HUNTERS POINT — The organizers of the new flea market set to open on the Long Island City waterfront this summer want to make the neighborhood one of New York City’s weekend destination spots — including offering shuttle service from the nearby East River Ferry landing.
The location for LIC Flea Food was chosen for its sweeping view of the Manhattan skyline, and because of its close proximity to several modes of public transportation.
The market plans to run a van service between the market and the Long Island City East River Ferry station to shuttle shoppers coming from other neighborhoods.
LIC Flea Food will debut June 15, organizers said Tuesday, and will run every Saturday and Sunday near 5th Street and 46th Avenue on the Hunters Point waterfront, where a burst of development has taken place in recent years.
The market will feature of mix of food and merchandise vendors, similar to markets in Brooklyn that attract swarms of visitors each weekend.
“This is the hottest neighborhood in the city of New York, and one of the things that we’ve lacked up until this point is a real focal point for the weekend, when people are strolling around,” Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer said at a kick-off announcement for the market on Tuesday, where he promised he’ll be among its first shoppers.
“I will be here. No one loves a good flea market like a gay man,” he joked to reporters.
The new market is being launched by Schneps Communications, a publishing company that turns out the Queens Courier.
“We’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response so far,” said Joshua Schneps.
“We hope to add to this great neighborhood by creating a venue for residents to stay connected to their own community by keeping them local, and attracting people from all over Queens and New York City, as well as tourists.”
He said the market has received applications from more than 200 vendors who want to hawk their wares at the site.
Several Long Island City businesses will be among them, Schneps said: Malu LIC on Jackson Avenue will sell its handmade ice cream at the market, local Italian eatery Manducatis Rustica will peddle olive and white truffle oils, and Vernon Boulevard gallery and gift shop Matted LIC will sell art and other items.
The remaining vendors — there will be around 60 in all — are still being interviewed.
“For us, we’re looking for the best quality, and that will dictate what will be here,” Schneps said.
The site of the market is a vacant parking lot leased from nearby plastics packaging company Plaxall, which had wanted to dock a ferry housing a floating beer garden at the site this summer.
Plaxall vice president Matt Quigley told DNAinfo.com on Tuesday that plans for the beer barge are still on the table, though it might not happen in time for this summer.
“We’re having a little trouble trying to figure out what kind of permits we’d need,” he said. “We’re still trying to figure out how we can make it a potability.”
