In January, YIMBY checked in on the construction of a six-story building at 11-07 Welling Court in Astoria. Now we’ve got a fresh rendering for the development, which is surrounded by a long-running public art project.
Two months ago, the building was a concrete shell with a few metal balconies attached. But when work is complete, the six-story building will host 27 apartments. They’ll be divided across 19,475 square feet of residential space, creating average units of 721 square feet.
The building will also have 14 open parking spots – the minimum required to satisfy the city’s zoning code. There will be recreation space on the second floor and laundry and bike storage in the cellar.
The new rendering offers some improvements on the old one. It nixes the white corner details, which architects call “quoins,” and the banded, brown brick fits in better with the surrounding houses and industrial buildings. The glass balconies are a nice touch, because the upper floors will have an attractive view of the East River. Unfortunately, the development will still include PTACs, which mar the facade and drive up tenants’ electric bills.
Angelo and Anthony Ng’s Maspeth-based Architects Studio handled the design. The developer is Halil Todic, who lists a business address nearby in Astoria.
Many of the businesses and properties next door have donated their empty walls to the Welling Court Mural Project, a sprawling street art project that first coalesced in 2010. The organizers, Ad Hoc Art, throw a block party every June to celebrate the culmination of that year’s murals, and it usually gives street art watchers, artists, and neighbors a unique opportunity to relax and mingle. WCMP is unique among New York City’s public art projects because it draws a broad range of artists, from old school graffiti writers like Lady Pink, Smith, and Daze to rising street art stars that include Chris Stain, Cern, Joe Iurato, and Icy & Sot.
Unfortunately, it looks like one of the largest walls that gets painted every year will be demolished. Permits were filed in February to redevelop two warehouses on Welling Court between Vernon Boulevard and 30th Road, across the street from 11-07 Welling Court. A seven-story, 65-unit apartment building with retail will rise in their place.
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Very well with each terrace on the wall, open air and cool if the weather is not hot.