T
he Long Island City Partnership (LICP) celebrated its 20th-annual Real Estate Breakfast, marking the neighborhood's transformation from an industrial hub to a thriving mixed-use destination over two decades. The event drew over 350 business leaders and policymakers to discuss charting the next chapter for LIC.

    A panel discussion moderated by David Brause, CEO of the LIC Business Improvement District, featured speakers such as Council Member Julie Won and Edith Su Chen, Executive Director of the NYC Department of City Planning. They explored how small businesses can thrive in the neighborhood, embracing balance between industrial space, cultural assets, and mixed-use facilities.

    Won discussed the OneLIC neighborhood plan, which would transform an area of LIC from Gantry Plaza State Park to Queensbridge Houses and the Long Island City Industrial Business Zone. She advocated for a more diversified housing stock, especially for-sale units that meet the needs of LIC's growing Asian population.

    Chen emphasized the need to unlock more affordable housing in the neighborhood and support local businesses through the OneLIC plan. Helen Paul, representing real estate interests, cautioned against losing too much industrial space as the neighborhood grows. Lin Zeng highlighted outdated zoning issues that have prevented development in certain areas of LIC.

    Yaniv Cohen, co-owner of Westville restaurant group, emphasized the importance of building a community in LIC, where people know each other when they walk into a business. Brause reflected on the neighborhood's growth over 20 years, noting increased foot traffic and lower storefront vacancy rates compared to the citywide average.

    Queens Borough President Donovan Richards praised LIC as a prime example of a mixed-use community, with its blend of Bricktown homes, warehouses, new glass towers, parks, startups, and cultural institutions.