Sept. 23, 2021 By Christian Murray A developer’s application to upzone a section of 31st Street in Astoria—in order to construct three large residential buildings—was rejected by Community Board 1 Tuesday night. MDM Development, an Astoria-based real estate company, has filed an application with the city to upzone the east side of 31st Street between… Read more »
Sept. 22, 2021 By Allie Griffin The final phase of the Queens Boulevard redesign project will be completed next month, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced at a press conference on Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills Wednesday. The fourth and final phase — from Yellowstone Boulevard to Union Turnpike — will be finished by Oct. 29,… Read more »
Sept. 22, 2021 By Allie Griffin Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other New York Congress members are calling on both the governor and mayor to immediately shut down the Rikers Island jail complex. Ocasio-Cortez and Reps. Jamaal Bowman, Jerry Nadler and Nydia Velázquez penned a letter to Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Bill de Blasio Tuesday… Read more »
Sept. 21, 2021 By Allie Griffin Weill Cornell Medicine opened a new medical practice in Long Island City in a partnership with New York-Presbyterian Monday. The practice, located on the ground floor of The JACX at 28-25 Jackson Ave., aims to provide Queens residents with greater access to physicians within the Manhattan-based institution. The facility… Read more »
Sept. 21, 2021 By Allie Griffin Democratic mayoral nominee Eric Adams wants to convert 25,000 outer-borough hotel rooms into permanent affordable housing. Adams outlined a plan — during a press conference in Sunset Park Monday — for the city to acquire economically distressed hotels in the outer boroughs and convert them into supportive housing. The… Read more »
Sept. 21, 2021 By Michael Dorgan More than 1,000 runners soaked up the warm weather Saturday morning and participated in the sixth annual LIC Waterfront 5K. The event drew participants young and old, with the oldest runners being in their 80s. The children’s dash, held immediately after the 5K, drew more than 150 children, including… Read more »
Sept. 21, 2021 By Allie Griffin The city will require weekly COVID-19 testing of students and staff at public schools beginning next week, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday. The Department of Education will increase testing from biweekly to weekly at all public schools beginning Sept. 27. As such, 10 percent of unvaccinated students will… Read more »
Sept. 20, 2021 By Allie Griffin The New York City Department of Transportation has banned Revel scooters from the Queensboro Bridge, the agency confirmed Monday. The DOT informed the scooter-sharing app that it must end its users’ short-lived access to the bridge following safety concerns. In July, Revel permitted its riders with more than 25… Read more »
Sept. 20, 2021 By Christian Murray Queens Borough President Donovan Richards is hosting a series of town hall meetings throughout the borough with the first one scheduled to take place in Astoria on Wednesday. The meeting this Wednesday is targeted for residents who live in western Queens, where issues pertaining to Astoria, Long Island City,… Read more »
Sept. 20, 201 By Allie Griffin A block in Astoria now bears the name of legendary, Astoria-raised Yankees player Whitey Ford. A stretch of 43rd Street between 34th and 35th Avenues was co-named “Edward Charles ‘Whitey’ Ford Way” at a ceremony hosted by Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer Saturday. The Yankees pitcher, who died nearly… Read more »