🏠 163 New Affordable Apartments Open on 27th Avenue

🏥 Mount Sinai Queens Is Expanding Its ICU — 8 Beds Becoming 21

🏒 The NHL Just Put $2.5M Behind Astoria's Future Ice Rink

🥡 Nice Day Chinese Steps Into the Space Ma Lala Left Behind

Monday · May 5

Q.E.D. Astoria — NYC's #1-ranked comedy club (Time Out) has shows most nights. Check their calendar for this week's full lineup.

Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden — 29-06 24th Ave. NYC's oldest beer garden is open for the season. The backyard is waiting.

Saturday · May 9 + Sunday · May 10

31st Avenue Open Street — Car-free Saturdays & Sundays through Dec 14. Maker markets, live music, local vendors, and food trucks.

Sunday · May 11 🌱 🆕

Astoria Farmers Market DEBUTS on 31st Ave Open Street — fresh produce, seafood, and farm-direct goods from regional vendors. First market of the 2026 season. Second Sundays, May–November, 1–5 pm.

⭐ Upcoming / Mark Your Calendar

Tue · May 12

Queens Taste 2026, 6–9 pm @ Sound River Studios, LIC — 50+ restaurants, unlimited sips & bites, waterfront views. Tickets $125/$200 for two.

Sun · May 17

48th Annual Astoria Spring Festival, 11 am–6 pm on 31st St between Ditmars Blvd and 21st Ave — local vendors, makers, food, kids' rides.

Thu · May 28 ·

Astoria Film Festival Opening Night @ Heart of Gold, 7–11 pm — Kicks off a 3-day festival at Kaufman Astoria Studios, May 28–31.

Mayor Eric Adams cut the ribbon on a brand-new fully affordable housing development right in Astoria on Sunday — and it's a big one.

The 14-story building at 3-24 27th Ave. was constructed on a former parking lot inside the Astoria Houses NYCHA complex by the Durst Organization, one of NYC's most prominent developers. The $90.5 million project delivers 163 exclusively affordable units, with rents ranging from $665 a month for studios to $1,601 for two-bedrooms — heat and hot water included. At least 15% of units are reserved for formerly homeless households, and application priority went to NYCHA residents and community members from the surrounding area.

Inside, tenants get oak floors, large windows, energy-efficient appliances, a fitness room, a tenant lounge, and shared laundry. Construction was financed through the city's Extremely Low- and Low-Income Affordability (ELLA) program. In a neighborhood where rents have climbed steadily, 163 units with a $665 starting price is worth knowing about — and if you know someone who needs it, the Astoria Post has the full details.

👉 Full story at Astoria Post

Astoria's hospital is getting a major upgrade — and a wall-shattering groundbreaking ceremony last Thursday made it official.

Mount Sinai Queens kicked off a $23 million expansion that will nearly triple its intensive care capacity, growing from 8 ICU beds to 21. The project converts the hospital's entire vacant sixth floor into a purpose-built ICU unit — a floor that has sat empty since the building opened in 2018, deliberately left unfinished to allow for exactly this kind of future expansion. The new unit will also include a procedural room capable of handling complex surgical procedures on-site, the kind that previously required transferring patients to other facilities.

Why does this matter? In 2023 alone, roughly 120 patients had to be transferred out of Mount Sinai Queens simply because there weren't enough ICU beds available. The expansion is funded in part by $7 million from Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, with additional support from state legislators including Sen. Michael Gianaris. The 16-month construction timeline puts completion sometime in late 2027.

👉 Full coverage on QNS 👉 More at Astoria Post

Remember when we first reported that Astoria was getting an ice rink? That story just landed a major shot of momentum.

The National Hockey League and the NHL Players' Association have awarded Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens a $2.5 million grant from their Industry Growth Fund — specifically earmarked for a brand-new hockey rink on the roof of Variety's massive new clubhouse at 21-12 30th Road. The grant covers rink construction, equipment, and youth programming designed to get local kids on the ice from day one.

The new clubhouse is a $305 million redevelopment of Variety's longtime Astoria headquarters, set to deliver 125,000 square feet of youth-focused programming space — including a children's mental health center and 236 units of carbon-neutral affordable housing with 69 units reserved for youth aging out of foster care. The NHL grant joins $5 million from the Queens Borough President, $7.5 million from the City Council, a $3 million capital grant, and other public investments. Full groundbreaking is expected in the coming months.

👉 Full story on QNS

If you've walked past the old Ma Lala spot in Astoria recently and done a double-take, here's the story.

Nice Day Chinese has moved into the former Ma Lala space, bringing a fresh look — including a new mural that weaves together Queens icons like the 7 train and the Mets with Chinese cultural motifs. It's a corner that had real character, and the new tenants are clearly trying to earn a place in the neighborhood rather than just fill a vacancy.

The menu walks the line between authentic Sichuan and American-Chinese comfort food. Highlights include spicy Sichuan crispy chicken, double-cooked pork belly, mala dry pot, boiled fish with green peppercorns, handmade soup dumplings, and a lineup of creative starters. If bold, layered flavors are your thing, this one's worth adding to the rotation.

👉 Full details on QNS

Astoria Insider is inviting local businesses and organizations to be featured in its growing community newsletter.

The platform highlights local news, events and community stories, providing businesses with an opportunity to reach a highly engaged local audience and showcase what they offer.

From restaurants and shops to services and community groups, all are encouraged to participate and share their story with readers across the Astoria and surrounding areas. Don’t own a business? That’s ok… Know of one that should be featured?

Those interested in being featured can reach out to learn more about available opportunities and upcoming editions. Click the button below to feature your business or send an email to [email protected] with your business details and we’ll reach out!