About 20 years back, Queens Plaza was mostly municipal parking lots, industrial buildings and adult entertainment. Then, in 2001, a major rezoning that allowed high-rises opened the door to increased development, including residential, commercial and hotel space. New tenants such as the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (at 2 Gotham Center, formerly a parking garage) and Jet Blue, which moved into the Brewster Building, a former auto and airplane assembly plant, brought hundreds of workers to the area. New hotels created a steady influx of visitors. At the same time, about 2,000 new rental and condominium units attracted residents, many looking for shorter commute times.

Then there are the views. Many of the new buildings are glass towers with reach-out-and-touch-it views of Manhattan. “You can see from the Empire State Building to downtown Manhattan from my 15-foot glass windows,” said Kodjo Hounnaké, 35, an entrepreneur who has lived for six years in a one-bedroom condominium in the Vere building on Jackson Avenue. “Whenever I think about buying another place, I realize it’s going to be tough to find another view like this.”

Some of the current views may soon be blocked by the next wave of Queens Plaza development, which is in full swing. Extended tax abatements and competition from developers for available land has again turned the area into a big construction site. According to data from the Long Island City Partnership, at least 25 new residential buildings with about 4,700 units are expected to be completed in the next three years or so.

Patrick O’Brien, the chairman of Community Board 2, which serves Long Island City, expressed concern that the lack of amenities in Queens Plaza like health care providers, schools and grocery stores, will become more pronounced. “We’re already trying to fit 10 pounds into a five-pound bag. Unless we re-engineer the bag, it’s going to be hard to fit any more people.”