|
R.I.P. wtb in lic
|
View this Thread in Original format
| AY STAR |
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Unfortunately, Water Taxi Beach must bid farewell to Long Island City!
Since we opened in 2005, over 240,000 people have visited Water Taxi Beach in Long Island City (WTB/LIC). This unique urban oasis of sun and fun provided a much-needed outdoor recreation space for the Long Island City community, helped to burnish the image of this redeveloping neighborhood and showcased the potential of our city's waterfront.
WTB/LIC has hosted volleyball leagues; birthday parties; weddings; bat mitzvah's; local school graduation parties, high school and military reunions; photo shots; social, civic and political fundraising events; DJ concerts; and even an episode of Top Chef.
WTB/LIC is an award-winning recreation space with a local, national and international reputation as a great place to kick back and relax while looking out at the most spectacular skyline in the world. WTB/LIC was voted "Best Place to Pretend you're in Miami" by New York Magazine; described as "Imagination on the Waterfront" in a NY Times editorial.
The Guardian, in the UK, rated WTB/LIC as one of the "Ten Best Party Beaches in the World" and international press from Italy, Germany Australia, Japan, Spain, Argentina, Sweden and Brazil, among others, have touted Water Taxi Beach / Long Island City as an important place to visit when you're in New York.
Last fall, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, which is coordinating the construction of new Hunters Point South development, informed us that they needed to build combined storm water sewer outfalls as part of the new Hunters Point South development. They told us they needed WTB/LIC for to construct these outfalls and we that we would have to vacate the current location.
WTB/LIC serves a real need for open space and recreation in the Long Island City and Sunnyside communities and has 42 seasonal employees (the manager and quite a few staff are Long Island City residents). Many local merchants and vendors serve the Beach and visitors to WTB/LIC would increase ridership on the new East River Ferry Service. In addition, NYC EDC has been a very supportive landlord.
So we asked NYC EDC for permission to move this unique urban experiment to a vacant lot further away from the construction, just to the south of the existing parking lot. We developed a new design, expanding the Beach, adding a nine-hole miniature golf course and a better volleyball court configuration. The site has great views and a lot of open space.
Unfortunately, NYC EDC informed us last week that they couldn't accommodate our relocation request, so we will not be able to open for our sixth season this year.
However, the new plan for the Hunters Point South waterfront includes a Beach so it appears that we had a good idea, which was widely embraced. We hope to have an opportunity to return to a Beach in Long Island City once waterfront construction is complete.
Borough President Helen Marshall has often said that WTB/LIC is a Queens' cultural institution and we would like to thank her and all of the business, civic and political leaders who have supported WTB/LIC. Most of all, we would like to thank everyone who visited Water Taxi Beach / Long Island City and made it such a special place.
We have enjoyed the opportunity to do something meaningful for the community, the waterfront and our City. We hope that you will visit us at watertaxibeach.com and share your memories and photos of WTB/LIC on our Facebook page or sign up for our Newsletter to stay in touch.
We hope that you all have a great summer and can join us at one of our other waterfront oasis at South Street Seaport or on Governors Island.
Best Wishes
Tom Fox
def blows, i had alot of good times at that place
always good music,good views,good drinks,hot women
def sad to see this summer time spot be gone
:( |
|
|
| xpand3r |
| quote: | Originally posted by AY STAR
def blows, i had alot of good times at that place
always good music,good views,good drinks,hot women
def sad to see this summer time spot be gone
:( |
Yeah man definitely. Been checking out LIC WTB for 2 years now and always had a great time. I've been to South Pier location and it's just not the same vibe... |
|
|
| gmoney44 |
| was this the one Armin played at? |
|
|
| Stassi |
| quote: | Originally posted by gmoney44
was this the one Armin played at? |
no, this was the amazing location right around the block from me that had epic music all the time.
R.I.P. |
|
|
| DJ Eco |
Luxury condominiums FTW!!!!!!!!
As an architect, I really hate to hear like this; this is the stuff that makes communities lively and vibrant. When are urban planners and zoning boards ever going to learn? Huge lifeless blocks of glass buildings with an occasional Starbucks or Pinkberry sprinkled in does not generate a desirable neighborhood. |
|
|
| pyro264jb |
| Always had good times there. Lets hope Mr. Fox can figure this one out and secure a new location for the summer of 2012. |
|
|
| gimmebeatz |
| figures that the year one of my best friends moves minutes away from WTB it closes down. |
|
|
| Konijn |
| def sucks... but, WT aided in the gentrification of the area, so they're being forced out by the process they helped begin... |
|
|
| SebG |
Noooo
I wanted to go so bad this year to this. |
|
|
| BradMiller |
| Another spot shut down?? Arghh this is getting brutal :( |
|
|
| AY STAR |
| quote: | Originally posted by DJ Eco
Luxury condominiums FTW!!!!!!!!
As an architect, I really hate to hear like this; this is the stuff that makes communities lively and vibrant. When are urban planners and zoning boards ever going to learn? Huge lifeless blocks of glass buildings with an occasional Starbucks or Pinkberry sprinkled in does not generate a desirable neighborhood. |
yup, thats what that area is becoming
i mean it is good for the city for the neighborhood to grow
but at the same time it's def hurting it
back in 05-06 the area was just becoming more trendy and wtb was just starting out, people from all over and the neighborhood would come there and have a good time
it was down by the water no condo's,schools,parks were in sight so the party went on without a problem
now down the road they wanna make a new hunter's point south
chances are it will be smack down across the street from all the new condo's and there will be no edm parties, just another lifeless city owned open space chargeing an arm and a leg for a beer and a bite to eat
i was reading the post just now
they wanna also shut down the one at south street seaport... is unreal:
It could be bye-bye, beach, and hello, beer garden, if developers of a South Street Seaport party spot get their way.
Operators of Water Taxi Beach, a faux coastline at Pier 17, plan to shut down their man-made sandy cove in favor of a German-style beer garden. "It was great as a public park, but not as a business model," said New York Water Taxi founder Tom Fox.
The beer garden requires a new liquor license, and approval from Community Board 1.
Chairwoman Julie Menin said there's concern over noise from live music: "In an area with thousands of residential units, they don't want to hear music late at night."
The panel is inclined to allow booze sales until 3 a.m., if the music's killed by midnight on weekdays and 1 a.m. on weekends.
"We're not a residential area, we're out on a pier on the other side of the highway," said Fox, who hopes to talk board members into a later music curfew.
The issue comes before the board April 26. |
|
|
|
|
