The Curbed Cup, our annual award for the New York City neighborhood of the year, is kicking off with 16 areas vying for the prestigious (fake) trophy. This week we’ll have two matchups per day, and all the results and the full tournament bracket will be reviewed on Friday. Voting for each pairing ends 24 hours after it begins. Let the eliminations commence!
Welcome to the next round of Curbed Cup voting! This match-up pairs last year’s runner-up against a newcomer to the neighborhood battle: the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Last year, Long Island City made it all the way to the final round of the Curbed Cup thanks to its plethora of developments—and this year has only continued the trend. Earlier this year, the Long Island City Partnership reported that more than 22,500 units are planned for the neighborhood. Many of those will come in the form of larger developments, including SHoP’s three residential buildings at the old Paragon Paint Factory; Tishman Speyer’s 1,700-unit development on Jackson Avenue; and the borough’s forthcoming tallest building, a 914-foot tower that will be home to mostly rental units. The neighborhood is also home to the most expensive apartment in Queens, a penthouse unit that recently sold for more than $5 million. But real estate isn’t the only draw for Long Island City: the neighborhood finally got its first Citi Bike stations; there are a bunch of new hotels opening there; and it may even get a High Line-style park in the future.
Meanwhile, about five miles south of Long Island City, the Brooklyn Navy Yard is quietly in the midst of its own transformation, with commercial and residential developments that have the potential to change the fabric of the industrial area. Even though the yard’s manufacturing days are long gone, it’s home to a new batch of innovative firms (including New Lab, a tech incubator), with more—including a huge new WeWork facility—to come. And thanks to a big investment from the city, Building 77 will soon be home to a huge food court, along with more office space. In terms of residential, the Navy Green development, located across the street from the industrial center, launched sales earlier this year; soon, the city’s first Wegmans grocery store will join it as a lure for residents. (Sadly, that means saying goodbye to one of the neighborhood’s historic icons, Admiral’s Row.)
Should the tried-and-true neighborhood or the underdog win? Cast your vote for Long Island City or the Brooklyn Navy Yard now.
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· All Curbed Cup 2015 coverage [Curbed]
