Long Island City

Long Island City, often called LIC, is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It is located near the East River and is next to Astoria to the north, Sunnyside to the east, and Greenpoint, Brooklyn to the south. The area is named for its place on the western tip of Long Island.

Long Island City has a rich history. It was officially made a city in 1870 and was once the main government area for the Town of Newtown. In 1898, it became a part of the larger City of Greater New York. Today, Long Island City is known for its many parks along the water, its growing number of homes, and its strong community of artists. The area has many art galleries, places for artists to work, and cultural spots.

One of the most famous landmarks in Long Island City is the end of the Queensboro Bridge, which connects Queens to Manhattan without any fees. Near the bridge are the Queensbridge Houses, a large housing area managed by the New York City Housing Authority. Long Island City is divided into two community areas and is watched over by the New York City Police Department's 108th Precinct. It is also part of the New York City Council's 26th District.

History

Long Island City became an official city on May 4, 1870, when several smaller areas joined together. At that time, about 12,000 to 15,000 people lived there. The city had its own mayor and a group of leaders called the Board of Aldermen who helped make decisions.

In 1898, Long Island City joined New York City. Even though it is no longer its own city, it still has its own special postal codes and a historic post office. Over the years, many new buildings and homes were added, especially in the 1990s and 2010s, making it a busy and growing neighborhood.

Some important places in Long Island City, like the Queensboro Bridge and old train stations, are protected as historic landmarks.

Demographics

Based on data from the 2010 United States census, Long Island City had a population of about 20,000 people. The neighborhood covers a bit more than half a square mile, so many people live close together.

People in Long Island City come from many different backgrounds. Some are White, some are African American, Asian, and others are Hispanic or Latino. In recent years, many new people from Asia have moved to the area, including Chinese, Bengalis, Koreans, and Japanese families. This has made the neighborhood more diverse and vibrant.

Long Island City is divided into two parts for community planning. The northern part has a bit fewer people and a lower median income, while the southern part is wealthier. Both areas have longer average lifespans than the rest of New York City.

Commerce and economy

Long Island City was once home to many factories and bakeries, some of which now serve new purposes. For example, the former Silvercup bakery is now Silvercup Studios, where popular TV shows like 30 Rock and Sex and the City were made. The Sunshine Bakery now houses LaGuardia Community College. Other old factories have been turned into museums, offices, and homes.

Today, Long Island City is home to many companies. It has the largest fortune cookie factory in the United States, making four million cookies each day. The area also hosts JetBlue Airways’ headquarters and was once planned to be a home for Amazon’s HQ2, though those plans were later changed.

Subsections

In 1870, several villages such as Astoria, Ravenswood, Hunters Point, Dutch Kills, Middletown, Sunnyside, Blissville, and Bowery Bay became part of Long Island City.

Dutch Kills

Dutch Kills was a small area named for its waterway that is now Queens Plaza. During the American Revolutionary War, it was a key spot and had soldiers staying there from 1776 to 1783. In the 1800s, farms were common here. Changes to the waterways at the end of that century helped the area grow with factories and jobs until around the middle of the last century. Today, the area is changing again with new homes and businesses.

Blissville

Blissville, with ZIP Code 11101, is a part of Long Island City. It is located near Calvary Cemetery, the Long Island Expressway, Newtown Creek, and Dutch Kills. It was named after Neziah Bliss, who owned much of the land in the 1830s and 1840s. He built the first version of a special bridge called the Blissville Bridge, connecting to Greenpoint, Brooklyn. This bridge was later replaced by the Greenpoint Avenue Bridge. Blissville was a small village until it joined Long Island City in 1870. It used to have many factories, and today it has a small park called The Blissville Veterans Memorial.

Hunters Point

Hunters Point is in the southern part of Long Island City, close to Newtown Creek. It was named in 1825 after a British sea captain named George Hunter, whose family farmed the land.

It has a special area called the Hunters Point Historic District, which includes 19 old buildings along 45th Avenue between 21st and 23rd Streets. These buildings were made in the late 1800s. The district was officially recognized in 1968 and added to a special list of important places in the United States in 1973. Today, there are new neighborhoods called Queens West and Hunter's Point South near the water.

Arts and culture

Long Island City has a lively arts community. It was once home to 5 Pointz, a building where artists painted beautiful murals. Sadly, it was painted over and torn down, but new rental towers named 5Pointz opened in 2021.

There are many art places to visit here. The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Museum, opened in 1985 by artist Isamu Noguchi, shows his wonderful sculptures. MoMA PS1, a part of the Museum of Modern Art, is a big center for modern art. SculptureCenter moved to Long Island City in 2002 and shows new and exciting sculptures. Socrates Sculpture Park is an outdoor space where people can enjoy sculptures close to the Noguchi Museum.

Police and crime

Woodside, Sunnyside, and Long Island City are watched over by the 108th Precinct of the NYPD, based at 5-47 50th Avenue. In 2010, this area was considered the 25th safest out of 69 areas in the city for crime rates. By 2018, the number of serious crimes in Sunnyside and Woodside was lower than in the city overall. The area also had fewer people in jail compared to the rest of the city.

Crime in the 108th Precinct has dropped a lot since the 1990s. From 1990 to 2018, crime went down by 88.2%. In 2018, the precinct reported cases including theft and other property crimes, but numbers for serious crimes like violence were low.

Fire safety

Long Island City has fire stations to keep people safe. These stations are part of the New York City Fire Department.

The fire stations in Long Island City are:

• Engine Company 258/Ladder Company 115 – 10-40 47th Avenue
• Engine Company 259/Ladder Company 128/Battalion 45 – 33-51 Greenpoint Avenue

In the past, there was another fire station called Engine Company 261/Ladder Company 116 at 37-20 29th Street, but it closed in 2003.

Health

In Long Island City, some areas have more babies born too early compared to other parts of New York City, while teenage births are less common. Many people in Long Island City do not have health insurance.

The air in Long Island City contains small particles that can be harmful. Some residents smoke, and a few have health conditions like being overweight, diabetes, or high blood pressure. Most people in Long Island City eat fruits and vegetables daily and say their health is good.

The closest big hospitals are Elmhurst Hospital Center in Elmhurst and Mount Sinai Hospital of Queens in Astoria.

Post office and ZIP Code

Long Island City uses ZIP Code 11101. The United States Post Office runs the Long Island City Station at 46-02 21st Street.

Education

Long Island City has more people with college educations than most of New York City. In some parts of the area, about half of the adults have gone to college or beyond. Schools in Long Island City show improvement over time in math and reading skills.

Many schools serve the area, from elementary to high school levels, and there are also special programs in some high schools. Several colleges and universities have buildings or campuses in Long Island City. The Queens Public Library has two branches here, offering many books and special spaces for different age groups.

Parks and recreation

Long Island City has many beautiful parks near the water. Some of these parks include Gantry Plaza State Park, which sits along the East River between Anable Basin and 50th Avenue. Hunters Point South Park is another park along the East River near Newtown Creek. Malt Drive Park is a smaller park just south of Hunters Point South Park, featuring native plants and a gentle slope toward the creek.

Other parks in the area include Andrews Grove, Bridge and Tunnel Park, and Murray Playground. There is also City Ice Pavilion, an ice skating rink with lots of space for skating, and Hunters Point Community Park, a long, narrow park located along 48th Avenue.

Transportation

Long Island City has many ways to get around by train, bus, and even ferry. The New York City Subway has several stops in the area, including stations for different train lines.

Buses also serve the neighborhood, connecting Long Island City to many places such as Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan, Glendale, East Midtown, and Jamaica.

The Long Island Rail Road has two stations here, and a big project called East Side Access finished in 2023, making it easier for train riders to reach Manhattan.

In the summer, there used to be a special beach called Water Taxi Beach, but it closed in 2011. Ferries also run along the East River, stopping at places like Hunters Point South and Gantry Plaza State Park.

There are plans for a new light rail system called the Brooklyn–Queens Connector, but it won't open until at least 2029.

Cars can enter Long Island City using bridges and tunnels, and there are several important roads to explore.

Notable people

Many famous people were born, raised, or lived in Long Island City. Seven players from Major League Baseball were born there, including Billy Loes, who played for teams like the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Queensbridge Houses, a famous housing area, was home to well-known music makers such as Nas and Mobb Deep.

Other important people from Long Island City include Jane Bolin, the first Black woman to become a judge in the United States, and Levy Rozman, a chess master known for teaching online. The neighborhood has also been home to artists, writers, and athletes from many different fields.