Dutch Kills hotels in the news again

    by
    1

    Interior of the Z Hotel, one of LIC’s boutique hotels

    The Wall Street Journal published an article recently on the hotel scene in Dutch Kills. This part of LIC has gained a reputation as a center for hotel development, with anywhere from ten to twenty (depending on who you talk to) hotels in place in the area. There has been resistance to all this development from some neighbors but others recognize that the neighborhood is getting better, in part because of the hotels. The incoming president of the Dutch Kills Civic Association says that “hotels have been good for the area because they bring life to it at night.”

    The neighborhood, apart from the hotels, is mostly low-rise, full of warehouses and other industrial buildings, and the dining options are far less than those along Vernon-Jackson. Probably the most promising spot is the coming Windmill Tap & Grill, which is just a couple of blocks from the 39th Avenue N/Q stop. They’ll be serving coffee during the day and comfort food at night. COFFEED is also a newcomer to Dutch Kills. Relative old timer is Astoria Fishery, serving up fresh and prepared fish. But there’s not much beyond that. Shopping options are few and far between. The closest indy store is probably SITE on 34th Ave, toward the southern edge of Astoria.

    But when it comes to building, it’s cheaper here than in Manhattan, which translates to potentially cheaper hotel rates for guests. And since Dutch Kills is 1-2 stops from midtown, the proximity to the city makes Dutch Kills a really attractive option, especially if the hotel guest is there primarily to sleep and not entertain. Developer Amit Veeramachaneni says about building hotels, “I understand that the community is hesitant about another hotel project, but I believe that this is a benefit to the community given that it will create jobs and boost the local economy.”

    Apart from hotels, there are some spots in Dutch Kills that are a bit under the radar for visitors to the borough. There’s the Q4 hotel-hostel on Queens Plaza North, the Dutch Kills Cottage, and the Dutch Kills Inn, located above the Windmill Tap & Grill. Small inns like this are not found in many places in western Queens.

    To see the Dutch Kills hotel scene from the WSJ’s eyes, here’s a map they put together:

    hotels-in-dutch-kills-lic-queens

    Image source: Wall Street Journal

    Hotels Give Dutch Kills Roomy Reputation [WSJ]

    What's Happening