Student Work
1∕3
Title
Long Island City Redevelopment Realm
Project Description
Centered around and west of Court Square poses a fantastic opportunity for fundamental shifts in the cultural, commercial, and business fabric of for Long Island City. Proximity to public transit, commuter rail, the East River, and up-and-coming neighborhoods have created a canvas for a new public realm. The New York Partnership and Chamber of Commerce proposes a district that will continue to further the economy of greater New York City with the creation of a new Central Business District outside of Manhattan with anchoring transit and residential areas. Our organization’s goal is to attract large, corporate business to the area, an implied extension of Manhattan’s Midtown or Downtown, without the compromises of Manhattan’s density.
This proposed CBD is already, if not better connected than Midtown or Downtown Manhattan with an average 7 minute commute from Manhattan. The district is anchored by several subway stops, giving direct access to the E, G, M, N, Q, R & 7 Lines. The district is also connected to the Long Island Railroad via Hunterspoint Avenue Station, a key piece in attracting suburban commuters east of the city. As a crucial piece of our proposal, we will add onto the aforementioned transportation infrastructure with the addition of ferry service across the East River, stopping at Roosevelt Island and Midtown. Cornell’s tech Campus will also bring a student body to support small scale commercial developments as well as a possible intern stimulus for larger corporate companies situated in the new CBD. The ferry will depart from a new terminal at the end of 44th Drive. This terminal, the current Court Square station, and proposed development at Sunnyside Yards will be connected by a free electric tram or hybrid bus service financed by the MTA and a newly created BID, appealing to the NRDC, QCBA, and Long Island City Development Corporation.