Detectives are investigating the tragic death of a newborn girl who apparently was born prematurely at a Long Island City hotel on Wednesday night.
Officers from the 108th Precinct and EMS units rushed to the Days Inn located at 31-36 Queens Blvd., at 7:41 p.m. after receiving a 911 call about a child in distress.
Upon arriving at the scene, law enforcement sources, they entered a hotel room and found a newborn female infant lying unconscious and unresponsive inside, with her 35-year-old mother.
According to sources familiar with the investigation, it’s believed that the girl’s mother had just given birth to her in the room, despite not being due for several months.
Paramedics rushed the newborn girl to Elmhurst Hospital, but despite all efforts, the child could not be saved. Her mother was also taken to the hospital for a psychiatric evaluation, sources said. Their identities were not disclosed.
The infant’s body was transported to the Medical Examiner’s office to determine the cause of death.
No arrests were made, and the investigation is ongoing.
Citylights residents and elected officials rallied in front of City Hall on July 17 to protest the rising cost of their Long Island City co-op.
Residents of Queens’ largest affordable housing co-op demanded that Mayor Bill de Blasio cancel a “massive, unfair tax bill levied against the complex on July 1.”
“When I moved to Citylights over 20 years ago, it was because the government promised it would stay affordable. Now, we are at risk of losing the homes — and community — we helped create. Please Mayor de Blasio, save Citylights,” said resident Brett Crandle.
A deal made between the city and the state resulted in the Citylights residents being saddled with a $5.8 million tax bill, a heavy debt that co-op members claim is impossible to be paid in full. Many of the people who live in the building are middle-class residents, a number of whom are at or nearing retirement age.
During the protest, the residents brought a copy of the tax bill to City Hall, with the words “return to sender” written on it.
In addition, the Citylights inhabitants have been faced with mortgage costs, repair bills and annual rent to the state in the form of a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) agreement. Residents also pointed out that they pay more in maintenance costs per month than those who live in the nearby luxury high rises pay in rent.
“With each day that passes, I – and many other middle-class families like mine – worry about losing our homes. Our government must keep its promise and keep our homes affordable,” said resident Shelley Cohen, who mentioned that her daughter was the first baby born in the building over 20 years ago.
Following pressure from Citylights residents and elected officials, a spokesperson for Empire State Development (ESD), which was responsible for building Citylights, said they were ready to work with the city to come up with a workable solution for those living in the co-op.
ESD added that they were “waiting on the city’s mandated written consent to move forward.”
According to residents, the mayor has said he believes affordable housing is a priority, yet they have “sent multiple letters to Mayor de Blasio” asking that he authorize re-negotiation of the PILOT agreement to no avail.
Joining the longtime co-op residents at Tuesday’s rally were elected officials including Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, Senator Michael Gianaris and representatives from the offices of Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney.
All four officials have called on the mayor to take action to help the residents keep their homes.
“The city needs to step up, too,” Gianaris said. “These are the people who have made the community what it is; these are the people who have made it so desirable to come here. The last thing we want to do is drive them out of the neighborhood because it became too expensive. They came here because it was supposed to be affordable and it’s supposed to continue to be affordable.”
The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to an inquiry about what the city will do for Citylights moving forward.
On July 9, the New York City Department of Finance responded to a letter that Assemblywoman Nolan wrote to the mayor in June on behalf of the Citylights residents.
The DOF said that Citylights had filed an appeal with the New York City Tax Commission for the property’s tax year 2018-2019 assessment. They added that the Tax Commission was an independent agency who had the authority to review DOF assessments, and that they had tentatively scheduled a hearing to review the tax assessment in mid-August.
DOF mentioned that while Citylights’ appeal is pending, they do not have the legal right to make any changes or adjustments to the property’s valuation. However, they would “continue to work with the property owners and board, as well as you [Nolan] and other elected officials, within the parameters allowed by law.”
Updated on July 18 at 11 a.m. to reflect comments from the NYC Department of Finance.
Amid the new super high-priced luxury housing units in Long Island City is a market and affordable option: Hunter’s Point South. The essence of this project is to offer market and low-income housing to people who live in the area, are economically in need, have physical impairments, have a desire to live in a natural setting and want to feel one with nature and their community. The project is nonetheless well thought out, beautiful, well situated across from Gantry State Park, profitable and fully occupied. One would never suspect that this apartment complex was not luxury housing: from the art in the stunning lobby, the 14th floor terrace, the views, the access to the waterfront, and the 24-hour doorman.
The major hurdle for most of us who would love to live here is winning a housing lottery and qualifying financially. They are looking for people who have a good job but are not wealthy for the affordable housing percentage, and people who are on government assistance for the low-income quota. 90,000 applicants competed for the 925 units that were available when this project first opened several years ago. Even though there is a waiting list, the turn-over is very small. In fact, the apartments are rent stabilized, so most people do not want to leave. The only exception is the three-bedroom units, which are easier to get because tenants favor the smaller units.
Project Overview
Developed by Related Companies, Phipps Houses and Monadnock Construction, and designed by SHoP Architects with Ismael Leyva Architects, Hunter’s Point South Living is comprised of two LEED Silver and Enterprise Green Community-designed buildings–Hunter’s Point South Crossing and Hunter’s Point South Commons–that together bring 925 permanently affordable and moderately priced rent-stabilized apartments to Long Island City’s thriving waterfront neighborhood. The gracious apartments range from studio to three-bedrooms, with an equal mix of low and moderate residences in each building. All apartments include dishwashers and each of the two- and three-bedroom apartments have an in-unit washer and dryer.
• Hunter’s Point South Crossing, located at 1-55 Borden Ave., is 32 stories tall and comprised of 306 apartments. Amenities include a lounge with outdoor terrace, internet café, fitness center, kid’s playroom and bike room.
• Hunter’s Point South Commons, located at 1-50 50th Avenue, is 37 stories tall and comprised of 619 apartments. Amenities include party rooms, fitness center, internet café, kid’s playroom, sun terrace and bike room. The Commons also features a parking garage, pet amenity and urban farm that are open to residents of both buildings.
In total, Hunter’s Point South Living has 27,000 s/f of amenities. Both buildings are fully staffed with 24-hour lobby attendants and an on-site resident manager. Like all Related rental buildings, Hunter’s Point South Commons and Crossing offer a smoke-free living environment for all residents.
Healthier, Greener Living
Through Related’s commitment to sustainability and healthy living, Hunter’s Point South Commons and Crossing have been designed to maximize energy efficiency and quality of life for residents. Once complete, both buildings received EPA’s ENERGY STAR Label for Multifamily High Rise through participation in NYSERDA’s Multifamily Performance Program as well as LEED certification at the Silver-level or higher through the LEED v2009 New Construction rating system. Both buildings were constructed with environmentally-friendly materials such as low or no VOC paints, carpets, flooring, sealants, and adhesives. Cutting-edge features include a cogeneration plant that uses microturbines to increase overall energy efficiency, highly reflective roof areas that decrease urban heat island effect and high-performance ventilation with Aeroseal cleantech duct sealing. The apartments use Energy Star appliances exclusively as well as energy efficient lighting to reduce energy costs for residents.
Urban Farm GrowNYC
Related Companies sought the expertise of GrowNYC, an environmental non-profit organization with a 40-year history of making farming and gardening accessible to urban communities, to create and program the 2,300 s/f organic garden with 13 planting beds and an apiary on the 14th floor terrace of Hunter’s Point South Commons. The urban farm is irrigated by a stormwater retention tank and pollinated by the bees in the apiary, and are managed by a resident garden committee organized by GrowNYC.
The Garden
Spring through fall, the garden provides fresh seasonable vegetables, fruits, beans and herbs for residents (up to a 1,000 pounds of produce).
Having more projects like this one throughout the city and less market-rate housing would curb homelessness and the need to build shelters for displaced residents. The fact that this project is 100 percent occupied and in comparison, luxury housing is usually not, makes this form of housing an attractive alternative to developers. The cohabitation of people from all walks of life and physical conditions create a sense of tolerance and understanding that we can all use in this day and age.
William Gati, AIA, is the president of Architecture Studio, Kew Gardens, N.Y.
Long Island City will soon be the home to Queens’ tallest tower to date.
On July 9, the developers of 23-14 44th Dr. secured a $502 million loan from JP Morgan, which was brokered by the New York City-based company Meridian Capital Group.
The loan is the largest loan ever for the borough and one of the largest for the city, according to Modern Spaces, which is exclusively handle marketing and sales for the project.
Chris Xu of United Construction and Development is the lead developer on the project, and is collaborating with partners Henry Yeung, Brian Pun of FSA Capital and Risland U.S. Holdings LLC.
The firm responsible for the building’s design is Hill West Architects, which has designed a number of iconic buildings in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx. The architecture firm’s design arm, Whitehall Interiors, will be responsible for the building’s interior design.
Once the project is completed, the 802-unit luxury condominium is slated to rise 67 stories, making the project the tallest outside of Manhattan. The apartments will sit atop ground-floor retail, according to Modern Spaces.
For more information on the project, contact Modern Spaces through their website.
Rendering courtesy of MAQE
On July 16, Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan addressed a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio, in which she highlighted her concerns about the “inadequacy of the current zoning in Long Island City.”
“I have written numerous letters opposing such large towers and asked for changes in zoning. I understand that the LIC Core Neighborhood Planning Study is again on hold, while we see new tower after tower being proposed and built in LIC ‘as of right,’ said the assemblywoman.
“Worse, the City has recently embarked on various efforts to increase the size and volume of buildings further by trading City owned land or air rights to further boost size and height,” she continued. “The proposal which was voted down by Community Board Two at 27-01 and 26-32 Jackson Avenue is the latest example. LIC is facing an emergency situation. Therefore, I ask for a moratorium on any new Buildings Department permits for new construction in Long Island City until the city can present a plan for properly increasing the infrastructure,” said Nolan.
Mayor de Blasio’s office could not be reached for comment at this time.
Updated at 3:52 p.m. to reflect the comments from Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan.
LONG ISLAND CITY, QUEENS — Dozens of Citylights residents crowded the steps of City Hall Tuesday to symbolically return a $5.8 million property tax bill, the first of many expenses levied against the Long Island City co-op in an agreement that threatens to make its apartments unaffordable for most longtime members.
More than 1,000 residents of the 522-unit complex on 48th Avenue are saddled with the hefty bill after an 87 percent jump in its property taxes this year coincided with the end in July of a 20-year tax abatement for residents under a Payment In Lieu Of Taxes agreement with the state.
Citylights members said they’ve worked for years to convince New York State to renegotiate the agreement, and after their first protest in June, the state agreed. But nothing can be done without the city’s approval via Mayor Bill de Blasio, who residents said have so far ignored their pleas for help.
“We’re begging him for consent,” Shelley Cohen, treasurer and longtime resident of Citylights, told Patch.
They hoped to catch de Blasio’s ear with a protest at the opening of Hunters Point South Park but were met with silence.
On July 1, the first bill came in: A $5.8 million annual property tax on the co-op that will ultimately be too much for 86 percent of its residents to afford, said Brent O’Leary, who has lived in Citylights for 11 years.
“We’re being penalized because our neighborhood is gentrifying very quickly,” O’Leary told Patch.
The co-op, built in 1996, was among the first state-owned affordable housing in Long Island City for New Yorkers with modest incomes who wanted to own a home.
“The mayor keeps saying he’s for affordable housing and we’re sort of the pioneer for that, but he’s not helping us,” O’Leary said. “It’s very strange.”
De Blasio’s office did not immediately respond to Patch’s request for comment.
Citylights plans to appeal the property tax bill to the New York City Tax Commission in a hearing on Aug. 6, where they’ll ask for a dramatic decrease to their assessment. But Cohen says that still doesn’t address their main concerns about their PILOT agreement.
“That has nothing to do with why we need Mayor de Blasio to consent to a modification, because there are all kind of issues we need to address to make the building affordable in the long term,” Cohen said.
Some of those issues include a rising mortgage, maintenance bills and yearly ground rent to the state.
“We’re the only building in west Queens paying ground rent,” Cohen said. “We also have no agreement about what happens at the end of our 99-year lease.”
Cohen fears if the city doesn’t take action soon, it will only be a matter of time before Citylights’ retirees and other members on fixed incomes are forced to relocate.
“Up until now they’ve been hoping for the best, but there’s going to be a point where people give up,” she said.
As for Cohen, that point is still a ways away.
“If he doesn’t agree to consent, I guess I’ll just park myself out here for the remainder of the summer and scream and yell and carry on until somebody listens,” she said.
Artists from both sides of the borough will have a chance to connect at an upcoming art show in Flushing.
Arts advocacy group Long Island City Artists (LIC-A) will host a “Flushing Bound” exhibition at Flushing Town Hall from Sept. 6 until Sept. 30. The show will be curated by artists Nancy Gesimondo and Carol Crawford and will feature work in mediums including figurative and abstract paintings, photography and mixed media.
An opening reception for the exhibition will take place on Sept. 7 from 5 to 7 p.m.
The show is designed to create a space where the borough’s artists can interact and introduce themselves to the public, who will be welcome to view the exhibition for its duration at the cultural center.
Local artists are invited to submit art work to the show, but they must be a member of LIC-A. Interested parties can apply on their website until July 21.
Flushing Town Hall, which is located at 137-35 Northern Blvd., will also host its annual members exhibition from Aug. 3 until 22, which will be open on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. and is available for viewing on weekdays by appointment. Most artwork at the event will be for sale, with proceeds supporting the center’s Visual Arts program and local artists.
Questions about the events can be directed to Flushing Town Hall at 718-463-7700.
A Long Island City public housing complex will soon get the work that it needs through an expedited repair initiative.
The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) launched NYCHA Cares, a program that plans to address a backlog of over 50,000 open skilled trades work orders in NYCHA apartments.
Among the projects that NYCHA Cares will focus on is the Queensbridge Houses South in Long Island City, which currently has thousands of open skill trades work orders that need to be addressed. NYCHA plans to complete work at the building within 24 months.
Previously, the service level agreements that were set by the prior administration lay out seven days for general maintenance work orders and 15 days for skilled trades work. With NYCHA Cares, the Authority plans to go through this old system to make repair work happen as quickly as possible for its residents and their families.
The program will receive $20 million to help eliminate the NYCHA’s work-order backlog and cut down wait times on related skilled trades work. With these funds, the NYCHA will bring in a team of internal skilled trades and temporary staff, including plumbers, electricians, plasterers, carpenters and painters, and pay for overtime and third-party vendors with construction and facilities expertise.
“Thanks to the unwavering support and unprecedented funding from Mayor de Blasio, NYCHA Cares exemplifies how we can effectively answer repair problems,” said Vito Mustaciuolo, NYCHA General Manager. “By utilizing current staff, support staffing and private contracting solutions, we will be able to cut down wait times and make much needed repairs for our residents.”
The program comes after the city came under fire for its handling of NYCHA in recent years, specifically with regard to addressing lead paint hazards. Hundreds of children in NYCHA apartments were found to have above-normal lead levels in their blood, putting them at risk of lead poisoning symptoms affecting their growth and development.
Last month, the federal government and the city agreed to a settlement that will result in a court-appointed monitor overseeing NYCHA’s efforts to clean up their act.
LONG ISLAND CITY, QUEENS — Queens’ tallest skyscraper is set to go up in Long Island City, according to news reports.
Developers recently secured a $502 million loan from a group of banks led by JPMorgan Chase Co. to build the 67-story condo at 23-14 44th Drive, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Queens-based developer Chris Xu – who’s spearheading the massive 802-apartment project – locked down the financing in late June, Meridian Capital Group, who brokered the loan, told the newspaper.
Xu and Meridian Capital Group did not immediately return Patch’s request for comment.
It will cost Xu roughly $700 million to build the 778-foot-tall tower, with the remaining funds coming from equity, according to the Wall Street Journal. His partners include FSA Capital’s Brian Pun, Hong Kong-based developer Risland U.S. Holdings LLC and Henry Yeung.
Xu originally planned the gargantuan tower to be even taller, with his first proposal in 2016 being a 964-foot-tall building, Curbed reported.
The tower’s newly posed height would still make it the tallest in the borough, a record that will be briefly held by another Long Island City skyscraper going up at 29-37 41st Ave, according to the real estate site. When the tower is completed, it will reportedly ascend to 710 feet.
The complex – whose units will range from studios to four-bedrooms – is slated to be finished entirely by 2022, but apartment pre-sales could begin as soon as the end of this year, Eric Benaim, chief executive of Modern Spaces, the real-estate firm marketing the space, told the Wall Street Journal.
Modern Spaces did not immediately return Patch’s request for comment.
(Lead image: The construction site at 23-14 44th Drive. Photo via Google Maps)
LONG ISLAND CITY, Queens — Nail polish remover was thrown on a woman who was then set on fire during an argument at a homeless shelter in Queens, police sources said Friday.
The Verve Hotel in Long Island City is pictured. (Google Maps)
The victim, 51, lives at the Verve Hotel, a women’s homeless shelter on 29th Street in Long Island City, according to police.
That’s where sources said the woman argued with another woman who threw nail polish remover on the victim’s face.
The attacker is accused of igniting the flammable liquid and fleeing.
The victim was hospitalized in unknown condition, sources said.
A 33-year-old woman is sought in the attack, according to sources. No arrests have been made.
“This unconscionable act goes against everything we stand for and we’re working closely with law enforcement to ensure the perpetrator is apprehended,” a spokesman for the New York City Department of Homeless Services.
A Long Island City public housing complex will soon get the work that it needs through an expedited repair initiative.
The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) launched NYCHA Cares, a program that plans to address a backlog of over 50,000 open skilled trades work orders in NYCHA apartments.
Among the projects that NYCHA Cares will focus on is the Queensbridge Houses South in Long Island City, which currently has thousands of open skill trades work orders that need to be addressed. NYCHA plans to complete work at the building within 24 months.
Previously, the service level agreements that were set by the prior administration lay out seven days for general maintenance work orders and 15 days for skilled trades work. With NYCHA Cares, the Authority plans to go through this old system to make repair work happen as quickly as possible for its residents and their families.
The program will receive $20 million to help eliminate the NYCHA’s work-order backlog and cut down wait times on related skilled trades work. With these funds, the NYCHA will bring in a team of internal skilled trades and temporary staff, including plumbers, electricians, plasterers, carpenters and painters, and pay for overtime and third-party vendors with construction and facilities expertise.
“Thanks to the unwavering support and unprecedented funding from Mayor de Blasio, NYCHA Cares exemplifies how we can effectively answer repair problems,” said Vito Mustaciuolo, NYCHA General Manager. “By utilizing current staff, support staffing and private contracting solutions, we will be able to cut down wait times and make much needed repairs for our residents.”
The program comes after the city came under fire for its handling of NYCHA in recent years, specifically with regard to addressing lead paint hazards. Hundreds of children in NYCHA apartments were found to have above-normal lead levels in their blood, putting them at risk of lead poisoning symptoms affecting their growth and development.
Last month, the federal government and the city agreed to a settlement that will result in a court-appointed monitor overseeing NYCHA’s efforts to clean up their act.
LONG ISLAND CITY, QUEENS — Queens’ tallest skyscraper is set to go up in Long Island City, according to news reports.
Developers recently secured a $502 million loan from a group of banks led by JPMorgan Chase Co. to build the 67-story condo at 23-14 44th Drive, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Queens-based developer Chris Xu – who’s spearheading the massive 802-apartment project – locked down the financing in late June, Meridian Capital Group, who brokered the loan, told the newspaper.
Xu and Meridian Capital Group did not immediately return Patch’s request for comment.
It will cost Xu roughly $700 million to build the 778-foot-tall tower, with the remaining funds coming from equity, according to the Wall Street Journal. His partners include FSA Capital’s Brian Pun, Hong Kong-based developer Risland U.S. Holdings LLC and Henry Yeung.
Xu originally planned the gargantuan tower to be even taller, with his first proposal in 2016 being a 964-foot-tall building, Curbed reported.
The tower’s newly posed height would still make it the tallest in the borough, a record that will be briefly held by another Long Island City skyscraper going up at 29-37 41st Ave, according to the real estate site. When the tower is completed, it will reportedly ascend to 710 feet.
The complex – whose units will range from studios to four-bedrooms – is slated to be finished entirely by 2022, but apartment pre-sales could begin as soon as the end of this year, Eric Benaim, chief executive of Modern Spaces, the real-estate firm marketing the space, told the Wall Street Journal.
Modern Spaces did not immediately return Patch’s request for comment.
(Lead image: The construction site at 23-14 44th Drive. Photo via Google Maps)
Police say a fight between two roommates at a Queens shelter Wednesday night ended with one of them setting the other on fire.
The 51-year-old victim was burned after she and a younger roommate got into a dispute at the former Verve Hotel on 29th Street in Long Island City, which is now being used as a homeless shelter, around 10:30 p.m.
She apparently used nail polish remover to set her roommate ablaze.
The victim was rushed to the Cornell burn unit at New York Presbyterian Hospital in critical condition.
An undisclosed amount of raw poultry products from Afandina Halal in Long Island City is being recalled by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service after it was distributed to retailers without being inspected by federal officials.
The problem was discovered when FSIS personnel was performing inspection activities, officials said. The products subject to recall have the establishment number “P-51183” inside the USDA mark of inspection. They were shipped to retail locations in and around New York City.
“FSIS is concerned that some product may be frozen and in consumers’ freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.”
The recall has been labeled a “Class I” which means it “is a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.”
The recalled chicken products were produced and packaged between May 14 and June 22 this year. Among the items recalled include:
Long Island City will soon be the home to Queens’ tallest tower to date.
On July 9, the developers of 23-14 44th Dr. secured a $502 million loan from JP Morgan, which was brokered by the New York City-based company Meridian Capital Group.
The loan is the largest loan ever for the borough and one of the largest for the city, according to Modern Spaces, who is exclusively handle marketing and sales for the project.
Chris Xu of United Construction and Development is the lead developer on the project, and is collaborating with partners Henry Yeung, Brian Pun of FSA Capital and Risland U.S. Holdings, LLC.
The firm responsible for the building’s design is Hill West Architects, who have designed a number of iconic buildings in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx. The architecture firm’s design arm, Whitehall Interiors, will be responsible for the building’s interior design.
Once the project is completed, the 802-unit luxury condominium is slated to rise 67-stories, making the project the tallest outside of Manhattan. The apartments will sit atop ground-floor retail, according to Modern Spaces.
For more information on the project, contact Modern Spaces through their website.
A new, celebrity-approved workout studio is coming to Long Island City next week.
SLT, which stands for “Strengthen-Lengthen-Tone” is coming to the fast-growing neighborhood on July 16, at 42-15 Crescent St. The location is the 22nd studio overall, with locations in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
A spokesperson for the studio said that acclaimed athleisure designer, Zara Terez, has designed commissioned wallpaper specifically for the LIC location.
Founder and CEO Amanda Freeman started SLT in 2011 in order to combine all the things she was looking for in a workout: results-oriented — stylized as “reSuLTs” on the website — challenging, efficient, effective and fun. The workout is described as a hybrid of cardio, strength training and Pilates.
For 50 minutes, participants use a Megaformer machine, which has been described as a “Pilates reformer on steroids,” to complete a high-intensity, low-impact workout. Classes at SLT consist of slower movements, fast transitions and constant core-engagement.
The studio offers classes based on individual fitness levels, ranging from beginner to more advanced options.
According to SLT, the workout has transformed the bodies of celebrities like Sofia Vergara, James Franco, Alicia Keys, Emmy Rossum and Vanessa Hudgens.
SLT Long Island City is centrally located by Queens Plaza, and can be accessed by the N, Q or 7 trains.
Those interested in taking classes can book one on the website at sltnyc.com/studio/long-island-city/#class. A single class goes for about $36, but there are options to purchase class packages and monthly unlimited passes. For more information, call 718-361-5200 or email [email protected].
Federal officials are recalling raw chicken shipped throughout New York City that came from a Queens slaughterhouse.
The USDA said some chicken from Afandina Halal, which is based in Long Island City, was shipped out with a stamp of inspection “P-51183” when it did not undergo inspection.
The recall affects 40-pound bulk boxes labeled: Afandina, Halal Wholesale Chicken, Boneless Leg Meat, Afandina, Halal Chicken, Whole Chicken Legs or Afandina, Halal Chicken and Chicken Cutlets.
All of the recalled products were packaged between May 14 and June 22. They were shipped throughout New York City.
Federal officials said consumers with questions may contact Saeed Hassanein, owner of Afandina Halal, at 718-433-4402.
Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the food safety service’s 24-hour virtual representative, by going to AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. The online electronic consumer complaint monitoring system can be accessed 24 hours a day at fsis.usda.gov/reportproblem.
Get ready for a summer filled with free, local music in Long Island City.
The Kupferberg Center for the Arts’ Live at the Gantries concert series returns tonight at Gantry Plaza State Park. Every Tuesday at 7 p.m. during the months of July and August, a different local artist will showcase music from different genres, including jazz, rock, hip-hop, folk and pop.
In the past Live at the Gantries has featured seven acts, but due to an increase in attendance this year’s concert series will have eight acts.
Lady and the Vamps will kick off the series tonight, covering a range of genres from jazz standards like “Cheek to Cheek” to modern hits like Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass.” The Manhattan-based band has performed at iconic venues across the city like the Rainbow Room, NIOS Restaurant, Winnie’s Jazz Bar and the New York Hilton.
Following tonight’s performance, the weekly concert series will continue with seven other local acts:
July 17: Lindsay Lou: Americana, Folk and Bluegrass Ensemble
July 24: FDR Drive: Classic Hits of Rock n Roll
July 31: Valerie Green/ Dance Entropy: Modern Dance with a Splash!
Aug. 7: Maestro Khan, “East Meets West”: Classical Indian Music and dance ensemble.
Aug. 14: The Barlett Band with The Next Generation Sound: The hits from Bebop to Hip Hop
Aug. 21: The Chuck Braman Quintet: Reimagining the jazz classics from the famed Blue Note Recordings.
Aug. 28: Supermambo: A Vibes Tribute to Tito Puente
The concert series is cosponsored by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Queens Theatre and Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer.
Attendees can take the 7 Train to the Vernon/Jackson stop in Queens and walk west toward the river on 50th Avenue or take the East River Ferry to Hunters Point and walk north on Second Street.
For more information on the Live at the Gantries concert series, visit kupferbergcenter.org/live-at-the-gantries/ or call the box office at 718-793-8080. The box office is opened Tuesday through Friday from noon to 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and up to one hour prior to all performances.
LONG ISLAND CITY, QUEENS — Long Island City is among New York City’s most at-risk flood zones, but that hasn’t stopped developers from building thousands of apartments where the dangerous waters are most likely to hit, a new study found.
The Queens neighborhood has seen nearly 2,000 new residential units go up in its flood zones – more than any other area in New York City – since Hurricane Sandy hit in 2012, according to the study released Monday by real estate site Localize.city.
The hurricane’s extensive damage hasn’t hindered booming real estate in areas along the Queens and Brooklyn coastline where federal data shows dangerous floods are most likely to strike.
Despite being labeled a Level 1 Evacuation Zone, Astoria and Long Island City have seen more than 2,860 units since Sandy hit, the study found. Nearly 3,600 units have gone up in neighboring flood-prone areas of northern Brooklyn.
“At least one out of every eight new units expected to open in New York City over the next four years will sit in a serious flood zone,” said Localize.city data scientist Idan Richman. “Moreover, 97 percent of the new buildings under construction in the floodplain are in areas that were inundated during Sandy.”
The citywide analysis found roughly 12 percent of all New York apartments – about 12,350 units – have gone up or are being built in areas deemed the most risky by FEMA’s 2015 Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Map.
Long Island City, Williamsburg and Greenpoint will see the brunt of that “in terms of sheer numbers of new units,” analysts said. The three neighborhoods make up nearly half of the developments in serious flood risk areas.
The city has upped its efforts to protect the nearly 70,000 buildings in its flood zones since Hurricane Sandy first ravaged New York, but work on much of those infrastructure projects still won’t finish for another decade, said urban planner Olivia Jovine.
“The bottom line is that all new construction in the flood zone is required to be built to the city’s new building code, and owners will be required to buy flood insurance,” Jovine said.
“But buyers and renters should be aware of both the immediate and long-term outlook for how their home and neighborhood could be affected.”
The inspiration for Ulli’s Oil Mill may be Austrian, but these plant-seed oils are made in Long Island City, Queens.
CreditSonny Figueroa/The New York Times
For Ulrike Sitter, pressing plant seeds for oil is a tradition she has imported from her native Austria, where toasted pumpkinseed oil is a culinary staple. Ms. Sitter does her work at the Entrepreneur Space in Long Island City, Queens, making hempseed, rapeseed, sunflower-based chile and camelina seed (tea seed) oils from crops grown upstate. For now, she produces her pumpkinseed oil from Austrian seeds, but she expects to have New York-grown pumpkin seeds soon. Each oil is best used as a finishing oil to season food, though camelina oil — earthy and with a high smoke point — is effective for cooking.
Florence Fabricant is a food and wine writer. She writes the weekly Front Burner and Off the Menu columns, as well as the Pairings column, which appears alongside the monthly wine reviews. She has also written 12 cookbooks.
QUEENS, NY — A celebration meant to spotlight New York City’s “incredible array of eateries” has cast most of the city’s outer boroughs out of the limelight.
The world-renowned NYC Restaurant Week will offer its semiannual dining deals at nearly 400 of the city’s most exclusive eateries during its summer run from July 23 to Aug. 17, officials announced Monday.
Only two of those restaurants are in Queens.
The festival highlighting NYC’s “culinary culture” released its lineup on Monday, which means New Yorkers can start booking coveted reservations at participating restaurants offering fixed two-course lunch menus for $26 of three-course dinner menus for $42.
About 96 percent of those special menus can be found in Manhattan. And, despite an international culinary scene that late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain once dubbed a “mysterious wonderland of food and culture,”Queens’ only eateries to make the cut for this Restaurant Week lie directly across the East River in Long Island City and Astoria.
In Astoria, diners can check out Meet the Meat, whose owners spent 25 years working in “elite Manhattan establishments” before opening the steakhouse at 23-92 21st St., according to its Restaurant Week listing.
The steakhouse’s special menu features appetizers such as crab cakes, sautéed mussels and clams. Diners can choose between heavier entrees such as steak – New York strip or filet mignon – and lamb chops, or opt for lighter fare such as the salmon and “MTM” Chicken. Each is served with mashed potatoes, string beans and sautéed shaved carrots. Dessert is either a New York style cheesecake, chocolate mousse cake or tiramisu.
In Long Island City, Maiella is the lone eatery participating in this summer’s Restaurant Week. The upscale Italian restaurant located just behind the iconic Pepsi-Cola sign at 46-10 Center Blvd. is known for putting a modern twist on authentic dishes such as fresh charcuterie, homemade pappardelle, hand-rolled ricotta cavatelli pasta and a variety of pizzas.
Maiella has not yet announced its Restaurant Week offerings, but you can browse the eatery’s full menu here.
NYC Company, a private marketing business that promotes the city’s tourism and runs Restaurant Week, hand-picks eateries that apply to be in the food event. Each is judged by their price point – restaurant week menus should be a 20 – 50 percent discount off regular prices – as well as ratings, reviews, chef bios and awards, according to the company’s website.
Queens isn’t the only underrepresented borough in the Summer 2018 NYC Restaurant Week. This year’s 381 participating eateries include only 10 from Brooklyn – one of which is inside a Holiday Inn – and one each in the Bronx and Staten Island.
