Queens Plaza Improvements Unveiled
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg helped officially open last Wednesday, Apr. 4, the new 200,000-square-foot headquarters of JetBlue Airways in the historic Brewster Building in Long Island City.
The new office consolidates Jet- Blue’s regional corporate facilities, expands its footprint in New York City and demonstrates the economic revitalization of Long Island City. JetBlue’s move to Long Island City was announced in 2010 after New York City won a multi-year competitive review process among cities nationwide.
Bloomberg also marked the completion of the larger $45 million roadway, pedestrian, and bicycle improvement project that has transformed the primary entry point into Queens. The city received more than 600 submissions for its contest to name the new 1.5-acre open space in Queens Plaza, and Bloomberg announced the winning name. Dutch Kills Green, submitted by both Harry Charalambides and James Stark, was chosen by a panel made up of city and community representatives.
The mayor was joined at Queens Plaza North and the new office by JetBlue CEO Dave Barger, Sen. Charles E. Schumer, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, State Sen. Michael Gianaris, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, City Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, Port Authority Executive Director Patrick J. Foye, New York City Economic Development Corporation President Seth W. Pinsky, Department of Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe and Department of City Planning Commissioner Amanda Burden.
“JetBlue has played a huge role in making New York City the nation’s number one travel destination,” said Bloomberg. “The many reasons why people come to New York as tourists on JetBlue planes also are good reasons why Jet Blue is expanding its corporate headquarters here. We couldn’t be prouder that JetBlue has cast a major vote of confidence in Long Island City as a great place to do business.”
JetBlue’s new headquarters combine its former Forest Hills office where more than 900 crewmembers and business partners worked, with its Darien, Conn. office where approximately 70 crewmembers worked. JetBlue’s crewmembers from Darien, who provide transactional financial support for the airline, now work alongside colleagues in Long Island City, bringing 70 jobs to the Empire State. The Brewster Building is owned by Brause Realty, a New York City-based real estate company.
The airline is subleasing the space from MetLife, who will continue to maintain a presence at the location. The Brewster Building has a proud aviation history. It was built in 1911 and is where the Brewster Aeronautical Company manufactured the Brewster F2A, also known as The Brewster Buffalo, the first monoplane fighter airplane used by the U.S. Navy in World War II.
The Queens Plaza enhancement project, which broke ground in 2009, includes improvements to the pedestrian and bicyclist environment as well as traffic flow, offering a respite for commuters, workers, residents and cyclists serving an exciting and evolving mixed-use neighborhood. The project area extends along Queens Plaza North and Queens Plaza South from Northern Boulevard /Queens Plaza East west to 21st Street.
This newly finished and reimagined gateway to Queens was made possible by $25 million in city funds and $20 million in federal funding through Rep. Maloney. The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation will maintain the park, median and streetscape improvements with funding provided by the Long Island City Partnership, NYCEDC, and Met Life.
The open space is formally sponsored by MetLife for the next 10 years. Margie Ruddick, Marpillero Pollak Architects, Michael Singer Studio were the principal designers of the project, whose design was overseen by the Department of City Planning and the NYCEDC.
