The Collective Paper Factory, a hotel located at 37-06 36th St., will soon serve as a location to house economic migrants (Photo: Google Maps)
Aug. 10, 2023 By Michael Dorgan
A four-star hotel in Long Island City will soon serve as a location to house economic migrants, sources tell the Queens/LIC Post.
The Collective Paper Factory, a hotel located at 37-06 36th St., is understood to have closed last week and work is underway to convert it into a Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center, a shelter for economic migrants, according to sources familiar with the plan.
When operating as a hotel, the premises boasted 125 guest rooms, communal spaces, a gym, several meeting rooms, and a bar/restaurant on the ground floor.
It is unclear how many people will be housed at the 5-story facility as the city continues to struggle to cope with an unprecedented surge of migrants. Nearly 100,000 migrants have come through the city’s intake system since the spring of 2022 and the revised cost to the taxpayer is now expected to hit $12 billion by the summer of 2025.
The mayor’s office did not respond to an email request from the Queens/LIC Post seeking to confirm news about the shelter opening at The Collective Paper Factory. However, a woman at the hotel said via phone on Thursday, Aug. 10, that the hotel will soon be housing the migrants, in addition to other sources.
A spokesperson for Councilwoman Julie Won, who represents District 26 — which covers Long Island City, Sunnyside, Woodside and parts of Astoria — did not say if her office had been informed of the plans. The spokesperson said that throughout the migrant crisis, the city has not notified elected officials before commercial hotel shelter sites opened in their respective districts.
District 26 already has more than 30 shelters currently accommodating migrants, Won’s spokesperson said. For instance, in February, the Wingate by Wyndham, a three-star hotel located at 38-70 12th St., was converted into a shelter for migrants.
An image of a room inside the hotel (Photo posted to Facebook in 2021)
An image of a room inside the hotel (Photo posted to Facebook in 2020)
Meanwhile, the city is constructing a tent city at Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in Queens Village that will house 1,000 single male migrants, while 2,000 migrants are set to be housed at a tent city at Randall’s Island.
Earlier Thursday, Won joined U.S. Rep. Nydia Velasquez and representatives from the New York Congressional Delegation to tour the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan, which is being used to house hundreds of economic migrants.
News of the migrant shelter opening at the Collective Paper Factory hotel is not being well received by local stakeholders.
Michael Cohen, a local businessman and property owner said he is disappointed with the plans and said constituents were not consulted on the decision. Cohen owns a number of properties in the neighborhood, including an 85-unit rent-stabilized apartment building adjacent to the Collective Paper Factory that has a Mercedes Benz car dealership on its ground floor.
Cohen said that the community has worked hard for years to transform the area into a vibrant neighborhood that is now a very desirable place to live and work.
“This use of this building is taking the neighborhood in exactly the opposite direction, given all the time, energy, zoning changes, and financial investments put into it, including from the city,” Cohen said. “I’m appalled by this action from this city because it is contrary to everything that has happened to the area in the last 15 years.”
The Collective Paper Factory Hotel (Photo: Google Maps)
Cohen said that the opening of the shelter will not be good for the local economy.
“Many many millions of dollars have been committed to this area and I think any reasonable business person or real estate developer would have to reconsider their investments in the area.”
He called on the city to expedite work permits for the migrants so that they are not loitering around the neighborhood.
“Where I agree with the mayor is that the first step in a solution is allowing these people to work,” Cohen said. “To have them sit on the sidewalk all day is helping no one, it’s not helping the migrants and, it’s not helping the community.”
This story has been updated. A spokesperson for Council Member Julie Won initially told the Queens Post in error that elected officials were given no more than one or two days notice before commercial hotel shelter sites opened in their respective districts. Won’s office asked to correct their initial comment.
The Collective Paper Factory Hotel, pictured, will soon serve as a location to house economic migrants (Photo: Google Maps)
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38 Comments
My rent went up $600 a month. My parking went from $350 to $700. I got punched in the head by a stranger on the subway. I feel trapped in this city right now. I am looking for an exit plan and can’t wait to leave the city I have loved for 27 years.
NYC is .NOT thz greatest coty in the world as People claim.
Maybe in rthe past but no longer. NYC ISNOT SAFE OR AFFORDABLE ANYMORE. A 3RD WORLD CITY NOW. CITIIZENS GET Little, illegals get everything. DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS RUINED NYC.. RZMEM ER NO BAIL LAW ALSO THEY VOTED FOR.
Keep voting for Democratic
Socialists and more Iillegals will come in to .now 3fd worldNYC and the USA. The taxpayers are paying heavily for it too !
I always chuckle when I see people posting “send them back.” Do they not realize that this migration is intentionally allowed and encouraged by the US government? In fact, the US governmenr actually provides resources for migrants to cross the treacherous Darien Gap. Your government isn’t sending anyone back since they are the ones that allow and make this all possoble in the first place. And it looks like it’s not going to stop any time soon.
Thank Joe BIIDEN for oopenung the border
You voted for this. Always remember. Never forget.
Ms. Won:
The creation and handling of this asylum fiasco by you and the other Democratic representatives from the Mayor to Nidia Vasquez and other City and State Representatives is nothing short of irresponsible and flat out, an incompetent disgrace. This issue was and continues to be way over your head. The fact that the Mayors office went down to Texas and invited this catastrophe and dumped it on our streets putting it on the laps of NYC residents was irresponsible, reckless and foolish. If you and the others wanted to be international superstars then you should be working for the United Nations. Your job as a district council member is to address issues concerning our district not funnel billions of dollars from our communities and services.
As a life long Sunnnyside resident (4th generation ) and 7th generation Democrat, it sickens me that I had faith in you and the others mentioned and voted you into office. Never again. My affiliation with all involved is over. The lot of you are beyond naive and incompetent, you are outright detrimental to our city , just take a walk down Queens Blvd and take a look at your disgrace.
Blame Democrats
SO CALLED PROGRESSIVE DEMS
Pass by any of these places and all you see is dudes lounging around on their phones or drinking beers and playing music. What exactly is the point of Biden’s government encouraging and allowing this on a massive scale? It’s already starting to look like it in certain parts of the city but soon this will become the biggest third world country on Earth. All brought to you by the Democrats and furthered along by the spineless RINOs.
$12 billion could buy a lot of one way tickets back to wherever these people came from. Send the immigration lawyers along with them.
My home town — Astoria, New York — is dying. And of course the entire City is now in jeopardy. The issues extend far beyond “economic migration” though illegal migrants are front and center in the moment and clearly ground zero for examination and resolution. Very sadly, many New Yorkers don’t seem to get it. Either for determined ignorance or avoidance. It’s been a glacial process. A drip drip drip that did not have to be. And it makes me sad.
Astoria has become ground zero for the abysmal Democratic Socialists who are really communists who want our society destroyed. They favor defunding the police and wide open borders. Yet some of them have security details although they hate the cops and law and order. This is an INVASION and it will not end until Mayorcas is forced to resign and take his boss, Biden, with him. New York is only getting a taste of what goes on in border cities.
I can’t believe this. I’m all for helping these asylum seekers but I didn’t want them in my area. Can’t we let them live on the outskirts of Staten Island? They have so much room over there. And I’m sure the fine folks of Staten Island would love to have them.
Np borough wants them.
Deport them all.
Most of them asylum claims are fake. The only true claims are Ukraine and Haiti. Ukraine because of the Russians and Haiti because its corrupt government. I reside in Astoria. I’ve been here twenty-five years. Most of my life I was a Democrat. Today, I’m a registered Republican because of the illegal immigrants. Democrats love it.
Thanks DEMOCRATIIC SOCIALISTS. BIDEN. HOCHUL
ADAMS AOC SCHUMER. CITY COUNCIL. ALBANY LEGISLATURE .TAXPAYERS FOOTING TJE BILL AGAIN..
3RD WORLD CITY NOW.
Wondering, where are the thousands of migrants going to work and will they make enough to pay for an apartment and all other expenses on their own and are there that many affordable low income apartments available – and if they are, then whey are we getting any ?
I am shocked and disgusted to read this article. I work everyday trying to get homeless Veterans a place to live. This action is a spit in the face to all those military Veterans who are returning home and then thrown into the streets. Yet, you will find a way to house illegal immigrants in a hotel, but allow our own Veterans to be homeless. New York you’re a disgrace to our great Republic!
NY and Calif is a joke.
NY and Calif is a joke.
Democrtic Somcialists
Are to blame.
MRLIC- Compared to Arkansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama, Indiana and West Virginia, New York and California wealthier, healthier and safer. Do a little traveling and research.
@MSgt. I am totally against these so called asylum seekers and the mayor and all who support this betrayal of the public trust and outright criminal act by these progressives but I don’t need false hype like the one you’re posting to make my case. Veterans are not being denied and your post should be removed as inflammatory and untrue. This false outrage was proven to be a lie up in Rockland County months ago.
Send them back, why should my tax dollars pay for them. I can barely scrape by as it is, working 60 hours a week. Let’s help people who are residents who have fallen on hard times.
What is an “Economic Migrant”
Economic Migrants? Is That The Demorats Party Members Way Of Describing Illegal Aliens That Have Invaded The USA ???
All of this is being done to house all of these homeless migrants who were shipped into NY. Im more concerned with what is being done to house the homeless American citizens who are already wandering the streets. All of our homeless Vets, Familys, LGBTQ & teen runaways. So many homeless & hungry american people. Why arent we doing more to take care of our own first?
They’re using the “economic migrant” label because they are not political refugees. It’s only accurate from the standpoint that the only reason they have come here is to collect all the Leftist freebies. It would be more accurate to label them illegal opportunist migrants.
So “economic migrants” is what we’re calling “immigrants who avoided legal border crossings” now?
So now illegal immigrants invading our country are ‘economic migrants’. Give me a break!
Send them back to wherever they’re from and put them in a hotel there
Completely disgusting – very destructive to LIC/Astoria’s development.
New York has gone to hell!
Horrible how a great city is getting totally ruined!!! Trump is the only hope to help our
economy and kick these
ILLEGALS out!!!!
Trump is also a criminal. These people should be voted out but not replaced with the likes of the Trump crime family and his treasonous accomplices.
I must say that I am both shocked and impresssed that a corporate left-leaning mainstream media outlet like Schneps allowed an honest piece like this to be published. This is the first tine I have seen a traditional media outlet refer to the migrants exactly as they are. They are economic migrants, not “asylum seekers” or refugees fleeing war. Even the NY Post uses the asylum seeker nonsense term. Kudos to Schneps on this one. That said, for our goverment to be intentionally importing millions of illiterate or semi-literate no-skills migrants from third world nations through extraction migration is an absolute disgrace and we will pay a heavy price for having allowed this to happen. Import the third world, become the third world.
As long as they vote Dem, our local and state politicians could care less. New York you get what you deserve, keep voting Democratic.
I hope you went to one the Republican strongholds like Tennessee, Louisiana, West Virginia, Indiana, Alabama or Oklahoma. According to insurance matrix and FBI, highest in crime. According to US Census lowest wages snd highest in poverty. According to AMA worst in health and health care access.
I find it interesting that one of the illegal immigrants (or “economic migrants”) admitted to having paid smugglers $5,000 to come here. I know citizens who do not have $5,000 in the bank so it seems like some of these people were actually doing rather well in their own countries! I guess they came for the free room and board and cool phones. We are being played BUT GOOD.