QUEENS — A new hotel planned for downtown Jamaica will feature a rooftop bar and a restaurant on the ground floor, according to a Long Island-based developer who also wants to build a luxury apartment building in the area.
Shlomi Asherian of TCX Development, which already has several projects in Jamaica Estates, said that the company is planning to build the 16-story hotel at 92-18 150th St., near Rufus King Park.
“With all the convenient transportation to New York City, Long Island, and JFK airport we strongly believe that downtown Jamaica will be the next 'it' neighborhood,” Asherian said.
The 160-feet-high rooftop at the 80-room hotel, overlooking Rufus King Park, Jamaica Avenue and the surrounding area, would feature a bar, serving both hotel guests and locals alike, according to Asherian.
The hotel’s brand has not been determined, said the developer, who has yet to file permits for the new lodging.
TCX Development is also planning to build an 11-story apartment building, at 148-12 Archer Ave., two blocks from the Jamaica AirTrain station.
The building will include 20 market rate one-bedroom rental units and retail space on the ground floor, Asherian said, adding that he is planning to file the necessary permits with the Department of Buildings in about a month.
The building will also feature a "rooftop for the convenience of tenants ... decorated in a modern way with parquet flooring, seats, benches, tables and landscaping," as well as a fire pit and space to practice yoga, he said. There will also be a fitness gym and a doorman at the lobby, Asherian said.
TCX Development is also working on two more luxury buildings in nearby Jamaica Estates. One of them, at 177-30 Wexford Terrace, will feature 68 units, the other one, at 177-18 Wexford Terrace, is currently under construction and will include 17 units, according to the developer. Both buildings will also feature rooftops for tenants.
The company has just completed another building at 177-16 Wexford Terrace, which contains 20 apartments, Asherian said. One-bedroom units in the building start at $1,700 and two-bedroom apartments at $2,300.
Jamaica has been undergoing numerous changes in recent years. As multiple developers plan to build hotels and housing there, real estate experts at StreetEasy predicted last December that Jamaica would be the next hot neighborhood for real estate this year.
