Pandemic Parties, Diner Drive-In: Astoria/LIC 2020 Year In Review

QUEENS, NY — If one thing could be said about 2020, it's that it was a year unlike any other.

The coronavirus pandemic dominated the headlines this year, especially as part of Astoria became a "yellow zone" amid an increase in cases, but many other stories caught the attention of Patch readers.

From small business closures to tales of neighbors helping neighbors cope with the effects of the pandemic, Astoria and Long Island City saw a year of tragedy but also triumph.

As 2021 begins, Astoria-Long Island City Patch is taking a look back at the top stories of 2020.

Maskless Partiers Crowd Astoria For Outdoor Drinking, Dining

Long Island City Logs Most Social Distancing Complaints In NYC

COVID-19 predictably dominated the headlines in Astoria and Long Island City this year, especially as Steinway Street became a nighttime party destination in the summer and the state started cracking down on Astoria businesses caught flouting pandemic-related rules.

Both neighborhoods drew among the most complaints of social distancing violations in New York City, with Long Island City eventually topping the list.

Bars and restaurants weren't the only ones getting in trouble: The NYPD and the New York City Sheriff's Office broke up crowds at a vigil for a rapper at Queensbridge Houses and a sex party at an Astoria swingers club.

• Cuomo Cites Astoria Park Crowds In Raising Social Distancing Fine
• More Astoria Bars Lose Liquor Licenses As NY Continues Crackdown

Astoria's Bel Aire Diner Launches Drive-In Movie Nights

Rocky The Pug Helps Astorians Compost After NYC Suspends Program

Faced with restrictions on social gatherings, social-distancing guidelines and budget cuts, Astoria and Long Island City residents found creative ways to have fun and help one another.

Bel Aire Diner launched drive-in movie nights in the adjacent parking lot, and the series became an instant hit. The diner even hosted a special movie night for Elmhurst Hospital workers to express gratitude for their hard work during the pandemic.

And a pug named Rocky became the mascot for one neighbor's initiative to collect Astoria residents' food scraps and turn them into compost, after New York City's composting services fell victim to budget cuts during the pandemic.

After 504 Days Hospitalized, Baby Who Survived Arson Returns Home

The year's most-read story on Astoria-Long Island City Patch was the heartwarming account of a 2-year-old boy who made it home to East Elmhurst after 504 days hospitalized with severe burns, just in time to spend Thanksgiving with family.

Baby Liam was the sole survivor of a 2019 arson that killed three of his family members.

Hundreds March Through Astoria Demanding Justice For George Floyd

In June, Patch was there as hundreds of people filled the streets of Astoria to protest the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minnesota police and to demand an end to police brutality.

Outside the NYPD's 114th Precinct station on Astoria Boulevard South, protesters kneeled before a line of police officers in riot gear gripping batons. The officers stood silently as protesters chanted "we are peaceful" and asked the officers to join them in kneeling. The police officers remained standing.

Tropical Storm Isaias Rips Through Astoria: Photos

The coronavirus wasn't the only thing to devastate Astoria this year: Tropical Storm Isaias' 70 mph winds managed to damage trees and completely uproot others in Astoria Park and along sidewalks throughout the neighborhood. The storm also knocked out power for an estimated 200 Astoria households.

Developers Unveil $2B Plan For Astoria 'Creative District'

In July, a team of developers unveiled a $2 billion plan called "Innovation QNS" that would transform a largely industrial swath of Astoria into an arts and culture hub and add 2,700 apartments and a 600-seat school to the area.

That wasn't all when it came to development plans for Astoria and Long Island City. Trader Joe's quietly made a deal to expand to Long Island City, reports said, and the city added a ferry route between Astoria and Manhattan's Upper East Side that stakeholders said would boost business in Western Queens.

Meanwhile, developers' plans for the swath of land once earmarked for Amazon's second headquarters suffered a blow when the Mayor's Office decided to pull out of the planning process.

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