PhotoA group of artists filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court in Brooklyn in 2013 after the developer, Jerry Wolkoff, had their work at 5Pointz in Long Island City, Queens, erased before the building was demolished. Credit
Todd Heisler/The New York Times
Graffiti has come a long way since the 1970s when fly-by-night taggers sprayed their work on bridge abutments or subway cars then slipped away before the authorities arrived. These days, fashion labels use it in their photo shoots. Huge corporations include it in their ad campaigns. In museums and auction houses, it has been rebranded with a classy new name: aerosol art.
On Tuesday, however, a trial began in Brooklyn that will eventually determine whether graffiti, despite its transient nature, should be recognized as art to the point of being protected by federal law. The trial, which is likely to explore broad questions of aesthetics, property rights and the relationship between the arts and gentrification, has, at its heart, pitted more than 20 graffiti artists whose work appeared in the beloved 5Pointz complex in Long Island City, Queens, against the owner of the buildings who demolished both them and the art adorning their walls.
5Pointz was a rare collaboration between a real-estate developer and a group of street artists. In 1993, when Long Island City was beset by crime, the developer, Jerry Wolkoff, allowed a crew of taggers to decorate his buildings at 45-46 Davis Street with a wild array of colorful, swirling murals.
For 20 years, 5Pointz was an offbeat tourist destination that not only attracted thousands of visitors, but also helped transformed Long Island City into the thriving residential neighborhood it is today. 5Pointz eventually became “the world’s largest open-air aerosol museum,” in the words of Eric Baum, a lawyer for the artists, but its existence was always predicated on Mr. Wolkoff tearing it down and developing the complex, which he ultimately did in 2014.
Before the demolition, the artists tried several times to stop it — asking city officials to grant the complex landmark status, even attempting to buy 5Pointz themselves, Mr. Baum said. They filed suit in Federal District Court in Brooklyn shortly after Mr. Wolkoff destroyed their art, sending in a team of painters to whitewash the graffiti.
PhotoA group of artists filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court in Brooklyn in 2013 after the developer, Jerry Wolkoff, had their work at 5Pointz in Long Island City, Queens, erased before the building was demolished. Credit
Todd Heisler/The New York Times
Graffiti has come a long way since the 1970s when fly-by-night taggers sprayed their work on bridge abutments or subway cars then slipped away before the authorities arrived. These days, fashion labels use it in their photo shoots. Huge corporations include it in their ad campaigns. In museums and auction houses, it has been rebranded with a classy new name: aerosol art.
On Tuesday, however, a trial began in Brooklyn that will eventually determine whether graffiti, despite its transient nature, should be recognized as art to the point of being protected by federal law. The trial, which is likely to explore broad questions of aesthetics, property rights and the relationship between the arts and gentrification, has, at its heart, pitted more than 20 graffiti artists whose work appeared in the beloved 5Pointz complex in Long Island City, Queens, against the owner of the buildings who demolished both them and the art adorning their walls.
5Pointz was a rare collaboration between a real-estate developer and a group of street artists. In 1993, when Long Island City was beset by crime, the developer, Jerry Wolkoff, allowed a crew of taggers to decorate his buildings at 45-46 Davis Street with a wild array of colorful, swirling murals.
For 20 years, 5Pointz was an offbeat tourist destination that not only attracted thousands of visitors, but also helped transformed Long Island City into the thriving residential neighborhood it is today. 5Pointz eventually became “the world’s largest open-air aerosol museum,” in the words of Eric Baum, a lawyer for the artists, but its existence was always predicated on Mr. Wolkoff tearing it down and developing the complex, which he ultimately did in 2014.
Before the demolition, the artists tried several times to stop it — asking city officials to grant the complex landmark status, even attempting to buy 5Pointz themselves, Mr. Baum said. They filed suit in Federal District Court in Brooklyn shortly after Mr. Wolkoff destroyed their art, sending in a team of painters to whitewash the graffiti.
Emmeline Yang and Eric Alter first met on a triple date when they were set up with other people! After brunch with their perspective matches in Hoboken, New Jersey, Emily made her move to switch dates over a game of Pictionary at their mutual friend’s apartment. It worked—and just over three years later, on May 29, 2016, Eric proposed at Chelsea Piers, the site of their first official date (with each other!). “I think the proposal literally lasted five seconds because I grabbed the ring and scurried off,” Emily remembers. “To this day, I don’t remember any of his ‘pre-amble’ speech before the proposal, but I’m sure it was very sweet and touching!”
For their June 2, 2017, wedding, the New Yorkers looked outside the city to find their dream venue. They found it across the East River, at the Foundry, an industrial warehouse and adjoining garden, in Long Island City. “We liked that the space spoke for itself and didn’t need much sprucing,” Emily says. “We also really liked that it had an indoor/outdoor component and guests could spill outside during cocktail hour and enjoy dinner under the stars.” Emily and Eric were on the same page with their “minimalist meets modern meets classic” vision and attacked planning together. “I really appreciated that Eric was fairly involved in the process with me,” she says. “It was nice to have a true partner throughout it all instead of having to make decisions by yourself.” From there, the couple personalized their day to represent their respective Jewish and Chinese cultures—with a chuppah and breaking of the glass for Eric and a traditional qipao gown and bowing toast for Emily.
Keep reading to see more of Emily and Eric’s indoor-outdoor garden party (with cultural touches!) at the Foundry in Long Island City. It’s safe to say that Edward Winter of Readyluck captured their dream day to perfection!
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
The couple fell hard for the Foundry’s warehouse setting, outdoor garden, and New York City views. “We wanted something that wasn’t just another Brooklyn warehouse, but it wasn’t a sterile ballroom either,” explains Emily.
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
The bride went into dress shopping knowing what she didn’t want: lace, beading, and strapless. “I know my own style pretty well, and I knew I wanted something that was clean and minimalist,” she says. And she did find her dream dress fairly easily! Emily tried on her off-the-shoulder gown by Austin Scarlett at her very first appointment and couldn’t get it out of her mind, even though she continued her search at other salons. “I knew it was the One,” she says.
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
While Emily admits that her favorite part of her wedding dress was its “simplicity and no-frills look,” we’d make a strong argument in favor of the statement back. Seriously stunning!
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
The bride let her bridesmaids select their own dresses, with the only rules being that it had to be black and floor length. “They all really came together in the end, and each dress really reflected the style and personality of each girl,” says the happy bride.
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
Emily made her grand ceremony entrance on the arm of her father.
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
The bride and groom exchanged vows under a floral-covered chuppah, as Eric’s best friend from childhood officiated.
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
After exchanging vows (which they found on Google!) and sharing their first kiss, the newlyweds recessed down the aisle to Ray LaMontagne’s “You Are the Best Thing.”
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
Cocktail hour took place in a greenery-covered room, which was one of the reasons the couple fell for their venue in the first place. And while Eric and Emily didn’t have a signature drink at cocktail hour, they did have a surprise for everyone at dinner: “We had a Chinese liquor called bai jiu poured in cordial shot glasses for each person,” Emily says. “It is a traditional custom to make celebratory toasts with this drink, and I thought it was a fun ‘ethnic touch.'”
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
For the reception, the bride changed into a traditional Chinese qipao. Unfortunately, her mother’s didn’t fit, so she picked out the fabric in the garment district and worked with a tailor in Chinatown to create a custom gown. “Red signifies luck in Chinese culture and is worn during weddings,” Emily explains. “I was actually kind of torn on whether I wanted to do this, but I thought it was nice to recognize my heritage.”
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
For the reception decor, Emily and Eric stuck to their original vision. White-covered tables were topped with elegant gold candelabras, greenery garlands, and black-and-gold tableware. “I really liked the black-plate-with-gold-silverware combo; it was very simple and modern,” says Emily. The couple got creative with money-saving hacks by ordering their table numbers on Amazon and having a friend (who’s a graphic designer) mock up their paper products.
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
The couple ended the night by cutting into a carrot cake from Lloyd’s on the Upper East Side—but that wasn’t the only cake of the night! “We had a red-velvet cake as a birthday cake, as it just so happens that three of my college friends had birthdays on or around our wedding day,” Emily says.
Looking back on the day itself, the bride has this to say: “I felt so loved by all of our friends and family, from all different walks of our lives, who traveled near and far to our wedding. I still remember the loud cheering when I came out to walk down the aisle and when we made our entrance into the reception. We felt so lucky to have such a great group of people who had the best energy!”
Emmeline Yang and Eric Alter first met on a triple date when they were set up with other people! After brunch with their perspective matches in Hoboken, New Jersey, Emily made her move to switch dates over a game of Pictionary at their mutual friend’s apartment. It worked—and just over three years later, on May 29, 2016, Eric proposed at Chelsea Piers, the site of their first official date (with each other!). “I think the proposal literally lasted five seconds because I grabbed the ring and scurried off,” Emily remembers. “To this day, I don’t remember any of his ‘pre-amble’ speech before the proposal, but I’m sure it was very sweet and touching!”
For their June 2, 2017, wedding, the New Yorkers looked outside the city to find their dream venue. They found it across the East River, at the Foundry, an industrial warehouse and adjoining garden, in Long Island City. “We liked that the space spoke for itself and didn’t need much sprucing,” Emily says. “We also really liked that it had an indoor/outdoor component and guests could spill outside during cocktail hour and enjoy dinner under the stars.” Emily and Eric were on the same page with their “minimalist meets modern meets classic” vision and attacked planning together. “I really appreciated that Eric was fairly involved in the process with me,” she says. “It was nice to have a true partner throughout it all instead of having to make decisions by yourself.” From there, the couple personalized their day to represent their respective Jewish and Chinese cultures—with a chuppah and breaking of the glass for Eric and a traditional qipao gown and bowing toast for Emily.
Keep reading to see more of Emily and Eric’s indoor-outdoor garden party (with cultural touches!) at the Foundry in Long Island City. It’s safe to say that Edward Winter of Readyluck captured their dream day to perfection!
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
The couple fell hard for the Foundry’s warehouse setting, outdoor garden, and New York City views. “We wanted something that wasn’t just another Brooklyn warehouse, but it wasn’t a sterile ballroom either,” explains Emily.
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
The bride went into dress shopping knowing what she didn’t want: lace, beading, and strapless. “I know my own style pretty well, and I knew I wanted something that was clean and minimalist,” she says. And she did find her dream dress fairly easily! Emily tried on her off-the-shoulder gown by Austin Scarlett at her very first appointment and couldn’t get it out of her mind, even though she continued her search at other salons. “I knew it was the One,” she says.
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
While Emily admits that her favorite part of her wedding dress was its “simplicity and no-frills look,” we’d make a strong argument in favor of the statement back. Seriously stunning!
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
The bride let her bridesmaids select their own dresses, with the only rules being that it had to be black and floor length. “They all really came together in the end, and each dress really reflected the style and personality of each girl,” says the happy bride.
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
Emily made her grand ceremony entrance on the arm of her father.
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
The bride and groom exchanged vows under a floral-covered chuppah, as Eric’s best friend from childhood officiated.
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
After exchanging vows (which they found on Google!) and sharing their first kiss, the newlyweds recessed down the aisle to Ray LaMontagne’s “You Are the Best Thing.”
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
Cocktail hour took place in a greenery-covered room, which was one of the reasons the couple fell for their venue in the first place. And while Eric and Emily didn’t have a signature drink at cocktail hour, they did have a surprise for everyone at dinner: “We had a Chinese liquor called bai jiu poured in cordial shot glasses for each person,” Emily says. “It is a traditional custom to make celebratory toasts with this drink, and I thought it was a fun ‘ethnic touch.'”
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
For the reception, the bride changed into a traditional Chinese qipao. Unfortunately, her mother’s didn’t fit, so she picked out the fabric in the garment district and worked with a tailor in Chinatown to create a custom gown. “Red signifies luck in Chinese culture and is worn during weddings,” Emily explains. “I was actually kind of torn on whether I wanted to do this, but I thought it was nice to recognize my heritage.”
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
For the reception decor, Emily and Eric stuck to their original vision. White-covered tables were topped with elegant gold candelabras, greenery garlands, and black-and-gold tableware. “I really liked the black-plate-with-gold-silverware combo; it was very simple and modern,” says Emily. The couple got creative with money-saving hacks by ordering their table numbers on Amazon and having a friend (who’s a graphic designer) mock up their paper products.
Photo by Edward Winter of Readyluck
The couple ended the night by cutting into a carrot cake from Lloyd’s on the Upper East Side—but that wasn’t the only cake of the night! “We had a red-velvet cake as a birthday cake, as it just so happens that three of my college friends had birthdays on or around our wedding day,” Emily says.
Looking back on the day itself, the bride has this to say: “I felt so loved by all of our friends and family, from all different walks of our lives, who traveled near and far to our wedding. I still remember the loud cheering when I came out to walk down the aisle and when we made our entrance into the reception. We felt so lucky to have such a great group of people who had the best energy!”
In June, a band of artists furtively installed a massive, red, digital clock on the exterior of a building on the Queens waterfront. The mysterious timepiece has been counting down, day by day, hour by hour, ever since.
The giant clock ― perhaps like you ― is marking the hours until President Donald Trump’s first term comes to a close. The piece was executed by a group of New York artists and creatives including Brandon Stosuy, the editor of The Creative Independent, and multimedia artist Matthew Barney. It lives on the facade of Barney’s Long Island City studio and is visible from Manhattan.
The creators of the project are doing their best to remain anonymous, hoping the mystery shrouding the installation will contribute to its impact on passersby. In an email to HuffPost, Stosuy wrote: “People know who made it, but our ideal is for folks to focus on the clock itself, and not who made it, if that make sense.”
Last week DNAinfo published a piece connecting the clock’s ticking digits to Trump’s time left in office. “It’s a reminder that a lot [of] people can’t wait until it’s over, as well as just a reminder,” Stosuy said of the project. “It’s also a bit like a durational test — a reminder to try to hold on until the end.”
Right now the clock still has well over a thousand days to go. However, if by some chance Trump’s term is terminated early, the clock is programmed to skip to zero. It’s unclear how the clock will react if the world comes to an untimely end before election day 2020.
For those interested in visiting the physical embodiment of their unrelenting anxiety, head to the East River waterfront in Long Island City, Queens.
Correction: An earlier edition of this article mistakenly stated the clock was counting down until election day 2018. We regret the error.
The only truly mixed-use “city within New York City,” Long Island City, Queens, located directly across from Midtown Manhattan, is undergoing a period of explosive transformation. Indeed, it has recently been labeled as the fastest growing neighborhood in the U.S.
Some of the city’s key corporations already have their offices here, and more are coming every day. New, creative companies are finding the area enticing, joining the 6,600 companies with over 106,000 employees already here in everything from major film/television studios, to high end industrial, to airlines, banks and more. Increasingly, it is a place that many New Yorkers, from many points along the economic spectrum, also call their home, with over 70,000 already here. Cultural attractions are drawing an international audience, and leveraging the 31 hotels with 3,000 rooms. The Cornell Tech campus opening on Roosevelt Island this year is already turning to adjoining LIC for services and space for its small business start-ups. Local education leaders LAGCC and CUNY Law School have over 55,000 students between them.
Over the next year, more than 10,000 units of housing will open in LIC, which will nearly double the area’s existing inventory. This will bring the total number of residential units built in LIC since 2006 to more than 20,000. Over the past 12 months, there was a deal volume of more than $2 billion in commercial and investment sales in the neighborhood. LIC is New York’s fastest-growing neighborhood with a development pipeline of 4 million s/f of commercial space and more than 400,000 s/f of retail in the greater LIC area; 21,500 residential units in the pipeline; another 30 hotels are in planning/development.
As the western Queens neighborhood continues to grow, so is the demand for retailers that provide key services to fill in the hundreds of thousands of retail s/f coming online. The LIC Partnership surveyed area workers and residents about their retail needs. Restaurants, pharmacies and grocery stores were identified as the top three retail options needed in LIC. Despite the 133 dining establishments currently in the area, there is a big appetite for more.
Why LIC and why now? One of the reasons is LIC’s unparalleled access to transportation systems that connect the region, including 13 MTA subway stations and eight lines, 17 bus lines, the LIRR, expanded ferry service, four bridges, one tunnel to Manhattan, access to main roads and major highways, and LaGuardia and JFK Airports. All of which is important in an increasingly global and regional economy.
Long Island City’s location, mixed-use character, cultural vibrancy and interdependence among the diverse businesses are this neighborhood’s greatest assets, which creates a perfect recipe for the district’s future success.
To enhance the incredible revitalization and position it to capitalize on future opportunities, while continuing to benefit from its truly mixed-use character, the partnership created the “Long Island City Comprehensive Plan: Phase 1.” The plan addresses how to leverage the district’s tremendous market potential and guide public and private sector investments in LIC to balance growth across sectors. Despite its current development boom and historical economic importance, LIC has never been studied across its full geography and across its many sectors.
This Comprehensive Plan presents recommendations that aim to inform the neighborhood’s future development to promote an active, mixed-use, economically and culturally vibrant Long Island City. Thoughtful planning is crucial at this key moment to foster the mix of uses that has helped attract investment and to ensure that businesses and organizations across all sectors in LIC, as well as residents and visitors, can take advantage of opportunities on the horizon.
Implementing these recommendations will impact all sectors and help to maintain and foster an equitable, mixed-use, culturally robust, full-service community in LIC. Through targeted interventions and partnerships at the local, city, state and federal levels, leveraging the phenomenal private investment and existing community assets, LIC can be a model 21st century mixed-use neighborhood for communities in NYC and throughout the country.
Elizabeth Lusskin is president of the Long Island City Partnership, Long Island City, N.Y.
Located at 37-06 36th St., the hotel will be one of two venues to feature performances from more than 40 international artists at nine indoor and outdoor stages, cabaret performances, a menu prepared by Lilly Valley restaurant and more.
A warehouse at 37-08 34th St. will also host performances and the event starts on Oct. 28 at 9 p.m. and ends the next day at 9 p.m. Partners include Brooklyn venue House of Yes; Distrikt, a nonprofit music collective; record label ZERO; and more.
Event organizers are being secretive about what attendees can expect and will not announce the music lineup beforehand. According to the event page, programming includes “sacrifices and offerings,” a Dionysus wine bar, “religious and sacrilegious texts,” “sanctuaries of sin and soul,” “Kali Ma’s chamber of blood” and more.
“We welcome all deities, demigods and demons, gods and goddesses, creatures of creation and those devoted to hedonism beyond the human realm,” the event page read. “Our City at is an endless maze of temples and altars, shrines and sanctuaries for your play and pleasure. Pray and prey upon. Be feared of your wrath and indulge in the rapture of dance. You are magic incarnate, the supreme ruler of all. This is your city. We are your worshipers.”
So far, approximately 1,702 people have bought tickets to the event and the early bird and first release tickets have already sold out. The second release tickets cost $80 and only people 21 and older are allowed to attend.
Everyone’s a critic, but only eight Brooklyn federal jurors will get the unprecedented job of deciding if graffiti sprayed on a Queens building complex was protected art.
Jury selection starts Monday in a case where more than 20 artists argue a developer wrongly whitewashed and destroyed a graffiti paradise at the Long Island City spot known as 5Pointz to put up rental towers.
For years, 5Pointz was a destination for street artists looking to show how well they could wield an aerosol can. The one-time water meter factory was splashed with eye-popping works like “Green Mother Earth” and “Angry Orchard.”
It all happened with the blessings of developer Jerry Wolkoff, who owned the buildings. He said he had some easy rules for the talented taggers: no politics, no obscenities, no religious content — and that the artists would have to back off when he was ready to develop the site.
Tourists and aficionados flocked to 5Pointz. New Yorkers would get an eyeful of the ever-changing canvas while riding on the 7 train. That all changed in the fall of 2013.
The artists sued in October 2013 to prevent their works’ destruction. Wolkoff had the buildings whitewashed overnight in November 2013. He did it just days after Brooklyn Federal Judge Frederic Block lifted a temporary restraining order blocking Wolkoff from going forward with his plans.
The two rental towers being built give some love to their graffiti ancestry. The insides are designed to include an “engraved graffiti logo” in the lobby and some of the insides include graffiti artwork, according to Curbed.
While the site was being redeveloped, artists continued the suit, which is finally making its way to trial four years later. They’re suing over the destruction of 51 pieces.
Wolkoff’s lawyers say their client was “extraordinarily generous” with his property and the case is a meritless money grab by people who allegedly knew as early as 2010 that the buildings were going to be coming down.
The case isn’t only a big deal for the artists and Wolkoff. It’s also getting a lot of attention from people working in the arts, copyrights and real estate, according to attorney Barry Werbin, an expert in art and copyright law. The suit is a first of its kind, he said.
The artists are suing under the Visual Artists Rights Act, a 1990 law seeking to preserve existing visual art and make people pay when art in the scope of the law gets destroyed.
The protected art has to be of a “recognized stature.” But the law’s wording doesn’t define what “recognized stature” actually means.
As far as Werbin can tell, there’s never been a jury trial on artwork under the Visual Artists Rights Act.
Artists have previously sued — over works like walk-through sculptures, wildflower gardens and a back yard swan sculpture — and seen their cases dismissed or settled. But no courtroom’s been turned into Art Theory 101 with jurors making the last call on what’s protected art in the eyes of the law.
When it comes to getting around town, especially in the outer boroughs and transit deserts, more and more New Yorkers are turning to Uber and other ride-hailing services instead of cabs, The New York Times reported.
Half of Uber’s total rides are currently originating outside of Manhattan, a jump from one-fourth in 2015. And, for the first time, Uber beat cab rides when it had an average of 289,000 daily rides in July — 12,000 more than taxis.
Part of Uber’s growth can be credited to the service’s expansion into diverse neighborhoods that yellow cabs often do not serve.
While Uber does not usually disclose ride data, it did give the Times samples of its expansion into dozens of residential neighborhoods in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx that are underserved by the city’s transit system.
In August, Uber had more than 167,000 weekly pickups in those areas, nearly three times more than the 56,000-plus it had in 2016.
“We really want to make sure we’re fulfilling the needs of New Yorkers wherever they live,” Sarfraz Maredia, general manager of Uber’s northeast region, told the Times. “Taxis have long ignored some of these communities.”
Uber isn’t the only ride-hailing company growing outside Manhattan. A little more than half of Lyft’s pickups are from the outer boroughs. It also has operations and a driver support center in Queens and holds driver events in Brooklyn each month.
Via, too, has a facility for its drivers in Queens and has expanded from Manhattan into downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights, Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Long Island City.
While the commissioner of the Taxi and Limousine Commission, Meera Joshi, told the Times that “more options expand mobility for passengers,” it does mean that yellow cabs and green taxis, which service outer boroughs and Upper Manhattan, are seeing fewer passengers.
The city’s 4,251 green taxis gave an average of 29,503 daily rides in July — a drop from 42,979 in 2016.
The display, affixed to a building on the Long Island City waterfront, is a clock counting down the time left in Donald Trump’s presidency. View Full Caption
DNAinfo/Jeanmarie Evelly
LONG ISLAND CITY — New Yorkers with views of the East River may have spotted a row of bright-red digital numbers affixed to a building on the Queens waterfront.
The mysterious display is actually a clock counting down the time left in President Donald Trump‘s first term, according to Brandon Stosuy, editor for the art-focused website The Creative Independent, who created the piece with artist Matthew Barney and several other collaborators.
The group erected the huge clock — which shows the days and hours left until Trump’s term is up — during a comedy event they organized at Barney’s Long Island City waterfront studio at the end of June.
“We kept it shadowy on purpose so people could come to their own conclusions,” Stosuy said in an email to DNAinfo New York, about not actively publicizing the piece. “People are slowly figuring it out.”
“It’s a reminder that a lot [of] people can’t wait until it’s over, as well as just a reminder,” Stosuy explained of the motivation behind the piece.
“It’s also a bit like a durational test — a reminder to try to hold on until the end.”
They intend to keep the clock running until the end of Trump’s term, “[b]ut if his term ended earlier than planned, it’s programmed to jump to zero,” Stosuy added.
When asked what the clock will do if Trump is elected to a second term, he said they wouldn’t bother to turn it back on for another four years.
Brian Castro attempts to pull away from defender during the PSAL Bowl Division game between Long Island City and Mott Haven Campus at Mott Haven Field.
By Robert Cole
TimesLedger Newspapers
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Playing under the lights for the first time this season, the Long Island City High School football team relied on its offensive explosiveness for a second-half comeback and a 36-18 victory over Mott Haven Campus, in the Bronx.
“This team never stops fighting,” head coach Joseph Houghton said. “They know the ability they have on offense and how explosive we can be with our wide receivers, our running game, and our quarterback, so we never lose hope.”
The Bulldogs looked as if they started the game in the dark, allowing a Mott Haven receiver to go uncovered for a touchdown pass on the first play from scrimmage. Long Island City drove down the field to tie the score at 6-6 on a touchdown run by Austin Campbell.
After Mott Haven regained the lead at 12-6, the Bulldogs battled back when running back Brian Castro broke away for a 25-yard run. Quarterback Chris Miraba then scrambled to his right and found the end zone on the conversion attempt, giving Long Island City a 14-12 lead.
Mott Haven scored again late in the second quarter. Needing 30 yards on third down, Mott Haven connected for a 35-yard touchdown pass to give the squad an 18-14 lead heading into the half.
Trailing to start the second half, the Bulldogs came out with more focus and intensity and played a lights-out second half.
The Long Island City offense scored 22 points in the half, while the defense pitched a shutout.
The Bulldogs put together a 70-yard scoring drive on their first possession of the half, capped off by a 12-yard touchdown run by Castro. The visitors held a 20-18 lead.
Long Island City overcame a 65-yard interception return by Mott Haven’s Wilmer Rodriguez when Castro jarred the ball loose during the run. The Bulldogs recovered.
With 1:10 remaining in the quarter, they introduced their “heavy package,” giving the ball to lineman Dennis Jakubauskas for the touchdown and conversion, making the score 28-18.
The Bulldogs scored one more time in the fourth quarter on a 20-yard pass to Naseem Henderson, giving them a 36-18 advantage, which stood as the final score. With the win, the Bulldogs improve their record to 3-1.
OTHER SCORES
Cardozo 36, Bryant 2: Spurned on by a strong defense, Cardozo overpowered Bryant 36-2 in PSAL Bowl division action at Flushing Field. The Judges’ defense would force two turnovers for touchdowns and constantly power into the Bryant backfield, making life miserable for the Bryant offense.
Armed with an 8-0 lead, Cardozo’s defense ended the first quarter with a strip sack. Justin Allen picked up the loose ball and returned it for a two-yard touchdown to put the Judges up 14-0. Not to be outdone, the Cardozo offense scored their second touchdown of the half on a pass from quarterback Nicholas Germanakos to Yaron Taylor, giving the Judges a 22-0 halftime lead.
Continuing their stingy ways, the Judges’ defense continued to prevent Bryant from moving the ball consistently. Meanwhile, the offense marched the ball down the field to score on a run up the middle by Christopher Taylor, increasing Cardozo’s lead to 28-0.
Rodney Gill would not allow the defense to be outdone. He recorded an interception that he returned for a touchdown that put the Judges up 36-0 in the fourth quarter.
Bryant scored late in the fourth quarter when Cardozo was flagged for assisting the runner while in their end zone, resulting in a safety.
“They played very well as a team, but they still have a lot to work on,” head coach Joseph Kaso said about his team’s performance. “They are a learning club.”
Bayside 29, Springfield Gardens 8: Bayside won the battle of unbeaten teams as the Commodores scored a 29-8 victory over Springfield Gardens. Both teams entered the game with a record of 4-0, but it was Bayside who came out on top.
Springfield Gardens took an 8-7 lead into the third quarter. However, the Commodores scored in the third to take a 15-8 lead. They tacked on two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.
Tequan Evans led the way for Bayside, completing 5 of 11 passes for 86 yards and two touchdowns through the air. David Loayza caught both touchdowns and recorded 37 receiving yards. Evans was also a factor on the ground, rushing 10 times for 69 yards and a touchdown.
Rashad Wilson eclipsed 100 yards on the ground (101) on 13 carries and also scored a touchdown.
The Bayside defense shot down the Golden Eagles’ offense and kept them out of the end zone all game. The Commodores limited Springfield Gardens’ passing game as Christian Judge failed to complete a pass in three attempts. Jalanni Springer led the Golden Eagles with 47 rushing yards.
Springfield Gardens’ only touchdown came on a 65-yard kickoff return by Senai Haywood. A safety gave the Golden Eagles two more points for a total of eight.
Far Rockaway Educational Campus 34, Automotive High School 14
Fifth Hammer Brewery and Taproom. Photo by Juren David via Fifth Hammer Brewery Company on Facebook.
Oct. 12, by Nathaly Pesantez
The Fifth Hammer Brewing Company has opened up its facilities and taproom to the public, a little over a year since the owners moved into a former industrial space in Long Island City.
The brewery and taproom, located at 10-28 46th Ave., opened on Oct. 6 in a “grand opening weekend”, according to the brewery’s Facebook page. A 15-barrel brewery, fully completed on Sept. 15, makes up the brewery component of the site, while a taproom next door serves Fifth Hammer brews along with local craft beer. Some finger foods will be served in the taproom, but the focus will be kept on the beers.
Regularly scheduled live music will also fill the walls of the tap room—for the grand opening weekend, the music portion was spontaneously kicked off by Chris Cuzme, the brewery’s co-founder, who also happens to play the saxophone.
Cuzme, along with David Scharfstein, moved into the 46th Ave. space in Aug. last year. Prior to starting a new brewery, Cuzme worked as a brewer in a now defunct pub in Greenwich Village, where he learned to craft a wide variety of beers.
The brewery’s name comes from the legend of the Pythagorean hammers, where the fifth hammer in the set produced a discordant sound compared to the other four as they hammered, causing the Greek mathematician to disregard the fifth hammer. “It’s sort of outside the box, like me,” Cuzme said in an interview with the LIC Post last year. The musical element to the story also fits with the taproom’s live music component.
Fifth Hammer joins a string of breweries in Long Island City, including Rockaway Brewing Co., Big Alice Brewing, and LIC Beer Project.
The taproom opens at 3:00 p.m. on weekdays, and closes at 10:00 p.m. except for Thursdays at 11:00 p.m. and Fridays at midnight. Weekend opening hours are set at midday, with the taproom closing at midnight on Saturdays and at 10:00 p.m. on Sundays.
A rendering of the second phase of Hunters Point South by design firm ODA. View Full Caption
Office for Design and Architecture
LONG ISLAND CITY — The city plans to build two elementary schools serving nearly 1,200 students within blocks of each other in the growing waterfront neighborhood of Hunters Point, where there’s currently only one public elementary school.
Both schools will serve students in kindergarten through fifth grade, Mirisola said. The first, at the corner of Second Street and 54th Avenue on the block bound by Center Boulevard and Borden Avenue, will have room for 572 students, according to the SCA’s plans.
The schools are part of several planned by the city to help alleviate demand for classroom space in Long Island City, where locals say development and population growth has outpaced the construction of new school facilities.
The SCA will be accepting public comments on the two proposed school sites at Hunters Point South until Nov. 9. Those who wish to share their thoughts can email [email protected].
Long Island City (3-1) and Automotive (1-3) are set to face off this Saturday at 12:00 PM. Long Island City is coming into the game hot, having won three in a row.
Long Island City didn’t have too much trouble with Mott Haven in its last game, where Long Island City won 35 – 18. As for Automotive, it lost to Far Rockaway by a decisive 34 – 14 scoreline last week.
The last time they met, Long Island City was the 30 – 6 victor. This time, their match is expected to be much closer since they have similar state rankings (Long Island City at 1063rd, Automotive at 1250th). Can Long Island City repeat its success? We’ll find out this Saturday.
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One of two public sites that EDC plans to give to the private developer TF Cornerstone for a 1,000 unit residential project. The public land is located right next to other waterfront, luxury properties developed by TF Cornerstone.
There’s something different about the newest luxury towers planned for Long Island City’s waterfront. The private developer, TF Cornerstone, has already developed 6 waterfront LIC properties, but this time, it plans to build on public, city-owned land—one of the few remaining parcels in Long Island City.
250 units of affordable housing: The so-called “affordable” units will be out of reach for truly low-income residents—and even these units will make up only 25 percent of the total 1,000 residential units that will be primarily luxury housing. The inclusion of affordable housing is not a gift; but rather, the bare minimum requirement for TF Cornerstone to qualify for 35-year tax breaks.
Approx. one-acre park with canoe and kayak launch point: This park will not relieve the shortage of green space as it would primarily serve as a backyard for the new luxury towers which alone will house 1,000 new households.
Public school: Again, this project will not relieve the overcrowding of LIC schools as it will simultaneously bring in 1,000 new households. More households means more children who need schools.
Thousands of new jobs: The lead selling point for this project is that it would create 4,000 jobs; however, more than half of the jobs (2,500) will be temporary construction jobs.
New industrial space: Finally, the crowning jewel of the project is industrial space managed by a nonprofit organization. However, this “affordable” industrial component actually makes up less than 10 percent of the massive 515,000 square feet of industrial, commercial, and retail space that TF Cornerstone plans to build—and profit from.
What would another TF Cornerstone development look like?
TF Cornerstone has already developed numerous towers including the 4540 Center Boulevard building right next to the proposed redevelopment site. These developments include tennis courts, sand volleyball courts, billiards, theater, gyms and more —an intentional design to ensure residents circulate disposable income and time within their building, rather than walking the actual neighborhood where they might support existing local businesses.
The public site is zoned for manufacturing use and therefore a luxury residential tower cannot be built as-of-right. To change the zoning, the project will have to go through the formal community review process, the Uniform Land Review Process (ULURP). Once in ULURP, the project will require an advisory vote from the community board’s land use committee and full board. And most importantly, it will require a vote from City Council, which almost always defers to the local City Council Member.
In other words, if Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer opposes this project, it is dead.
Only a few months ago, Crown Heights residents succeeded in convincing their local Council Woman and Borough President to oppose a similar project in Brooklyn where the same agency, EDC, sought to privatize another public site, the Brooklyn-Union Armory. In that project, at least 50 percent of the rentals and 20 percent of the condos would be affordable, but Crown Heights residents wouldn’t be sold short. They mobilized and organized, and successfully pressured their local elected officials who are now calling for nothing short of a 100 percent affordable project. We can do the same in Queens.
The Queens Anti-Gentrification Project will host an event on the privatization of public space on Wednesday, October 25 at 6:30-8:30 PM at the Greater Astoria Historical Society. Click here to RSVP or visit our website to learn more or sign our petition. Read our earlier op-ed on gentrification in LIC here.
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** Friends, we are excited to unveil the schedule for Inbox Awesome 2017!
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Enjoy
– 1 day
– 10 cutting edge topcis
– 20+ thought leaders on stage
– 200+ more in the room
on Nov 9th at our beautiful warehouse loft in Brooklyn.
See the schedule (http://inboxawesome.org)
** Zillow, Boxed, DoSomething – we’re also proud to announce more fantastic speakers:
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Tara Clark
Director of Email
Zillow
Nitasha Mehta
Head of Engagement
Boxed
Aria Finger
CEO and Chief Old Person
DoSomething.org
** Join these innovators and book now – ticket prices will increase on Oct 15th.
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Get Tickets (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/inbox-awesome-the-annual-conference-on-the-future-of-email-messaging-and-productivity-tickets-34806673698)
What others say about InAwe:
“By far the best email related conference I’ve been to.” – Jacque Boltik, Email Marketing Specialist
“A nice combo of practical insight, inspiration and thought provoking contrarianism.” – Roger W. Neal, Founding Executive Director, NYC Media Lab
“Happy to have been part of this.“ – Dan Oshinsky, Director of Newsletters at The New Yorker
“What a productive conference! I met such wonderful people doing interesting things, and even came out with a podcasting partner.“ – Margot Boyer-Dry, Founder, Lorem Ipsum
** See you soon,
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Felix, Lars, Amol and Team Awesome
P.S.: Interested in speaking or partnering up? Hit reply or email Felix (mailto:[email protected]?subject=I’d%20like%20to%20get%20involved%20at%20Inbox%20Awesome) with any questions. We look forward to hearing from you.
Company plans to turn one-story warehouse into residential rental building
45-57 Davis Street (Credit: Preuss Group)
Vorea Holdings will spend $21 million to buy a development site in Queens and turn it into a residential building, according to a source familiar with the deal.
The Long Island City site at 45-57 Davis Street spans 108,000 square feet and is currently occupied by a one-story warehouse housing a family-run woodworking company, according to Cushman Wakefield‘s Stephen Preuss, who brokered the deal. The family is relocating their business to Long Island, and Preuss said he expects the building to be demolished and shovels to be in the ground by the end of next year.
It is unclear how many residential units will be in the building, but Preuss estimated it would be around 150.
The Vorea Group has several other properties in Queens, including ones on 41st Street in Astoria and 44th Avenue in Long Island City.
Their latest project will be right next to the controversial 5Pointz project, where developer Jerry Wolkoff is planning 41- and 47-story towers with about 1,000 apartments.
The Queens Beer Festival returns this weekend to Long Island City on Saturday, Oct. 14, and Sunday, Oct. 15. Ticket holders will enjoy unlimited beer tastings and live music.
The unlimited beer tasting event will welcome the best local craft breweries in New York including breweries based in Queens, Brooklyn, The Bronx, Long Island and upstate New York.
Some of the selection of close to 50 beers include Rockaway Brewing Company, Big aLICe, ICONYC, Bridge and Tunnel, Finback, SingleCut BeerSmiths, Brooklyn Brewery, Sixpoint, Coney Island Brewing Co., Greenport Harbor Brewing Company, Blue Point, Great South Bay Brewery, Montauk Brewing Company and many more.
The menu at the new food cart will include Keema Palata, a grilled palata stuffed with minced chicken, onion and egg and topped with a cucumber yogurt sauce (left); and Ohno Kaukswe (right), a coconut chicken noodle soup. View Full Caption
For the first few weeks, he plans to operate during lunch only from around 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., when customers can expect to see some of the dishes he’s best known for, including palata, a flatbread made of wheat dough that gets stretched, folded and cooked on a griddle.
“It’s kind of flaky,” Thway said of the dish. “The edge is crispy and the middle is — I will call it delightfully chewy.”
The food cart menu will include his most popular dish, Keema Palata, which consists of the grilled palata stuffed with minced chicken, onion and egg and topped with a cucumber yogurt sauce.
Another favorite on the menu is the chicken curry palata, a chicken and bean curry with a side of palata to dip into it. The menu will also feature Ohno Kaukswe, a coconut chicken noodle soup.
“It’s going to be for lunch only to begin with, at least probably for a couple of weeks until things are settled,” Thway said.
After those first few weeks, he hopes to expand his hours to include dinner, when he’ll add more dishes to the menu, including “evening snacks” like a tea-leaf salad and spring rolls stuffed with seasoned potatoes and onions.
He also eventually plans to offer mohinga, a popular fish soup that Thway said is often considered the “national dish” of Myanmar.
Burmese Bites has a contract with the city’s Parks Department to operate the concession at Court Square Park through 2021, according to the agency. Thway will be at the park from Mondays to Fridays starting on Tuesday.
Burmese Bites will operate a cart in front of Court Square Park on Mondays through Fridays in Long Island City (DNAinfo/Jeanmarie Evelly)
He will also continue to serve his food at the Queens International Night Market in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park on weekends, where he’s gained a following of fans as one of the more popular vendors at the weekly food festival.
“Queens night market KING! Take note lines are long and they can sell out so come here first!” one reviewer wrote on Yelp. “This vendor is killer and I can’t wait till you guys open up a restaurant.”
