Plan To Top LIC Factory With Office Tower Faces Board's Scrutiny

LONG ISLAND CITY, QUEENS — A developer's plan to construct a high-rise office tower atop a historic factory building got its first full hearing before Long Island City's community board this week.

The planned rezoning at 23-10 Queens Plaza South would construct 22 floors of offices above the existing four-story warehouse, known as the Eagle Electric building due to its longtime use by the lightswitch manufacturer.

While multiple proposals have been attached to the site in recent years, the latest by developer Dynamic Star is proceeding in earnest, as the company presented plans to Community Board 2 on Thursday as part of the monthslong ULURP review process required for all zoning changes. (In this case, changing the block's existing zoning to a denser commercial scheme.)

If built, the full tower would stand 26 stories and span 363,000 square feet, designed as a series of four boxes stacked atop one another. The roof of each segment would contain its own open space, while the ground floor would feature retail and an exhibit about the Eagle Electric building's history.

"This project has been evolving over many years," said Jim Davidson, a partner at SLCE Architects, which is designing the building. Even before the pandemic, office buildings have trended toward incorporating more green space, hence the planned rooftop open areas.

Responding to suggestions made by CB2 members during a committee meeting last month, developers have now agreed to open up parts of the rooftop open spaces to the general public, as opposed to only office tenants. That includes the 16,000-square-foot space atop the existing Eagle warehouse, which will include slices carved out for the public as well as a restaurant.

Other changes include reserving space for e-bikes in the building's 62-space bicycle parking garage, and evaluating board members' demand for an "affordable" grocery store on the ground floor. A ground-floor community space will likewise include public bathrooms, with its programming to be determined in part by the community board, developers said during Thursday's meeting.

Board members opted against taking a vote on the rezoning this week, instead asking developers to return with written commitments to firm up their promises about the public open space and community facility, among other aspects.

"What we need from you, really, is a binding agreement," board member Lisa Deller said.

The community board has until Jan. 2 to take its non-binding vote on the 23-10 Queens Plaza South rezoning, which will be followed by a similar recommendation by the Queens Borough President. A final vote would likely be held by the City Council sometime next year.

A prominent sight for generations of 7 train riders, the Eagle Electric building also achieved neighborhood icon status for the sign that stood atop the warehouse for decades, bearing the phrase: "Perfection is not an accident."