An influx of artists searching for more affordable residences and studio spaces helped transform Long Island City from a waning industrial area to a now-thriving neighborhood.
Today, the giant Pepsi-Cola sign that once topped a bottling plant is a centerpiece of Gantry Plaza State Park and a favorite spot for selfies; the former Silvercup Bakery building is now Silvercup Studios, where productions as diverse as Only Murders in the Building and Succession have filmed. Kids can take arts and crafts classes at Playday or participate in robotics and STEM programs at Snapology. Adults can imbibe craft beers while bowling at the Gutter or competing in trivia nights at Gamehaus. (In fact, if you’re a beer-lover, be sure to check out the six breweries that make up the two-mile-long LIC Brewery Trail.) And just about everyone can explore artworks and performances at MoMA PS1, enjoy skating at City Ice Pavilion year-round, and savor strolls along LIC’s East River waterfront.
Gantry Plaza 2 credit_ On the Grid
Pepsi-Cola sign credit_ MusikAnimal_Wikimedia
Silvercup credit_ CaptJayRuffins_Wikimedia
On a practical note, Long Island City has stores and restaurants galore, and it’s impressively well connected to the rest of New York City. In addition to multiple subway lines and bus routes, you can walk or bike (or drive, of course) across the Queensborough Bridge into Midtown Manhattan. Perhaps best of all, you can hop on a ferry at Hunter’s Point South Park and get off at East 34th Street 10 minutes later or arrive in Dumbo within 45 minutes—if you can tear yourself away from LIC, that is.
Lifestyle 1 credit_ Hunters Point Parks Conservancy
Lifestyle 2 credit_ Michelle Rick_NYC & Company
Court Square Diner credit_ Court Square Diner
East River Ferry credit_ Inhabitant
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