purves-street-full

Where even to begin with Purves Street, a short block in Long Island City between Jackson and Thomson avenues? There’s tons happening now, and lots more to come. First off, a biggie: there’s a construction fence around 4435-4451 Purves Street, the lot formerly owned by The Criterion Group. The Criterion Group planned two large developments for the block, but according to public records they sold off all the land this July for $32,200,000. The DOB issued permits this month for structural, foundation, excavation, and shoring work on site. What’s to come? A 22-story, 121-unit tower! Looks like the new developers are using the old building plans from The Criterion Group, who were planning to do rentals.

Right next door is a second lot surrounded in fencing, also part of the Criterion Group sale. Here, the developers renewed plans for a 28-story, 155-unit building (also part of the original Criterion Group plan). The DOB issued permits for foundation and excavation work here as well.

Right across the street from this huge project, at the end of the street, sits a rundown red warehouse at No. 44-46. It sold in June for $4,137,500. The buyer looks to be based in Queens. We suspect demolition is in this building’s future, but there are no recent building permits on file.

Next door is the empty lot at 44-30 Purves Street. That sold for $2,500,000 in June to Brause Realty Inc. This month the DOB issued a permit to install a construction fence, but nothing else.

Finally, next door to that is another empty lot, 4418-4422 Purves Street. The sale of that one just hit public records for $4,121,000. The records lead us to believe that the buyer is Aris Investment, a Queens-based company that primarily owns pre-war buildings. There are no hints of what’s to come from the DOB records.

A majority of these sites were previously up for sale as a single package, but it looks like the owner decided ultimately to break them up and sell them to different developers. While that’s it for recently sold lots, there’s still more development action on the block! Construction on the Sculpture Center expansion is underway at 44-19 Purves Street. Newish condo building The Vista is chugging along at 44-15 Purves Street, and a construction crew is still working on the soon-to-be rental building at the corner of Purves Street and Jackson Avenue.

Click through to see images of all these lots in question. GMAP

4435-4451 Purves Street, the lot The Criterion Group sold this summer for $32,200,000. Plans lined up for a 22-story, 121-unit tower.
4443-purves-street-2

A peek inside the construction fence at 4435-4451 Purves Street.
4443-purves-street

Next door, a lot also included in the $32,200,000 sale. Someday this will be a 28-story, 158-unit building.
4435-purves-street

Across the street, the warehouse that sold this summer for $4,137,500. No permits yet, but our guess is that this building is not long for this world.
4446-purves - warehouse

Next door to the warehouse, 44-30 Purves Street. The lot sold this summer for $2,500,000. Only DOB permits issued so far are for the construction fence.
4430A-Purves Street

A look inside 44-30 Purves Street.
44-30A Purves Street

Next door to that, the empty lot at 4418-4422 Purves Street. Hit public records this week for $4,121,000.
4418-4422 Purves Street mostrecentsale

A small glimpse through the construction fence at the Sculpture Center expansion site shows no sign yet of a new building.
sculpture-center-expansion


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. I really hope some of the new developments are going to be condos. There are way too many rentals coming into LIC, IMO. Additionally, I feel bad for anyone who actually lives on that block because it looks they they will have to live through construction for the next decade!

  2. I think the Vista was a condo. It is amazing all the development this little block is getting. Good for the people that first bought in Purves Street. I have to admit, when that first condo went up I thought however bought there was going to be waiting a long time to see there property appreciate.