Just east of Queens Plaza, is a two-story building purchased by a Queens family for $3.8 million, who plan to replace it with a three-story, 60-room hotel.
The building, on a 10,000-square-foot corner lot in Long Island City, located at 32-47 Queens Boulevard, was purchased by the Chen family, owner and operator of two Flushing hotels, who closed the deal on Tuesday, October 7, said Stephen Preuss, a director of sales at the Queens office of Massey Knakal Realty Services, who brokered the deal.
The Real Deal reported that the 14,375-square-foot building was previously occupied by a scaffolding supply company, Scaffolding Solutions, who were principals in the scaffold business. Nearby is the future home of two boutique hotels and a budget hotel.
Despite its slightly isolated location, the new hotel will be right across from the 33 Street/Rawson Street stop on the No. 7 train. Only two blocks west of the Chen site, stands a Days Inn, located at 31-36 Queens Boulevard. East of the Sunnyside rail yards, the inn is operated by real estate developer Sam Chang, chairperson of the McSam Hotel Group, who launched the inn last year, far from the heart of Long Island City’s business district.
The Chens “are looking to capitalize on the growth of Long Island City and Astoria and catch some of the crowd that doesn’t want to pay $300 to $400 a night in Manhattan,” Preuss said. Although they have not yet filed demolition or new building plans with the city, it is expected that demolition will take place within the next six to 12 months, Preuss said. The family will own and operate the hotel, which will likely offer limited services, he noted, but there is no assuring what services will be included.
