Long Island City is synonymous with many things, including new developments, flourishing businesses, breathtaking views and arts and culture. But many wonder “what’s next” for this popular Queens neighborhood.
Civic and business leaders, elected officials and other speakers gathered at the Museum of the Moving Image to discuss the future of Long Island City at the fifth annual LIC Summit. The June 19 event was hosted by Long Island City Partnership, with co-hosts Modern Spaces and The Queens Courier and QNS.com.
The event’s keynote panel was called “America’s Fastest Growing Neighborhood: What’s Next?” and was led by Elizabeth Lusskin, the president of the Long Island City Partnership. The members of the panel discussed the importance of infrastructure to all aspects of the neighborhood, investing in money in local amenities and institutions and securing good talent for jobs, among other topics.
Because of the industry boom in the neighborhood, James Patchett, the president and CEO of the NYCEDC, said that being “competitive” when hiring talent is important. Lusskin added that all sectors in LIC are “desperate for good talent” and once they hire a candidate, they work to keep them.
Despite its status as the “fastest growing neighborhood” Kathryn Wylde, the president and CEO of Partnership of NYC brought up some of its issues, including a “lack of connectivity” particularly for pedestrians. She also mentioned that though LIC had the potential for growth, as Lower Manhattan did during the early 2000s, the LIC BID is “not as big” when compared to Lower Manhattan’s BID.
The summit also focused on how to accommodate for innovative companies moving into LIC, the increase in the residential and retail sectors, the growth of interest in Life Sciences and the neighborhood’s thriving cultural scene.
According to statistics shared at the summit, the three sectors with the most business recently opened in LIC are manufacturing (39 percent), retail shopping (16 percent) and digital media (13 percent). The other business sectors in the area include dining and nightlife, professional services, health and fitness, not-for-profit and services. The full LIC Snapshot can be found here.
Other panels at this year’s summit included “Arts and Corporate Responsibilities,” “Public Services: Catching Up and Getting Ahead,” “Innovation Community: Linking LIC Through Tech” and “Building our Mixed-Use Future: Movers and Shakers.”
