The View
Discover The Charms of LIC’s Newest Family-Friendly Condominium
By Kate Willard

Towering near the iconic Pepsi-Cola sign in Long Island City, The View is an 18-story, 184-unit condominium wonderland for New York parents looking for a stunning new building to call home.

Designed by award-winning Handel architects, every one, two, and three bedroom apartment in the building has been laid out to maximize outside light and the spectacular vistas of Manhattan just across the East River.

But as appealing as it is to look out at the passing river and grand skyline, families will equally appreciate the close-up view of this amenity-rich building and its special surroundings.




“One of the most unique features of the building is that it is actually within Gantry State Park,” says Scott Walsh, The View’s Director of Sales and Market Research. “Children can go to a play area without even crossing the street!” And beyond the gorgeous stretch of green immediately in front of the building lies Gantry’s playgrounds, ball fields, organized sports leagues, tennis courts, and riverfront benches and walkways.

In keeping with the wide-open feel of the neighborhood, The View features roomy apartments designed for comfort, with soaring ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, and balconies, terraces and a private garden. Kitchens are gourmet ready, with Viking stoves and Subzero refrigerators. Bathrooms are designed to be “spa chic” with elegant fixtures.

And every unit has a washer/dryer and plenty of closet space. There’s also a small fitness center and bicycle storage, and condo owners have guaranteed access to the large fitness center, indoor rooftop swimming pool, party rooms, and the parking garage in an adjacent building.

The View is also about convenience. It’s a five-minute walk from the 7 train’s Vernon-Jackson station, where you can be whisked off to Grand Central in four minutes, or Times Square in seven. The 23rd St-Ely station is also just a ten-minute walk away for commuters needing the E or F.

For parents who work in the city, or enjoy exploring the city with their children, the importance of Long Island City’s location can’t be overstated. But what typically happens with LIC families is that they end up feeling like there’s no need to rush off to Manhattan all the time. Why bother when you can enjoy Gantry and the area’s other great parks, along with its splendid mix of neighborhood eateries, shops, and services; a vibrant, surprisingly kid-friendly cultural scene; children’s activity centers like LIC Kids and the Long Island City School of Ballet; and even the small but delightful sandy shore known as Water Taxi beach?

The neighborhood is also full of good schools and libraries, and there are more on the way. In the area near The View, PS 78 serves grades K-5, and plans are in the works for a 600 seat K-8 school to be built nearby, a library next door and a high school within walking distance.

For all these reasons, The View is attracting both new families with small children, who see the building as a great first home in an upcoming neighborhood, and established families, with older kids, who can tell that LIC is an area that works for them. What they all have in common, according to Walsh, is they see the building as “a great lifestyle move and a long-term value.”

[See the article in New York Family]