Half the field has already been eliminated in the Curbed Cup, our annual award to the New York City neighborhood of the year. This week we'll have two match-ups apiece on Monday and Tuesday—with the polls left open for 24 hours—and by Wednesday only four contenders will be left vying for the prestigious fake trophy. Let the eliminations continue!
Up next in the Elite Eight, two Queens neighborhoods battle it out for a spot in the coveted semi-finals. Development stalwart Long Island City will test its prowess against the Cup's official underdog, Flushing.
In the first round, LIC easily defeated the Brooklyn Navy Yard by 100 votes. That's a testament to the continued popularity of the Queens neighborhood, which is in the middle of yet another big building boom that will bring 22,500 apartments to the area. The second phase of the Hunters Point South megaproject, which will ultimately bring 5,000 new apartments to the neighborhood, took off in November. Part of the construction wave is the borough's tallest building, planned for Queens Plaza Park; when complete it will stand 914 feet tall. And the neighborhood made strides in public transportation as well with Citi Bike installingdozens of stations at the end of the summer.
But despite all that, LIC has its work cut out against its borough-mate, Flushing. In what was perhaps the biggest upset of the tournament so far, Flushing knocked out development giant FiDi by a margin of almost 100 votes. And it's no surprise, considering the neighborhood has been firing on all cylinders lately. Already a strong draw for its plethora of food courts and street food vendors, plans are now underway to host a massive Coachella-style music festival at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. Two of the neighborhood's biggest residential projects—Sky View Park and Flushing Commons—launched sales and scored major bank.
Who will emerge victorious in the all-Queens showdown? Cast your vote below to see your favorite neighborhood sail through the quarterfinals.
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All the LIC Coverage [Curbed]
· All the Flushing Coverage [Curbed]
· Curbed Cup 2015 Archives [Curbed]
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