NYC & COMPANY ENCOURAGES NEW YORKERS AND VISITORS TO EXPLORE LONG ISLAND CITY IN QUEENS AS PART OF NEIGHBORHOOD X NEIGHBORHOOD

10/2/13


NYC & COMPANY ENCOURAGES NEW YORKERS AND VISITORS TO EXPLORE LONG ISLAND CITY IN QUEENS AS PART OF
NEIGHBORHOOD X NEIGHBOROOD 


—Recent Hotel Development in Queens Spurs Tourism Industry Growth in Long Island City—


New York City (October 2, 2013) — NYC & Company, New York City’s official marketing, tourism and partnership organization, today announced Long Island City, Queens, as the next destination to be featured in Neighborhood x Neighborhood, an initiative designed to increase visitation, support local businesses and encourage exploration in areas outside traditional tourist locations across the five boroughs. With recent hotel development in Queens and Long Island City in particular, the flourishing neighborhood has transformed into an appealing destination attracting both New Yorkers and visitors. For more information about Long Island City, please visit nycgo.com/neighborhoods.


“With Long Island City’s recent hotel development, there is even more reason to visit and stay longer in the burgeoning Queens neighborhood,” said George Fertitta, CEO of NYC & Company. “Over the past several years, Long Island City has transformed from a manufacturing hub into a must-visit tourist destination with new hotels, contemporary cultural institutions, innovative restaurants and notable retail shops.”


“The emergence of Long Island City as such a vibrant destination for new residents, visitors and businesses is rooted in the neighborhood’s artists and cultural organizations,” said Cultural Affairs Deputy Commissioner Margaret Morton. “From the cutting edge exhibitions at MoMA PS1, Dorsky Gallery, and Socrates Sculpture Park, to performances at Thalia Spanish Theater, the Chocolate Factory and La Guardia Performing Arts Center, Long Island City’s diverse cultural presenters and artists provide ample reasons for visitors to check out the neighborhood’s art scene – and maybe even join the wave of newcomers.”


In the past six years, Queens was the recipient of the largest share of hotel development outside Manhattan with 21% of the new properties. Long Island City in particular has experienced significant hotel growth with 15 new hotels open for business since 2006 and another 6 hotels in the pipeline. Below are a few Long Island City hotel options for visitors wishing to stay the night in the neighborhood:








  • The

    Fairfield Inn New York Long Island City/Manhattan View

    is an affordable hotel option with expansive skyline views across the East River. The hotel offers guests spacious rooms, high-speed Internet access, continental breakfast and shuttle service to the nearby subway for convenient access to Manhattan.


  • The 16-story high-rise

    Holiday Inn Manhattan View – Long Island City

    has breathtaking views from its more than 130 rooms, a complimentary fitness center and full-service restaurant, Rio Grande, that serves delicious authentic Brazilian cuisine.


  • The new and modern

    Nesva Hotel

    is conveniently located near popular Long Island City attractions. Guests can enjoy a relaxing lobby garden and private balconies off select rooms.


  • A short walk from many of Long Island City’s attractions, including Gantry Park,

    Wyndham Garden Long Island City/Manhattan View

    is a recently renovated hotel with generous views of the Manhattan skyline. Additional features include spacious rooms, a fitness center, a full-service restaurant and a free shuttle to nearly anywhere in Long Island City.


  • A full-service boutique hotel, the

    Z NYC Hotel

    ’s four-star property offers sweeping skyline views. Hotel features include a tapas restaurant and lounge, a trendy rooftop bar with DJs and live music, and a free shuttle service every hour to and from Bloomingdale’s on 59th Street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan.


Cultural Organizations:









  • The Obie Award–winning

    Chocolate Factory Theater

    is an interdisciplinary experimental performance theater with shows and events that emphasize visual storytelling and connect artist and audience throughout the year. The 5,000-square-foot theater produces work by the company’s founding artists in addition to more than 100 visiting artists each year.


  • The

    Dorsky Gallery Curatorial Programs

    provides independent curators space for their projects and showcases contemporary visual art. The current exhibition,

    Artists’ Walks: The Persistence of Peripateticism

    , is on display through November 17.


  • Located in an old greeting card factory,

    Flux Factory

    is a multiuse artist collective that provides studios and exhibition space. Throughout the year, New Yorkers and visitors can enjoy open studios, lectures, film screenings, receptions and more.


  • Presenting a wide variety of experimental exhibitions, performances and events,

    MoMA PS1

    , partner of the Museum of Modern Art, displays emerging and contemporary artists. Visitors and New Yorkers can look forward to the upcoming Mike Kelley exhibition, highlighting more than 200 of his innovative and reflective pieces.


  • With the largest collection of Isamu Noguchi artwork in the world,

    The Noguchi Museum

    , designed by the acclaimed 20th-century sculptor himself, incorporates multimedia sculptures, architectural models, stage designs, drawings, furniture and more. Additional exhibitions display art by Noguchi-inspired artists.


  • Once an abandoned landfill,

    Socrates Sculpture Park

    is now an outdoor museum and park, featuring large-scale sculptures and multimedia designs. The park also offers a variety of arts education courses for children, teens and adults, free outdoor performances and areas for picnicking and relaxing with a great riverfront view.


Dining and Nightlife:









  • Located along the East River with views of Manhattan,

    Water’s Edge Restaurant

    is a favorite spot of food enthusiasts. Highlights of its seafood-heavy menu include snapper ceviche, pan-seared Chilean sea bass and jumbo crab cakes.


  • MoMA PS1’s restaurant,

    M. Wells Dinette,

    offers an ever-changing menu, with options including foie gras bread pudding, veal cheek stroganoff and pumpkin tres leches. The communal, cafeteria-style dining room is inspired by the building’s former use as a public school.


  • The recently renovated

    Sweetleaf Coffee & Espresso Bar

    serves a variety of fresh coffees from places such as Guatemala, Colombia, Brazil and Indonesia. Homemade sweets like blueberry streusel coffee cake and pepper, pear, goat cheese scones complement the specialty brews.


  • With wooden booths, jazz and cocktails made with hand-shaved ice,

    Dutch Kills Bar

    will transport guests to the 1890s. Specialty cocktails include a Moscow Mule (fresh lime juice, house-made ginger syrup and vodka) and a Native New Yorker (rye whiskey, bonded applejack, fresh lemon juice, house-made orgeat, Angostura bitters and freshly grated cinnamon).


  • For an authentic French bistro experience, New Yorkers from all five boroughs head to

    Tournesol

    . Owned by a French expatriate, Tournesol serves French onion soup and steak frites along with niçoise salad and foie gras.


  • Manducatis’

    fresh and authentic Italian cuisine not only earns praise from Queens residents but also from famed musician Tony Bennett. The inviting family atmosphere and menu, featuring homemade pastas such as manicotti, cannelloni and ricotta gnocchi, make Manducatis a must-visit in Long Island City.


Retail and Markets:






  • No visit to Long Island City is complete without stopping by

    LIC Flea & Food

    , Queens’ largest outdoor artisan market. On Saturdays and Sundays, visitors can sample culinary treats and shop for unique finds, with views of Manhattan just across the river.


  • The

    QNS Urban MKT

    , a local flea market at the historic Standard Motors Building, is set to open on October 19 and will include food and artisanal treasures, including furniture, art and jewelry.


  • For over 30 years, Roger Sadowsky has been making high-end guitars and basses. At the Long Island City store and factory,

    Sadowsky Guitars

    , visitors can purchase instruments, as well as see the workshop where they’re made by hand.


New York City is made up of five distinct boroughs: Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island. The Neighborhood x Neighborhood initiative intends to spotlight the affordability and accessibility of neighborhoods across the five boroughs with a particular emphasis on areas that have seen new hotel development in recent years. Neighborhoods and featured highlights were chosen in collaboration with City Council officials, Department of Cultural Affairs, NYC Small Business Services, business development districts, community leaders and with consideration of NYC & Company’s more than 2,000 members.


For more information about Long Island City and other things to see and do in Queens, visit nycgo.com/neighborhoods. To read the monthly Neighborhood x Neighborhood press releases and to view B-roll and photos of neighborhood highlights, visit nycgo.com/pressphotos. Follow @nycgo_press on Twitter for the latest information about New York City travel and tourism.



















About NYC & Company:



NYC & Company is the official marketing, tourism and partnership organization for the City of New York, dedicated to maximizing travel and tourism opportunities throughout the five boroughs, building economic prosperity and spreading the positive image of New York City worldwide. For more information, visit nycgo.com.



 



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NYC & Company/ Emily Mayrath 212-484-1270