What is it about Queens?
I was born and raised on the Upper East Side, and my office, not to mention most of my business, is centered in Manhattan. But when my family started expanding and the need for more space in a relaxed atmosphere pressed upon me I moved out to Long Island City, about 15 years ago. Now, two children and one divorce later, there’s no turning back; for me the diversity, the culture, and the ease of this fine borough is something I won’t give up.
I’ve taken some of my foodie friends on gastronomic tours (as if you could see or taste everything Queens offers in a day) and I’ve brought many cultural-vulture friends to our local museums PS1 and the Noguchi, but if you love New York – get out the car next time you’re coming in from the airport! At least stop off for lunch at any of the amazing ethnic restaurants along the Roosevelt Avenue corridor, between Woodside and Jackson Heights, right near the BQE.
Truly, Queens is The Forgotten Borough, and its exotic charms are there for your discovery – in the riverside parks of Long Island City, with the best city views in the world; in the Hookah cafés along Steinway Street; the dumpling parlors of Flushing, and the beer gardens of Astoria. It’s the most diverse place on Earth, and also one of the most harmonious.
I have a new listing, a studio apartment right there in the neighborhood I’m described above, and it will be very interesting to see who will step up for this remarkable opportunity: approximately 500 square feet, with six different subway lines within a three minute walk, and a 20 minute ride to Lexington and 51st Street. That’s closer than parts of the Upper West Side! The asking price is $89,000, and the maintenance is $352 a month – that’s under $200 per square foot, depending how you measure the space. It’s a well-run, six story, elevatored coop building with available parking (there’s a waiting list) and a laundry room. Here’s a link with pictures, a floorplan, and more information: http://www.warburgrealty.com/property/678793
If you do come out to see it, don’t eat lunch beforehand and ask me for a recommendation – it might be a pushcart on 74th Street, but I guarantee it won’t disappoint.