Looking ahead to 2026, QNS is revisiting top stories from 2025.
Below are the top stories from November, from the mayor-elect promising to deliver a more livable city to New Yorkers, luxury and affordable housing projects slated across Queens, to a brand new rooftop restaurant sure to satisfy anyone with a taste for Mediterranean cuisine.
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani says he’s increasing the city’s parks budget
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announced he will be working with the City Council to double the NYC Parks budget during his time in office. Mamdani delivered a speech announcing his intentions in front of the Unisphere at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, in Flushing.
“We chose this location as a representation of the borough I serve and the fact that we are proud to be known as the ‘World’s Borough,’” Mamdani said during his speech.
After a leak in the water line flooded the park’s underground water line, the Unisphere and Fountain of the Fairs went offline. According to an NYC spokesperson, the parks department is still trying to secure funding to fix it.
While Mamdani ran on a platform of affordability largely associated with rising costs in housing, food and everyday necessities, he also vowed to make the city more “livable” in ways beyond costs. He said there are no concerns too small to be of importance in City Hall, and vowed to allocate funds toward staffing and sanitation at parks across the city.
Construction begins on 56-story skyscraper with over 600 condominiums in LIC
Below-grade work on a 56-story skyscraper with over 600 units and 10,000 square feet of retail space began in the Court Square section of Long Island City in November. It is slated to be completed sometime between the end of 2028 and the beginning of 2029.
Construction on the skyscraper, designed by FXCollaborative and developed by Tavros Capital and Charney Companies, in partnership with Incoco Capital. The plot of land was purchased by developers for $68.3 million from the Japanese hotel operator Toyoko Inn in 2022.
According to renderings, the skyscraper will include a multistory podium, which Chelsea Piers Fitness has already signed to occupy 72,000 square feet of. It will be topped off with a landscaped terrace, and the top of the skyscraper will have a flat roof and a tall mechanical bulkhead.
Excavation and foundations will be completed throughout the winter, and the building is expected to rise beginning in spring 2026. Once completed, the building is expected to be 676 feet tall and span 700,000 square feet.
Boathouse Rooftop opens in Astoria with stunning skyline views
Upscale Mediterranean restaurant Boathouse Rooftop opened on Steinway Street in Astoria, featuring breathtaking views of the city skyline. Guests can order a wide array of dishes, including grilled octopus to braised short ribs, as they dine in low lights and enjoy panoramic rooftop views.
The restaurant, which replaced Luna Asian Bistro, hosted a grand opening in September. It features weekend brunch options, cocktails and mocktails, and live entertainment on weekends — such as belly dancers and fire shows — with performers moving throughout each of the three rooms at the restaurant.
“Now there’s an upscale restaurant rooftop where you can go and have fun with your friends,” said Alam. “This is a space where everyone can hang out together.”
Boathouse Rooftop is open from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. on Friday, noon to 3 a.m. on Saturday, and noon to 2 a.m. on Sunday. For more information, follow them at @boathouserooftop.
Creedmoor affordable housing project cuts units after community board opposition
The Creedmoor Community Advisory Committee cut units from an affordable housing project from 2,775 to 2,022 after members of Community Board 13 raised concerns about the project’s density and conformity with the neighborhood’s suburban character. The decision sparked backlash from Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and members in the community who could benefit from the project, which is slated for Queens Village.
Richards noted the large scale of the affordable housing crisis across the city, expressing dissatisfaction at the reduction of units and refusing to reduce the number any further. Zakaria Kazmi, a young resident who attended an Oct. 29 CB13 meeting, said the lack of affordable housing directly impacts him and questioned the representation of the board as a true reflection of the neighborhood.
However, Corey Bereak, chair of the CB13 Land Use Subcommittee, said the board was satisfied with the reduction and claimed the subcommittee tasked with overseeing the project had a “significant number of people of [Kazmi’s] demographic.”
Once the Creedmoor project is approved and reviewed by the Public Authorities Control Board, state agencies will select a developer to complete construction, which ESD estimated will begin in 2027 and be completed by 2029.
