MUD Workshop

Design + Planning


Long Island City DRI




Long Island City (LIC) has undergone a rapid transformation in recent decades, evolving from an industrial hub into a dense, mixed-use neighborhood. With a 50% population increase between 2012 and 2022 – ten times the citywide growth rate – LIC now faces challenges in maintaining affordability, preserving industrial activity, and ensuring equitable access to public spaces. The LIC Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) addresses these challenges through strategic investment in infrastructure, open space, and community-driven economic development.

ProjectLong Island City DRI

LocationLong Island City, Queens

ClientNYS Department of State

ServicesVisioning, Outreach and Engagement, Downtown Revitalization, Public Space Design



LIC DRI Context and Boundary
LIC DRI Context and Boundary


LIC’s rapid growth has resulted in increased housing costs, rising commercial rents, and shifting land-use pressures that threaten the diversity of its businesses and residents. The neighborhood’s extensive transportation infrastructure – including bridges, elevated roadways, and railyards – creates physical barriers to pedestrian connectivity. Additionally, while LIC is home to significant waterfront parks, public open space remains limited in its core areas near Court Square and Queens Plaza, where new high-density development has concentrated. Without targeted investment, these conditions risk exacerbating affordability challenges and diminishing LIC’s role as an accessible, mixed-use district.

LIC DRI Public Workshops


LIC DRI Community Outreach


LIC DRI Public Presentations


MUD Workshop organized and led the LIC DRI planning process, steered by an 18-member Local Planning Committee, engaging community stakeholders in a six-month effort to develop a Strategic Investment Plan (SIP). The process identified key commercial corridors – including Jackson Avenue, Vernon Boulevard, and Queens Plaza – as priority areas for investment. The final plan designates $10 million in DRI funding to 12 implementation-ready projects, leveraging an additional $32.6 million in public and private investment for a total of $47.4 million. The projects focus on enhancing public spaces, improving pedestrian connectivity, supporting LIC’s cultural assets and small businesses, and expanding access to essential community amenities. The plan also integrates LIC’s industrial business zones (IBZs) into the broader revitalization strategy, preserving their role as economic anchors while mitigating their impact on walkability and public space.


Vision for Long Islan City-Creative Hub


Vision for Long Island City- Culture Lab



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LIC DRI Context 
LIC DRI Context and Boundary- SIte Boundary
LIC DRI Context and Boundary- Pedestrian Connections
LIC DRI Projects for Recommendation
View of Manhattan Skyline from Long Island City
LIC DRI Public Workshops
LIC DRI Public Workshops
LIC DRI Community Outreach
LIC DRI Public Presentations
LIC DRI Tabling Event
Vision for Long Islan City-Creative Hub
Vision for Long Islan City-Rennovation of Flux Factory
Vision for Long Island City- Culture Lab
Vision for Long Island City-New Queens Public Library


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MoMA PS1 Plaza
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Village of Endicott Downtown Connectivity Framework





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