This prime Queens neighborhood is having a building boom — and may have up to 14K homes on the way
Long Island City is in the midst of a building boom.
The industrial community saw the highest housing unit uptick of any New York City neighborhood in 2024.
And many more units may be on the horizon, Gothamist reported.
Long Island City’s quick commute to Midtown and waterfront views have attracted many new residents across the East River.
The Queens neighborhood earned third place in StreetEasy’s much-anticipated annual list of neighborhoods to watch.
And if Mayor Eric Adams gets his way, the neighborhood may grow even more.
Long Island City surpassed every other NYC neighborhood in new housing last year, adding 1,859 new condos and apartments, according to a Department of City Planning report cited by Gothamist. Another 4,569 units are in the pipeline for completion.
The proposed boost in residential construction is part of a targeted, neighborhood-wide zoning overhaul by the Adams administration that, if given the green light, would allow for more high-rise apartment buildings, as well as mixed-use developments.
The zoning changes could result in as many as 14,000 new homes.
Long Island City is the fifth neighborhood-specific zoning proposal pushed by Adams, preceded by proposals for Midtown South, Jamaica, Atlantic Avenue and two East Bronx neighborhoods.
The Long Island City Neighborhood plan would allow for denser housing along the waterfront and construction further inland to Court Square.
Proposed changes include high-rises east of NYCHA’s Queensbridge Houses, Gothamist reported.
The rezoning also includes the warehouse-laden stretch of 44th Drive, encompassing the site once destined to become part of Amazon’s doomed “HQ2.”
Local residents have their gripes about the ongoing boom, however. Attendees at previous planning meetings have urged officials to expand the capacity of services like sewer and schools before further expanding housing, Gothamist reported. There is also heavy skepticism that affordability can be maintained.
The median asking rent in Long Island City in March was $4,350, according to StreetEasy, and the median asking price reached $1.07 million.
