CUNY is looking to throw its weight — and a sizable parcel of land — into the Long Island City hotel boom.
The City of University of New York has tapped hospitality industry consultants to develop its Skillman Ave. lot near LaGuardia Community College with the long-term goal of building a teaching hotel for its students.
CUNY officials said both Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania already have similar facilities and the move would bolster the school’s educational offerings.
“Our goal is to create a state-of-the-art type of hotel management program drawing upon the experiences we’ve had on other campuses,” said Iris Weinshall, CUNY’s vice chancellor for facilities.
Applications for proposals are due Thursday and the response from private industry thus far has been overwhelming.
“We’re getting calls every day,” Weinshall said. “It’s been a very positive response from the market.”
The 600,000-square-foot lot is currently used for parking but can be developed without requiring any variances or red-tape. Weinshall said she doubts the entire space would be used for only the educational facility.
“The site is there. It’s zoned for what we want to do,” she said.
Like almost everything in real estate, the decision to develop in Queens came down to three important factors: location, location, location.
“This site could not be better,” Weinshall said. “You could spit at the Queensboro Bridge. It was a major draw for us.”
Gail Mellow, LaGuardia’s president, said many of the students have obligations outside of the classroom, such as children and full-time jobs, making the site’s proximity to campus ideal.
“They have a lot of pressures on their lives,” she said. “What makes it really exciting is that it’s across the street from where we are.”
Officials with the Queens Economic Development Corp. lauded the proposal, which is still in the very preliminary stages. “We welcome this program with open arms,” said QEDC spokesman Rob MacKay.
Jim Giordano, who has taught hospitality at LaGuardia for 12 years, said that CUNY is investing in a flourishing field.
“The industry is growing tremendously,” he said. “Tourism has done well overall compared to the rest of the economy.”
Giordano said internships and work experience would give students a leg up when they begin submitting job applications.
Meanwhile, current students — who most likely won’t see the hotel come to fruition while they’re enrolled — thought the development would help future students.
“It’s pretty cool because it gives us the opportunity to be familiar with the industry,” said Halima Alaouizaki, 22, president of LaGuardia’s tourism club.
Lina Nieto, who is completing her associate’s degree this summer, compared it to lab hours for science classes.
“We will have a place to apply more of the knowledge that we are acquiring,” said Nieto, 24.
Bianca Vargas, of Astoria, said LaGuardia is capitalizing on a growing industry.
“It will be great to have a more hands-on approach,” she said. “Hotels are booming, especially in Queens.”
