March 3, 2023 By Michael Dorgan The two developers behind a 354-unit residential building in Astoria have secured a loan to finish constructing the project. The developers, Silverstein Properties and Cantor Fitzgerald, announced Wednesday, March 1, that the joint venture arranged a loan of $165 million from Banco Inbursa — a financial firm based in… Read more »
March 2, 2023 By Michael Dorgan The clothing retail giant Zara is coming to Queens for the first time. The Spanish-based company, which is known for its fashionable and trendy clothing items, will open at the Queens Center Mall in Elmhurst, located at 90-15 Queens Blvd. The announcement was made Wednesday, March 1, by Macerich,… Read more »
March 2, 2023 By Michael Dorgan An Astoria Starbucks worker who was fired by the chain last summer — in the midst of the store where he worked voting to unionize — has been reinstated and awarded more than $21,000 in back pay and penalties. Austin Locke was sacked from his barista role at the… Read more »
Feb. 28, 2023 By Michael Dorgan The annual Sunnyside/Woodside St. Pat’s For All parade will take place on Sunday, March 5, with dozens of groups already signed up to march. The parade is Sunnyside’s largest event each year, and several Irish cultural groups, LGBT organizations, music groups and a multitude of marching bands are expected… Read more »
Feb. 27, 2023 By Michael Dorgan and Paul Frangipane Elected officials, residents and community leaders took part in a rally in Astoria Sunday, Feb. 26, calling on the DOT to install traffic lights at the intersection where a 7-year-old was struck dead by an SUV earlier this month. The event was held at the Astoria… Read more »
Feb. 24, 2023 By Michael Dorgan and Julia Moro Astoria swimmers will have to look elsewhere for a dip this summer as the neighborhood’s sizeable public pool gets a $19 million revamp. The Astoria Pool, located between 19th Street and 23rd Drive in Astoria Park, is currently undergoing repair work, according to the NYC Parks… Read more »
Feb. 24, 2023 By Michael Dorgan A Brooklyn man has been arrested for attempted murder and other crimes after he allegedly shot a victim in Corona on Christmas Day. Kevin Aspiroz, 25, was picked up by police on Thursday, Feb. 23, two months after he allegedly shot a 45-year-old man during an attempted armed robbery… Read more »
Feb. 24, 2023 By Michael Dorgan Two men allegedly sprayed a racist slur across an Astoria restaurant last week and police released photos of the suspects Thursday, Feb. 23. The two suspects scrawled the N-word on a roller gate at Sunrise Chinese Restaurant, located at 33-20 Broadway, at around 3:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 17,… Read more »
Feb. 22, 2023 By Michael Dorgan The leaders of two western Queens art organizations were presented with a $5 million check for capital funding on Tuesday, Feb. 21. The presentation was made by Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, whose office allocated the funds to The Noguchi Museum, a gallery and sculpture garden located at 9-1… Read more »
Feb. 23, 2023 By Michael Dorgan A number of Queens City Council members have called on the DOT to install a series of new traffic calming measures at the Astoria intersection where a 7-year-old girl was fatally struck by an SUV last week. Council members Julie Won, Tiffany Cabán and Selvena Brooks-Powers, wrote to the… Read more »