Gothamist: Everything Must Go at Flux Factory

kenandavis

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:29:08 -0500

kenandavis

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:55:06 -0500

On Friday night, Flux Factory, an artist collective in Long Island City, unveiled its final exhibition, "Everything Must Go." Art installations spread out across bathrooms, bedrooms, and even the laundry room of this 7,500 square-foot space, which is set to be demolished to make way for MTA expansion. Lisa Biagiotti and Kenan Davis, of Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, produced and edited the following video on Flux Factory's opening night, which inaugurates a month-long goodbye to 38-38 43rd Street.

cliff floyd the barber

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:13:55 -0500

I realize I'm a bit late to the party here, but there's a lot of incorrect information, and it sounds like no one is familiar with this part of queens or the plans for development. First off, Gothamist is being a bit snarky about the LIRR station. There's been no definitive plans for the use of the Flux Factory Space by the MTA (http://www.queenscourier.com/articles/2008/01/10/news/regional/northwest_west/news04.txt) and there are already two LIRR stations in the neighborhood, at Hunter's Point in LIC, and at 61st Street-Woodside. To put that into context, the trip between those two stops on the 7 is about 15-20 minutes. Flux Factory is being town down so that the LIRR can have access to the East Side of Manhattan. This may be convenient for those at other LIRR stops further away from Manhattan, but it won't benefit anyone in the area. Secondly, the area where Flux Factory is will not "service thousands daily" as one poster suggests. It's in the middle of an industrial stretch of warehouses and car dealerships, pretty much in the no-man's land between Sunnyside and Astoria, and a good 15 minute walk from either side of Queens Boulevard and Northern Boulevard. Considering that so many other parts of Queens go without any form of light rail transportation (Middle Village, Maspeth, Whitestone, etc), it seems unnecessary to tear down buildings and displace artists for the sake of convenience.

blablanyc

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:32:01 -0500

This project is costing $6.3 billion. The $354 million for congestion pricing from the Fed is nothing.

zstone

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:41:31 -0500

When the government uses their power of eminent domain to help private landowners expand, that is unfair (a la Atlantic Yards, Columbia, et cetera). When a warehouse is torn down to be replaced by a train station that will service thousands daily, that is progress. I'm sure FF will find another location.

Politburo

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:35:14 -0500

"Very un-American" Eminent domain is written into the Constitution. It existed before America, and it will exist after. Private property ownership has never been absolute. "Why do we put up with this kind of crap?" In this post-Kelo world, it seems like everyone hates eminent domain.. but in reality, I think most people support eminent domain as long as it's for a truly worthwhile public project, and as long as it's not their property being taken.

jaja007

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:29:23 -0500

eminent domain = government sanctioned theft Theft = owner gets nothing eminent domain = owner gets market rate

smokedgouda

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:29:10 -0500

Because art can go anywhere. A commuter rail station and a link to one of the busiest rail hubs in the country can not.

Pizza_Time

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:11:01 -0500

eminent domain = government sanctioned theft. Very un-American Why do we put up with this kind of crap?

Nick S

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:09:42 -0500

yes, a LIRR station in that location will surely not be better for the greater good than an art space. good thinking!

zodak

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:46:57 -0500

eminent domain sucks!