Back in July, YIMBY reported that permits were filed for a major project at 112-51 Northern Boulevard, in Corona, Queens. In January, the Daily News followed up with preliminary renderings of the site (with an “official” address of 112-21 Northern Blvd), which would become home to a large mixed-use structure. Now, YIMBY has the full reveal of the building, which has been dubbed the La Guardia Convention Center.
Fleet Financial Group is developing the site, after acquiring the assemblage for $17 million last year. The project is currently seeking EB-5 financing, which indicates it will have 292 hotel rooms, 208 apartments, a 105,964-square foot convention center, and 97,180 square feet of retail space. Another 11,300 square feet will host restaurants, rounding out the building’s diverse mix of uses.
La Guardia Convention Center, image by Fleet Financial Group
The developer describes the project thusly:
The project will also be LEED Gold Certified […] LaGuardia Airport Convention Center, aided by its excellent location proximity to two major city airports in Queens, Citi Field, USTA National Tennis Center and almost all major city highways will be an excellent complementary meeting and conference venue to Javits Center on the west side of Manhattan and will perform as Queens major economic generator for generations to come.
112-21 Northern Boulevard has seen substantial changes since renderings were first released, and although its massing and form have been simplified, the project’s appearance has improved significantly. The building’s first floors will have massive ceiling heights, for the shopping and convention areas, and the hotel and residential portions will sit above those (with the EB-5 information indicating that the hotel will be operated by Starwood).
La Guardia Convention Center, image by Fleet Financial Group
A large notch in the structure will act as an atrium, also separating the hotel and residential components from the retail and convention uses below, and its form will be triangular. While DOB filings from July indicate the building will span 350,000 square feet, it would seem that total does not include all the various pieces, and the final sum will be much larger.
Filings with the DOB list Fleet Architects as the designer, and while the project is still seeking financing, the job application is hopefully a sign that development is moving closer to reality. The convention center will replace a car dealership.
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