Astoria is one of the most populous community districts in the city with a vacancy rate among rental units under 3 percent, according to data from the Furman Center for Real Estate & Urban Policy. The number of new building permits and projects submitted for approval to the New York State Attorney General's office has increased significantly during the past three years. More people are coming to Astoria to live. Development activity in Astoria is being spurred by demand and economics, and whether these units are condo or rental, both are priced cheaper than Manhattan. Taller buildings mean that a developer can take advantage of some zoning incentives for property designated as a community facility. In addition, contextual grievances can increase the as-of right floor to a building's height when looking at the height of other buildings in the near vicinity. This can help the developer build more, which in essence lowers the acquisition cost of the property.
There's a lot more gushing over new buildings where this came from...no mention of the impact all this will have on electrical and sewer systems. Wasn't this ground zero of the blackout in 2006?
18 comments:
the short-sightedness of developers in NYC never ceases to amaze me. There are so many places that call out for a SOHO-type renovation in Western Queens (eg. LIC/Sunnyside South of the Sunnyside Yards all the way to Blissville) that it is ridiculous that they are trying to destroy existing neighborhoods.
astoria - the place where yuppies priced out of manhattan come to live and falsely believe it's the "it" place.
astoria - the place where yuppies priced out of manhattan come to live and falsely believe it's the "it" place.
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No Astoria, land of myth - this is what happens when a lazy reporter just calls the community board for info.
Myth 1: Asotoria is a Greek neighborhoood. It never was, and at the rate they are fleeing it and becoming absentee landlords and developers, never will be. It was German, then Irish, then Italian and today Mexican.
Myth 2: Yuppies are flocking to Astoria. Wrong again. Outside of the beer garden (which they are not involved in outside of imbibers) there is no yuppie presence in the community - the cafes are mostly eurotrash - no stores with quality products that they crave are left - its a crib for a handful and thats about it. Broadway and Stienway Streets have become extentions of Roosevelt and National, and Ditmars within the next ten years. If is fast becomming an overcrowded immigrant slum.
CB1 the community board from hell!
Hollowing out of institutions, overcrowding, absentee landlords, ugly cheap buildings, filthy streets lined with homeless and day labors, and a decline in services best profile that community.
Astoria is going downhill because its leadership has lost faith in it and totally lack community spirit, something that was there as late as the early 90s.
Its leadership has no new ideas, is interested in no new ideas, and only cares to suck as much money as they can from the community.
Outside of attending each others 'award' ceremonies, they have almost no contact with the community, shop elsewhere, spend as much time as the can at the vacation homes, and do everything they can to ensure that power does not slip from the greasy fat little fingers.
The only redeaming features is they are all getting on in years and are not very bright.
The only question is will the community survive their tender mercies.
My guess is it will not.
There certainly is a lack of desire to face criticism of any kind or do anything beside whine and complain:
http://www.astorians.com/community/index.php?topic=11885.0
http://www.astorians.com/community/index.php?topic=11359.0
http://www.astorians.com/community/index.php?topic=11958.0
http://www.astorians.com/community/index.php?topic=11991.0
http://www.astorians.com/community/index.php?topic=11994.0
Astoria will be leveled, like LIC, once luxory condos firmly take over the waterfront and the Sunnyside Yards are roofed over.
Already the decline in services and housing is obvious.
"Lynne Davis is Massey Knakal Realty Services director of sales."
Crappy, you didn't mention that the paper tried to pass this off as a news article with a byline. At least they did note at the end who is behind all that gushing. This is even worse than a lazy reporter just calling the cb.
Jeez, what the hell have they done to my beloved Astoria!! My beloved Broadway/Steinway!!!! It is hard for me to walk around the neighborhood without feeling disgust at what absentee landlords, developers, politicians and transient residents who care nothing of the neighborhood's character and well-being have done to it!
Am willing to bet there is an ad from the writer's real estate agency on the bottom of this page or on the facing page in the print edition.
Christ, were are the people from the community?
They are not even a factor in that article.
They don't even exist.
Thats nuts!
Where are the people? This explains it
http://www.vvoid.com/
"Why I don't hate Queens."
Has anyone else noticed that many of these buildings look as though they are being abandoned mid-construction. I see buildings that are unfinished, but up for sale, apparently finished buildings that are boarded up and loaded with grafitti.
Are they opening at all?
That is because the people that are building them are friends (if not relavtives) of the local talent the runs, I mean, milks, Astoria.
They have little money, are amatures, and know that from their connections, they can pretty much do whatever they want.
Block the sidewalk for years on Steinway Street? No problem.
Have a broken sidewalk in front of a contstruction project on Broadway? No problem.
The only think important is to make money!!
So in essence, it seems the community's leadership has written off Astoria and are using their position to rip out the pipes before they abandon the property?
Got that right.
Sad.
If you come to Astoria and whine and NOT VOTE THE SCUM OUT OF OFFICE then you deserve to be those unfortunate homeless people on benches that you pass by and ridicule.
Move to Queens West already and be with your own pathetic kind!
Astoria is increasingly becoming a transient community of low-grade 20-ish renters, immigrant underclass, and holdout senior citizens.
Remaining homeowners will eventually sell and the only ones who could afford to buy here will be developers. Because the land is worth more than any pre-war house that sits on it.
Besides, who the fuck wants to pay ridiculous property taxes to prop up the nanny state bureaucracy that leeches off this city?
There are two choices: remain a rent slave, or move to where a modest income can still buy you a modest place to call home. And with less government bullshit. That's where we're headed.
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