Robbie Whelan takes a cold, hard look at the Long Island City waterfront for The Wall Street Journal, specifically the half-finished East Coast project now under the purview of TF Cornerstone. The $1 billion 7-building residential complex is part of an apartment saturation expected for the neighborhood as of 2013, but Whelan isn't concerned with density.
He praises the "ample open space on the site that will be a huge boon" to residents and the varied footprints that keep the development from seeming too monolithic. However, the ultimate effect of Miami-based Arquitectonica's design has a little something to do with geography: "Strapping, aquatic-hued high-rise towers with glassy exteriors and hundreds of balconies. Suddenly, it's Miami Beach." Biggest burn? On those oh-so-coordinated exteriors: "A type of nouveau-riche indulgence that privileges functionality and soaring views over exterior glamour."
· Shimmer on the Waterfront [WSJ]
· Next Pair of Waterfront Towers Ready to Fill Out LIC's Skyline [Curbed]
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