Long Island City — The Next Fashion Mecca?

Manhattan is the fashion hub, with Brooklyn a viable alternative. But with rising rents in both boroughs, fashion companies are looking for alternatives. One is Long Island City, where developers are converting old warehouses into appealing spaces.

Transportation is a good reason for Long Island City’s viability. The city is served by seven subway lines, the Long Island Rail Road, and has easy access to the Queensboro Bridge and the Queens-Midtown Tunnel.

Though the area doesn’t have attractive amenities, developers are working on it. One example is the Falchi Building at 33-00 47th Ave., purchased by Jamestown Properties in 2012. Once a warehouse for Gimbels’, the building has a ground-floor marketplace with seating for diners and food-oriented vendors. It has also caught the eye of potential fashion tenants.