Long Island City and Astoria
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Long Island City is not Long Island! (well technically it is on Long Island but it IS a wonderful area right across the East River from Manhattan). Walk past its highlights, get some great views of Midtown, then head north to the multi-ethnic and Greek neighborhood of Astoria (NOTE: be prepared - approximately 3 miles of walking!) ...
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Long Island City
- Gantry State Park
- Pepsi sign
- “Smokestack” Building, a former Pennsylvania Railroad power station
- Waterfront Crab House and Long Island Railroad Station in the 19th Century
- Historic row houses on 45 Avenue - contrasted with the area’s industrial past
- Long Island City Courthouse - 1874
- The legend of “Battle-Axe” Gleason, last mayor of Long Island City prior to 1898 unification
- Industrial past and revitalization
- Mention: LIC’s art spaces and PS1 Museum of Contemporary Art, a branch of the Museum of Modern Art
Queensborough Plaza station
- Bridge history and the Second Avenue elevated
- Silvercup Studio building and the resurgence of film and TV production in NYC; talk about Kaufman-Astoria and Steiner studios
Astoria
- Ethnic Mix - Greek and other recent ethnic groups
- Bohemian Beer Hall and Garden
- Waterfront redevelopment
- Triborough/RFK and Hell Gate Bridges
- Other sites of interest to mention: Kaufman-Astoria Studios, Museum of the Moving Image, Steinway Piano
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NOTE: On this walk please bring a METROCARD, either an unlimited ride pass or with at least 1 fare since we will be using the subway for a short distance. After the walk, visit one of the many eateries or Greek cafes in Astoria on your own.
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Google maps - approximate route in 2 sections ...
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NYC Five Boro Tours
![Airbornelawyer at the English Wikipedia [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LongIslandGantryCrane.jpg "Airbornelawyer at the English Wikipedia [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons")