TWELVEYEARSAGO
, Imoved toaNew
YorkCityneighborhoodabundant in fac-
toriesandwarehouses, somestillchurning
outmanufacturedgoodsandotherssitting
idleandbearing for-salesigns.Since then,
LongIslandCityhasbeen transformed.
Real-estatedevelopershavesnappedup
primeproperties.High-endapartment
blocks,hotelsandretailersarecrowding
out traditional industries.Theword
fash-
ionable
isbeingused.
Locationhasa lottodowith it.Long
IslandCity—LIC forshort—overlooks
Manhattan’sskyscrapersandboastsaone-
stopsubwaycommutetoGrandCentral
Station.Twomorestopsonthesametrain
(No.7) landsyou inTimesSquare.Youcan
alsotaketheEastRiverFerrytoMidtown
Manhattan,WallStreetorpartsofBrooklyn.
Assuming, that is, thatyouwantto leave
theneighborhood.Anothertransformation
inLongIslandCity istheproliferationof
thingstoseeanddo.Here’sasampling.
1
ITAIN’TCENTRALPARK,BUT…
GANTRYPLAZASTATEPARK
Tucked away from the urban hustle, Gantry
Plaza State Park spans 12 acres along the East
River. Skyline views offer unrivaled photo
ops ofManhattan— particularly at sunset
and after dark. Meanwhile, it’s hard tomiss
the iconic 147-foot neon Pepsi-Cola sign on
this side of the river. It once sat atop Pepsi’s
bottling plant here and remains amuch-loved
relic of LIC’s industrial past. Other attractions
include four piers (one permits fishing), a
mist fountain and two playgrounds, as well as
basketball and handball courts. Its focal points
are the namesake frame structures— restored
gantries, built for loading and unloading
rail-car floats and barges when industry was in
full swing. Outdoor concerts andmovies are
warm-weather favorites.
Nysparks.com/parks/149
2
SHOPANDSIP
LICFLEA&FOOD
LIC Flea & Food begins its fourth season
thismonth. The outdoor market, held on
Saturdays and Sundays, fills an entire parking
lot, where vendors sell new and old clothing
and jewelry, vintage furniture, funky decor and
freshly prepared foods. If shopping’s not for
you, catch livemusic at the beer garden or
take advantage of the waterfront location by
kayaking or joining a free paddle tripwith the
LICCommunity Boathouse.
Licflea.com
MAPS
&
LEGENDS
Onceamajor
manufacturinghub,
Queens’LongIsland
Cityhasbecomeone
ofNewYork’srising
neighborhoods
Industrial
Revolution
38
APRIL2016
AMERICANWAY
I LLUSTRAT ION
SCOTT CHAMBERS
