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NYT in LIC

court-square-place_1 — http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/court-square-place/33256

The New York Times is moving 350 jobs to 24-01 Court Square Place, a curvy, glassy, very-Court Square-looking building owned by the United Nations Federal Credit Union, across the street from the CUNY School of Law.

“A lot of tenants were vying for the space,” Greg Smith of JRT Realty Group to the New York Post. “We are seeing an uptick in activity after the Amazon debacle because Long Island City [had more] exposure.”

The Times will take the 9th, 10th and 11th floors this fall, reaping the benefits of the Relocation and Employment Assistance Program (REAP). The program gives tax credits to companies that relocate jobs from outside of NYC or below 96th Street to certain parts of Northern Manhattan or any other borough.

– Real Deal

– Crain’s NY Business

Amazon to come to Anable Basin

The Anable Basin was controversial even before Amazon said it would show up. Less than a year ago, City Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, other local pols and various LIC activists were there to protest a plan to turn the strip at 44th Drive at the waterfront into a development that would somehow involve residential and industrial uses altogether. Well — no one cares about that anymore, because Amazon is coming, which is apparently the biggest ~~business~~ story in a while and it’s down the street from my apartment. A memorandum of understanding shows where Amazon plans to set up shop for part of it’s HQ2, and it’s the same area, just south of Con Edison. JVB and Senator Michael Gianaris were initially down with Amazon coming to LIC, but held a protest at the site today saying this was a huge $3 billion giveaway that won’t involve any public review. The mayor says the 25,000 jobs or more promised over a decade is unprecedented and the governor says the return on investment would be nine to one. Continue reading “Amazon to come to Anable Basin”

Maloney wins primary nom for re-election, Ocasio-Cortez takes NY-14

It has been very exciting/interesting to be in Northwest Queens these past few months as young, insurgent challengers for congress have taken on institution-incumbents of the NYC delegation in the Democratic primaries. Here in New York District 12, Carolyn Maloney kept her seat safe from Suraj Patel, whom Corner interviewed in April. But the nation will be thinking about the race in NY-14, which includes Ditmars, Woodside, Sunnyside, Jackson Heights, Corona, College Point, Throgs Neck, Parkchester, Morris Park and City Island – where Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez beat Joe Crowley. (Below: map of NY-12, left, and NY-14, right.)