LONG ISLAND CITY — It's been a big year in western Queens, and 2017 is poised to see plenty of local action.
Here are some of the big neighborhood developments you can expect to see more headlines about in the New Year.
1. New Citi Bike Stops and Ferry Stations
Though Long Island City is still the only Queens neighborhood to offer Citi Bike, the blue bicycles will expand into Astoria some time next year, officials have said. The Department of Transportation held two planning workshops in the neighborhood this fall to get input on where the new stations should go, and they're expected to be up and running in Community Board 1 by the end of 2017.
In addition to bike sharing, there's another new transportation option on the horizon: the new Citywide Ferry Service is slated to start running by June of 2017. This will mean two new ferry docks on the Queens waterfront, with one planned for the northern end of Gantry Plaza State Park and the other to open in Astoria on the Hallets Point peninsula, with connections to Roosevelt Island, Midtown and Lower Manhattan.
2. Controversial Development Projects
Several big real estate projects that have stirred up local opposition are likely to be decided in the new year.
These include a plan to build nearly 400 apartments at the old Paragon Paint Factory site on Vernon Boulevard in Hunters Point — a plan Community Board 2 shot down in February, citing concerns about overdevelopment and the size of the buildings. The owners need a city variance in order to move forward, and their application is still pending, according to the Board of Standards and Appeals' website.
In Woodside, The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God is applying for a variance to build a new, bigger church to replace its current one on Roosevelt Avenue and 69th Street, to the chagrin of some locals who worry more parishioners will take away parking spots in the Little Manila neighborhood. CB2 is expected to vote on the church's application on Jan. 5, and the BSA will make the final call after.
3. New Library and Pre-K Center for Long Island City
After years of delays — its opening date was originally slated for 2014 — the Hunters Point waterfront is finally expected to get its own library branch in the upcoming year. The $38 million project, which had to be tweaked after construction bids came in way over budget, broke ground in 2015 and is now projected to open in 2017.
Also coming to the neighborhood next year is a new pre-K center in Court Square, one of several efforts to create more school space for youngsters in the neighborhood. The new pre-K will have seats for 180 kids, and will be housed on the first two floors of an office building at 27-35 Jackson Ave. It will open in September of 2017, officials said.
4. Changes for Astoria Park
The neighborhood's big waterfront park was in the spotlight for a number of reasons this year, including Shore Boulevard, which the city decided to convert into a one-way street. And officials made plumbing fixes after they discovered waste from the park's pool and nearby playground had been dumped into the East River for decades.
More changes are in store for Astoria Park next year, thanks to $30 million in funding from Mayor Bill de Blasio's Anchor Parks program, which will be used for capital improvements at the green space between now and 2020. Officials haven't decided yet how that money will be spent, though ideas include building a soccer field or making the shoreline accessible to visitors.
Bocce ball is also slated to make a comeback in Astoria Park in 2017, as former Marine Dan Berrios and other local volunteers have been working to restore the park's run-down court with the hopes that it will be playable this spring.
5. L Train Shutdown's Impact on Local Real Estate
At least one realty group predicts that the looming L train shutdown will send more renters and homebuyers to Queens, raising prices along the 7 train line as people head further east into the borough in search of cheaper digs.
Ariel Property Advisers says the "L Train Effect" — which saw residential growth move east into Brooklyn along the train line, from Williamsburg to Bushwick — will happen next in Queens along the 7 line.
This will mean a rise in demand in neighborhoods served by the train line, including Sunnyside, Woodside and Jackson Heights, according to the firm.
"With the L train shutting down, the 7 is an extremely reliable means of getting to Manhattan," Aryeh Orlofsky, director of investment research with Ariel, told DNAinfo earlier this year.
