Neighborhood Choice Memo – Long Island City – Aaron Monteabaro

5 Pointz Artist Studios

Long Island City (known as L.I.C.) is one of the largest neighborhoods in Queens in part due to that it was originally formed as a collection of several other townships and hamlets in the late 1800s. After the industrial boom, L.I.C. became a hub for nearby railroads, warehouses and manufacturing plants as well as a thriving waterfront area.

In recent times, gentrification is hitting L.I.C. hard because of factors such as sweeping views of Manhattan and proximity to the city. It is also the home to the highest concentration of art spaces in New York. All of this has lead to a thriving mix of industrial and commercial businesses, as well as skyrocketing rents. Though the area is changing, much of it is still industrial and there are but a few skyscrapers.

PS1 Art Gallery

Courtyard at PS1

It encompasses a wide range of facilities, including film/TV studios, an ice skating rink, varied specialty high schools, a CUNY community college, a branch of MoMA named PS1, and North America’s largest public housing complex.

The struggle between long-term residents and gentrification will prove interesting to explore, in terms of housing prices and building developments. This also affects local retail and wholesale businesses, which constitute most of what is found in the area, and how they survive. Profiles could stem from these business owners or any of the local artists that call L.I.C. home. Lastly, the rich historical value of the area, specifically in an industrial sense, and how it works with or against development adds further depth for compelling stories.