel. Why not go with the trend and call it “The Q”?
• 4. The Astoria Grand Hotel, distinguished by its elegant name and slanty thing on the roof.
• 5. The Japanese Hotel, replacing the Irish store and the Czech store.
• 6. The yet-to-be-named hotel that will be built on 21^st Street near the Queensbridge F stop.
• 7. The hotel that’s rumored to be replacing the old bank building at Queens Plaza
• 8. Quality Inn, convenient to both 40^th avenue and the Statue of Liberty, according to its website.
• 9. Comfort Inn, which was sold recently for more than $20 million.

Did we miss any?

Sometimes we miss Walken’s Bakery

From the liQcity blog, word that you might soon be rubbing shoulders with Clay Aiken as you browse the aisles of the Long Island City Fairway.

New School for TV & Film Careers

Parents and staff at I.S. 204 are protesting plans to house a new high school on one floor of their building.  The Academy for Careers in Television & Film (aka ACTvF) is scheduled to open in September and plans to train students for behind -the -scenes TV and film careers. The New York Production Alliance is a partner and there are promises students will spend lots of time at nearby Silvercup Studios and have opportunities for internships all over the city. Silvercup and school staff  will be hosting an open house for prospective students on Thursday.

IS 204’s complaints are similar to those of other existing schools who’ve had to make room for new programs in their building: They’re worried about housing 18-year olds and 10-year olds in the same building and they don’t want to give up classroom space.  Enrollment at  IS 204, on 28^th street and 36^th Avenue, has been declining, possibly because the school is listed as “in need of improvement” by the City.

 ACTvF is part of the NYC Department of Education’s plan to open a bunch of new “Career and Technical Education “High Schools.  Although the DOE stresses that CTE high schools are geared towards kids who probably won’t go on to college, ACTvF’s website promises that students will “acquire the prerequisite skills and knowledge to successfully transition into competitive four-year colleges” New schools in the City, particularly those trendy new small schools, tend to revise their mission plans  and programs a lot in their first few years.

There’s no word yet on whether the school will give preference to students from the neighborhood—most of the local highs schools do not.  There’s also no information on where the school’s permanent location will be, although the Silvercup West project seems like a logical spot, if it ever gets built.

Astoria’s Flatiron Building for Sale

Astoria’s iconic flatiron building (on the west side of 21st Street, where Astoria Blvd. meets Newtown Ave) is up for sale and the craigslist ad touts its potential as a great development site. It would be sad to see this go, especially after the demolitions of the Hackett Building and the Long Island City Savings Bank.

According to Forgotten NY, the flatiron building dates to the 1890’s and once had a clock embedded in the circle on its facade. Since the ferry to 92nd street used to be just blocks away, it’s easy to imagine early 20th century commuters hurrying past and checking the time.