Earlier this month, José Moreno was in Flushing when he tasted a Sichuan peppercorn for the first time. He was hovering over a bowl of fish soup, when one crunched between his teeth. He reached for some water. There wasn’t any. He started to pant. The numbing spread. What saved him was a familiar taste: hibiscus tea. “If you add ice to this, it’s like agua de jamaica,” he says.

Moreno, the owner of a small fleet of Birria-Landia taco trucks, has been learning a lot about Flushing. For months, he’s been in the neighborhood working on his first immobile business, a Birria-Landia taqueria opening in the Tangram mall next month. It occupies a prominent corner stall in the second-floor food court, right by the Angry Birds cafe. “People who come and visit the food trucks, they have to eat standing up,” he says. “Now they have plenty of tables.”

The location may seem like an unlikely landing place for one of the city’s most popular taco purveyors, but that’s why Moreno thinks it’s going to work. He first heard about Tangram last year, when a representative for the shopping center stopped by one of his food trucks with an offer. They wanted his birria. “I thought it was a normal mall with a Macy’s,” he says, before he learned it’s an $800 million development with indoor swimming pools and caviar-topped duck-skin canapés. At the same time, he’d noticed an uptick in Asian customers at his food trucks over the years and agreed to a meeting. When he visited the food court, a group of Latino construction workers implored him to open. “There was nowhere to eat Mexican food,” he says. (No, a nearby Chipotle doesn’t count.)

The new space has translated to a bigger menu, a welcome evolution for day-one fans, who have subsisted on one meat and four items for years. There are new proteins, including chicken and carne asada, and a flour tortilla option for the birria, a trend Moreno observed in northern Mexico. Meatless tacos — potato and mushroom — are on the menu, too, following requests from vegetarian customers.

Sopes will be on the menu when the stall opens this spring. Photo: Birria Landia

Finally, there will be burritos, a first for Birria-Landia, made with tortillas from Tortilleria Nixtamal, “It’s a skinny burrito you can hold and eat easily,” says Moreno, who worked in Los Angeles before the pandemic. His criteria: whole beans, fewer ingredients inside, a quality tortilla wrapped in aluminum foil, and a manageable hand-feel: “You don’t need a fork and knife.”

Everything has gone through rigorous testing. Before opening his first truck, Moreno fine-tuned his birria by cooking for his co-workers at Patrizia’s Pizzeria. His new chorizo recipe ran the same gauntlet; all of Birria-Landia has weighed in. “Once, twice a week we were eating chorizo burritos,” says Angel Ruiz, who helps manage the business. The winner was an uncomplicated preparation involving pork shoulder, guajillo peppers, vinegar, and salt.

Moreno will run the restaurant with his brother, Jesús, a partner from the start, along with Ruiz, a childhood friend. “I never would have thought that we would be here,” Ruiz says. (He and Moreno used to wash dishes together in the kitchen at Babbo, until they were permitted to cook.) By the time Moreno opened Birria-Landia in 2019, Tijuana-style birria tacos had already taken off in California, but he jump-started the movement here — birria is sold at bodegas, fine-dining restaurants, and Tacombi.

Still, Birria-Landia remains the one to beat: The business has since grown into a multi-borough enterprise with five trucks and nearly 100,000 Instagram followers. Whenever the operation expands — roughly once a year — they consider customer requests and nearby competition. They opened on the Upper West Side because the best alternative for tacos was Chipotle; they expanded to the Bronx after Instagram followers protested that Williamsburg got a food truck first. And Moreno was drawn to Flushing because there are taco trucks and tamale stands stationed along Main Street, but nowhere to sit down and eat carne asada.

“This place needs it,” says Guosheng Wang, from Long Island. He was considering the egg tarts and corn dogs in the Tangram food court when a bright-red bull caught his eye — the Birria-Landia logo. “When I see a new Mexican restaurant open, I always check things out,” Wang says. “I know they have a following.”

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A popular West Coast bakery is bringing its sweet success to the East Coast.

85°C Bakery Cafe, a renowned bakery chain with over 1,000 locations worldwide, is expanding its presence in the U.S. with a grand opening in Flushing’s Tangram Shopping Mall this weekend.

The new location, situated at 133-27 39th Ave., Unit G2, will host a grand opening celebration from Friday, Jan. 10, to Sunday, Jan. 12, offering promotions and giveaways to mark the occasion.

Visitors can enjoy free promotional items while supplies last, including a tote bag or state mug with any purchase, as well as prizes with proof of purchase. Special giveaways include a free t-shirt for the first 85 customers on Friday and a complimentary drink of choice for the first 85 customers on Sunday.

The Flushing bakery will feature more than 50 varieties of pastries, breads, cakes, and freshly brewed coffees, all made in-house daily, catering to both sweet and savory cravings.

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Some of 85°C Bakery Cafe’s top-selling pastries include milk pudding, a traditional Japanese-style soft bread with vanilla custard inside; marble taro, a sweet bread made with mixed grains and filled with signature taro filling; and choco bun, a small bun made of chocolate dough filled with chocolate chips.

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85°C Bakery Cafe also offers an extensive selection of fresh milk teas, fresh fruit teas, and frozen drinks, including caramel coffee smoothies, mango slush, frozen marble taro, and more. Best-selling drinks include strawberry matcha latte, sea salt coffee, 85C Coffee, and sea salt jasmine green tea.

Current seasonal offerings include cinnamon rolls, toffee lattes, and panettone.

As for savory options, the bakery has just unveiled a new sandwich selection at set locations, which includes a ham and cheese sandwich, a pesto chicken sandwich, and a tuna sandwich. Sweet lovers can also choose from their new cocoa-dipped Danish and tiramisu basque cheesecake.

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Andy Kuo, CEO of 85°C Bakery Cafe USA, said the brand is “incredibly excited” to host its first East Coast grand opening. “This is an exciting milestone for the brand, and we look forward to introducing our unique offerings to the vibrant New York community. Our goal is to become a cherished part of the local community and offer something special to all who visit,” Kuo said in a statement.

85°C Bakery Cafe was founded in 2003 by Cheng-Hsueh Wu. Wu was inspired to start the bakery cafe chain when he dined on gourmet pastries in a cafe at a five-star hotel. He realized that the prices were inaccessible to many interested in eating high-quality pastries regularly and created 85°C Bakery Cafe to offer premium pastries and coffees at affordable rates.

The first U.S. store opened in Irvine, California, in 2008. The brand has expanded nationwide, with locations in California, Texas, Nevada, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Hawaii, New Jersey, and New York.

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The brand has opened its first location in the borough of Queens, marking its 18^th brick-and-mortar location in the US.

Located at the Tangram Mall in Flushing, the new store follows a successful pop-up location at the World Trade Center in Manhattan, as well as the most recent opening in the Staten Island Mall and the unveiling of its first Robo Shop on Long Island at Roosevelt Field Mall.

“We are thrilled to announce the grand opening of our newest New York location in Tangram Mall,” said Larry Lu, President of Pop Mart North America. “For the opening, we partnered with Haidilao Hot Pot to create a memorable experience that celebrates our shared cultural roots. Building on the success of our first store in the World Trade Center, New York remains a key market as we continue to expand our US presence.”

The new Queens store offers a series of opening specials, including super exclusive editions of Mega Space Molly and top selling The Monsters series from vinyl plush dolls, accessories and blind boxes. Shoppers will have the opportunity to purchase several sold out and sought after collections including The Monsters Have A Seat Vinyl Plush Blind Box Series, the Labubu x Pronounces – Wings of Fortune Vinyl Plush Hanging Card and much more.

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MINISO and Chiikawa will appear at the Tangram Shopping Mall in for a special pop-up store collaboration, marking the character’s first retail appearance in North America.

Global lifestyle brand MINISO has collaborated with Chiikawa, one of the most popular character brands in Japan today, to spread new fun and joy to customers in the US. Chiikawa, born from a social media manga and named for the main character meaning “something small and cute” has become a pop culture phenomenon across Japan and Asia. Known for its cute and comforting art style, the beloved Chiikawa, along with friends Hachiware and Usagi are coming to an exclusive pop-up store in Flushing, Queens, New York this month.

MINISO’s first-ever short-term pop-up in the country will debut at the Tangram Shopping Mall with Chiikawa from 9 August to 7 September. A popular destination for young consumers in the heart of Flushing’s commercial district, the free-standing pop-up will allow customers to step into the adorable world of Chiikawa and purchase exclusive co-branded products.

With an enchanting design, including a massive 3D figure on the roof and featuring comic inspired images, the pop-up store will carry nearly 100 offerings, including cute plush toys, bags, stationery and various lifestyle products, making it the most comprehensive collection of MINISO X Chiikawa merchandise in the US.

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Tangram, the massive shopping mall in Flushing, Queens is bringing in an exciting batch of brand new tenants, one of them being Gatcha, "an Asian-inspired barcade."
Bar meets arcade—what could be better than that?! Gatcha, a brand new tenant coming to Tangram this April is bringing the two together for an epic immersive gaming experience.

The concept is described as “An Asian-inspired barcade” that will span 9,000 square feet within Tangram’s 1.2 million square feet. The lease was officially signed last year, so it’s been many months in the making.

Gatcha combines the nostalgia of retro machines with Eastern arcade games. And when you’ve played enough, there’s a full bar to grab a drink.

Visitors can test their skills at the clawclade with a top tier lineup of machines to win Gatcha Designed Plush Toys and Anime figurines to Gundam Kits. Plus, Gatcha is introducing their snack claw machines that are filled with mouthwatering goodies. After racking up the prizes at the clawcade, guests can move on to more classic games like Dance Dance Revolution that’s had a resurgence with younger generations in Asia.

If you still have energy after a fired up session of Dance Dance Revolution, some Gatcha locations feature a Play Park & Trampoline area. Whether the New York flagship will have this feature is undetermined. The first Gatcha opened in Saugus, Massachusetts, with a second location in Orlando. The New York venue will be the new Gatcha flagship.

Guests will officially be welcomed for drinks and games on April 19, 2024. However, be sure to keep an eye out on upcoming events leading towards the grand opening.

“After opening two years ago, Tangram has solidified itself as the go-to destination for local visitors and tourists alike,” said Helen Lee, Executive Vice President of F&T Group. “Tangram is not a typical mall where people come to eat, shop, and then leave. We have created a gathering place with a wide range of activities, entertainment, and events for people to enjoy with friends and family.” And while you’re there, be sure to check out the cyber-punk food hall!

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Firm Name
JG Neukomm Architecture and Margulies Hoelzli Architecture

Project
Tangram Fitness - Location: Flushing, Queens
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Photography by Scott Frances.

JG Neukomm Architecture and Margulies Hoelzli Architecture is a 2023 NYCxDESIGN Awards winner for Tangram Fitness.

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Flushing community leaders, local elected officials and residents kicked off the holiday season on Thursday, Dec. 1 with a tree lighting celebration at Tangram, a new premier destination for shopping and fine dining in the community.

The event dazzled spectators with new decor, music, special performances, and a visit from Santa Claus. Guests were treated to a sneak preview of the ‘La Boutique Fantasque’ (The Magic Toyshop) performed by the Great Neck Ballet under Roberta Stern officially coming to the city in late December.

An octet of Christmas Carolers were dressed in Dickens costumes singing Christmas classics, along with local children choirs, dance groups, solo singers and St. John’s University dance team.

Continuing the holiday festivities, Tangram will offer free photos with Santa with any same-day food hall purchase of $20 on select dates.

Photos with Santa:

Saturday, Dec. 3 (12 p.m. to 3 p.m.)

Tuesday, Dec. 13 (4 p.m. to 7 p.m.)

Saturday, Dec. 17 (12 p.m. to 3 p.m.)

Tuesday, Dec. 20 (4 p.m. to 7 p.m.)

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The 15th-floor home is part of a new mixed-use development in the heart of downtown
Flushing, which is known for its walkability and great international restaurants

BY BILL CARY | ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 6, 2022

Listing of the Day

Location: Flushing, Queens, New York

Price: $3.1 million

This three-bedroom penthouse in a new development in eastern Queens offers
private wraparound balconies, a duplex rooftop terrace and open views of the
Manhattan skyline.

The 16-story Tangram House West condo tower, which was designed by the
architect Jean-Gabriel Neukomm, has 105 residences (studios and one- and twobedroom units) and 27 penthouses (one- to four-bedroom units). It’s a mixed-use development in the heart of downtown Flushing that offers retail, residential, office
and hotel space.

“This is a first for Flushing,” said listing agent Eunice Chen, a sales associate with F&T
Group, which is developing the project in partnership with SCG America. “What
makes this unit the most special are the outdoor spaces and the Manhattan views.
You’ve got your own little haven up there.”

The roof deck, which features a built-in barbecue area with a Wolf gas range grill set,
is “very private,” she said. “No one is overlooking your terrace.”

Construction is complete on the lower floors of the building, and the penthouses
should be finished by late summer, she said.

When you come into the penthouse, the “first thing you see are the windows facing
Manhattan,” Ms. Chen said. “The apartment gets incredible light.”

The open-plan living room has sitting and dining areas, and the custom kitchen
features Miele appliances, stainless-steel sinks and faucets, Italian cabinetry from
Doimo and Italian stone countertops and backsplash.

Other design details in the 15th
-floor unit include a built-in gas fireplace in the living
room, French oak floors, floor-to-ceiling double-paned glass walls with privacy
tinting, 10-foot ceilings and a Miele washer and dryer in a laundry closet tucked
under the staircase to the roof, according to the listing.

The primary bedroom suite, which is in a separate wing, also has open views of
Manhattan. The five-piece primary bathroom features a Toto bidet toilet, double
vanities, a standing shower, a soaking bathtub and radiant floor heating.

The penthouses have better finishes than the other units, Ms. Chen said. “Everything
is just a little bit nicer.”

Stats
The 2,156-square-foot home has three bedrooms, three full bathrooms and one
partial bathroom. There is also 1,213 square feet of exterior space.

Amenities
Building amenities include an indoor heated swimming pool, tennis courts, a spa, a
Himalayan salt room, a sauna, two gyms, a yoga room, 1.5-acre walking gardens, a
dog park, barbecue areas, a library, a lounge, a party room and a children’s playroom.
The development also includes a 4DX movie theater (Regal Cinemas), a shopping
mall, restaurants and a 208-key Renaissance hotel.

Neighborhood Notes
“Most people love Flushing for its accessibility,” Ms. Chen said. “Everything is
walkable. There are hundreds of restaurants and good shops.”
“It’s becoming touristy as well,” she said. “The airports are so close and there are so
many hotels here.”

Agent: Eunice Chen, a sales associate with F&T Group

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An $800 million development in Flushing, Queens, is poised to open in February with an array of upscale retail chain stores, cafes and restaurants that will be unrecognizable to most Americans.

The Tangram project will include the U.S. flagship location of Xiao Long Kan Hot Pot, a restaurant popular in China, and machi machi, a Taiwanese cafe known for its bubble teas. The site also features the first New York City location for Miniso, a Japanese-inspired purveyor of housewares and stationery.

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Asian Americans are gaining political power in New York. In 2018, John Liu and Kevin Thomas became the first Asian Americans elected to the state Senate. This year, they were joined by state Sen. Jeremy Cooney, the first upstate Asian American elected to state office. Jenifer Rajkumar and Zohran Mamdani also made history in last year’s elections as the first South Asians elected to the Assembly, where they joined fellow Asian American trailblazers Ron Kim and Yuh-Line Niou. Although Andrew Yang’s mayoral bid fizzled, as many as half a dozen Asian Americans are on track to secure seats in the New York City Council, up from two currently in office.

Of course, Asian Americans are not a monolithic group – a reality reflected on City & State’s latest Power of Diversity: Asian 100. The largest subgroups are Chinese and Indian Americans, and some of the most influential individuals – including Yang, Liu, Niou and Rep. Grace Meng – are Taiwanese Americans. Koreans also make up a sizable share of the list – which was researched and written in partnership with journalist Natasha Ishak – while Pakistan, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam are all represented as well.

When the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic hit New York, Queens quickly became an epicenter of the deadly virus. But thanks to the collective efforts of public officials, civic leaders and everyday New Yorkers, the borough is on the rebound. State Sen. Michael Gianaris, the No. 2 in the state Legislature’s upper house who also represents western Queens, has championed legislation instituting new protections for workers and tenants. State Sen. Jessica Ramos, who hails from Jackson Heights, spearheaded a measure that delivers badly needed assistance to undocumented immigrants. And Queens’ own Rep. Grace Meng has been speaking out loudly against rising xenophobia and hate crimes directed at Asian Americans during the pandemic.

These three lawmakers are among the many government officials – along with health care professionals, business executives, nonprofit leaders, union chiefs, advocates and activists of every stripe – who have responded forcefully to the public crisis as well as the economic shutdown that ensued. City & State’s latest Queens Power 100, which was researched and written in partnership with freelance journalist Clarissa Sosin, highlights the diverse array of leaders in the borough who are bringing it back from the brink.

As executive vice president of F&T Group, Helen Lee is working to help reshape the future of Flushing, Queens. Lee has been a visionary behind a number of developments. They include Queens Crossing, a multilevel mall; Flushing Commons, a two-building, mixed-use condominium; and 1 Fulton Square, a 330,000-square-foot development at the center of Flushing’s culinary scene. Lee is leading the creation of Tangram, a 1.2 million-square-foot, mixed-use condominium development that is almost finished. Meanwhile, F&T Group has recently embarked on its most ambitious project to date, the Special Flushing Waterfront District, a 13-building, mixed-use development, for which Lee and adjacent neighbors have received approval. The project will bring to life the longunderused Flushing Creek waterfront.

The City Council’s Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises and its Committee on Land Use on Wednesday, Dec. 9, voted in favor of approving the Special Flushing Waterfront District — a 29-acre proposal that would bring waterfront access, environmental cleanup and new development to a decades-long isolated and polluted section of downtown Flushing.

The proposal will now move forward to the full council for a final vote on Thursday, Dec. 10.

After delaying the vote on the matter in recent days, the council’s Subcommittee on Zoning had announced reaching a deal with the labor unions, Hotel Trades Council (HTC) and SEIU 32BJ, to ensure good jobs, community benefits and more for the Special Flushing Waterfront District (SFWD).

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The City Council on Thursday gave a large development project in Flushing, Queens, the green light to move forward.

Lawmakers voted, 38 to 5, with one abstention, to approve plans to build more than 1,700 units of housing, three hotels, and office and retail space over 29 acres on the Flushing waterfront.

The project will provide “an economic shot in the arm for Flushing and the city at a time when we need it most,” said Councilman Peter Koo (D-Queens), who reps the neighborhood where the buildings will go up.

Members of the Flushing community on Friday, Dec. 4, ushered in the holiday season with the annual unveiling of a new outdoor art installation that is serving as a symbol of hope for the community amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the 13th consecutive year, real estate firm F&T Group partnered with Crossing Art Gallery to bring artwork to downtown Flushing.

This year’s lively sculptural piece, “Hearts as One” is created by Asian-American artist Jaena Kwon, who has lived in Queens for five years. Kwon’s artwork will be on display until Jan. 31 at the Queens Crossing Outdoor Plaza (Outside of Paris Baguette bakery) at 136-17 39th Ave.

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F&T Group has unveiled a new outdoor art installation at the Queens Crossing Plaza in Flushing. As part of an annual collaboration with Crossing Art gallery, the unveiling has become a tradition for those who live and work in the neighborhood. This year’s work is from Asian American artist, Jaena Kwon, whose sculptural piece is titled “Hearts as One.”

F&T is the developer behind the 1.2 million s/f Tangram mixed use complex in Flushing and part of the Special Flushing Waterfront District team looking to activate 29 acres of inactive and underutilized land along Flushing Creek to create a public waterfront park.

“F&T Group is deeply rooted in the Flushing community. Our goal within every project and initiative we back is to bring the community together and to celebrate the immigrant roots Flushing was built upon. This inspiring installation is a display of creative passion and a reminder of the importance of visual arts, especially during the holidays and a challenging year,” said Michael Lee, CEO of F&T Group.

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Several days after a number of city councilmembers said the Special Flushing Waterfront District wouldn’t adequately serve the needs of the Flushing community, the development owners revealed they would dedicate space to child mentoring and senior recreational services.

FWRA, LLC and the La Jornada food pantry teamed up to serve more than 3,000 turkeys to families in Flushing Meadows Corona Park on Nov. 22. The developers had secured the funds after raising $67,148 for the benefit of La Jornada’s Bland Houses food pantry, which has seen lines wrap around Downtown Flushing blocks for several months during the crisis.

The developers revealed the event is the beginning of a long-tern relationship with La Jornada — the pantry has been offered 1,000 square feet of space within the new SFWD dedicated to neighborhood social services similar to ones FWRA had been chastised by opposers for not originally including in the plans.

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While some new developments seek to transform their neighborhoods, Tangram House emphasizes its deep connection to Flushing. The 1.2 million-square-foot development plans to bring new housing, new office space, a four-star Renaissance Flushing Hotel, acclaimed international restaurants, and a 4DX Regal Cinemas, Flushing’s first movie theater in decades, to Queens. Some of these ventures look uncertain in light of the coronavirus pandemic, but the connection to the community has stayed consistent: At the height of the pandemic, developer F&T Group partnered with non-profit Asians in America to purchase and deliver meals from its food tenants to first responders.

On the residential side, Tangram House’s collection of studio through three-bedrooms features interiors by JG Neukomm Architecture, a firm famous for its work for Tiffany & Company, Calvin Klein, and Ian Schrager. A 15-year tax abatement is in effect, and residential amenities include a fitness center, indoor saltwater pool, tennis courts, spa with sauna and salt room, children’s playroom, library, and 1.5 acres of gardens.

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Tangram House South – the first opportunity to live in the new heart of Flushing, Tangram – is revealing two beautiful model homes. Designed by New York-based JG Neukomm Architecture, a global design studio that created world famous spaces for the likes of Tiffany, Calvin Klein and hotelier Ian Schrager, Flushing’s new luxury residences bring a whole new level of luxury to one of the city’s fastest growing neighborhoods.

Tangram House South offers stunning apartments showcasing Manhattan-caliber finishes and spectacular private amenities. Residents have access to 8,000-square-foot state-of-the-art health and wellness club with spa facilities, saunas, a salt room, a 60’ long indoor heated saltwater lap pool, and a relaxing heated vitality pool. They arrive home at a private porte-cochère and enter via a beautiful, fully-attended lobby with a 24-hour doorman, concierge, and live-in residents’ manager. And just outside their doorstep, residents will have immediate access to the hustle and bustle of 39th Avenue, Flushing’s new Main Street offering a wide variety of retail and entertainment attractions, making it an exceptional destination to live, work and play.

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One Fulton Square has been a strong influence in the redevelopment of Downtown Flushing, so it’s no surprise that the 330,000 square-foot commercial plaza is proving to be an innovative player in the neighborhood's outdoor dining scene.

Diners are welcomed to the property’s private square or terrace, and invited to sink their teeth into a diverse showcase of flavors al fresco-- from Szechuan cuisine to Malaysian fare to Korean fried chicken and beyond.

In an effort to establish a safe outdoor dining experience, One Fulton Square has been assisting its tenants to facilitate protective measures such as the use of disposable utensils, installing hand sanitizer stations and creating a contactless order and payment system with QR code menus.

A roster of summer entertainment programs is also featured, including a weekend DJ night at Spot Dessert Bar and live music performances at seafood barbeque joint Hope to See You.

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The city’s property titans are giving back.

F&T Group is paying its award-winning restaurant tenants in Flushing — Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao and Guan Fu Sichuan — to make 1,200 meals for first responders. Executive Helen Lee has delivered some in person.

Also giving back is Rockefeller Group, which is partnering with Nomad’s Bourke Street Bakery to make care packages for frontline heroes.

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Condominium closings are still underway as scheduled at Tangram House South, the first of two luxury residential towers at Tangram — the 1.2 million square foot mixed-use development that’s completely transforming the Flushing lifestyle — with buyers now able to close virtually on their home. Several units have closed over the last few weeks alone, including a highly-anticipated penthouse.

First closings at Tangram House South began in November and the building is now nearly sold out. Tangram House South offers stunning apartments showcasing Manhattan-caliber finishes and spectacular private amenities. The building is comprised of a collection of studio to three-bedroom residences and is designed by Margulies Hoelzli Architecture with interiors carefully crafted by award-winning architect and designer Jean-Gabriel Neukomm.

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F&T Group has partnered up with Asians in America (AIA), a charitable organization founded by Democratic Assembly candidate Steven Lee, to purchase and deliver over 1,200 meals from both Flushing’s most popular restaurants and food tenants in its mixed-use properties. Their efforts have allowed workers at the 109th Precinct, Flushing Hospital Medical Center, New York Presbyterian Queens, and local fire departments to enjoy meals from TKK Fried Chicken, Spot Dessert Bar, Hope to See You, Szechuan Mountain House, PappaRich Flushing, Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, and Guan Fu Sichuan.

A Flushing grassroots organization founded by state Assembly candidate Steven Lee donated 600 meals this past weekend to area first responders and frontline workers and plans to donate another 600 meals this upcoming week.

Asians in America (AiA) teamed up with local restaurants and business leaders to create meals with participation from seven area establishments. The group donated these meals to the 109th Precinct, Flushing Hospital Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Queens and local fire departments.

The efforts are funded by donations and the group has set up a Go Fund Me to collect donations. The first 1200 meals were funded by a local real estate development firm F&T Group.

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Prior to the coronavirus outbreak that has upended the daily lives of millions of New Yorkers, a $1 billion development and rezoning plan along the Flushing Creek waterfront was one of the most talked-about stories in Queens.

For F&T Group, one of the three developers, the waterfront is the next step in the “evolution” of Downtown Flushing, F&T’s Chief Investment Officer Richard Siu told the Eagle in a sit-down interview.

“The waterfront does not look like anywhere else in Downtown Flushing,” Siu said, noting that it is the last area of Downtown Flushing that hasn’t yet been built out.

F&T and the other two members of FWRA, United Construction & Development Group and the Young Nian Group, would create a 13-tower, mixed-use complex of housing, hotels, offices and shops across the 29 acres of mostly unutilized land. Most of the land can be built “as-of-right,” meaning that the developers do not need a land use variance or rezoning to build the bulk of the project. The rezoning encompasses a section of the land that developers say is needed to make the project flow together better.

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Since 2009, developers have built 3,075 new condo units in Flushing, second only to Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in terms of condo construction citywide, according to Nancy Packes Data Services.

“I remember a decade ago when people were embarrassed about living in Flushing,” said Helen Lee, an executive vice president with F & T Group, one of the developers of Tangram, a 1.2 million-square-foot, mixed-use complex named after the Chinese puzzle.

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Goldfish Swim School, the learn-to-swim franchise with over 100 locations nationwide, signed their first indoor shopping mall location at Tangram, the 1.2 million-square-foot mixed-use development transforming the Flushing lifestyle.

“Tangram is the ideal development to raise a family with recreational activities at their fingertips in Downtown Flushing,” said Robert Wineman, partner in BHB Group, the owner of Goldfish Swim School – Flushing at Tangram.

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FLUSHING, Queens (WABC) -- New Yorkers know that Flushing has an abundance of Chinese restaurants - and among them is one that is focused on fish.

Once you enter 'Grill Master,' on 133-42 39th Avenue you are greeted by a dragon, but it is the fish that will entice you back. The fish swim in tanks and are caught on the spot and are grilled and then steamed in any number of sauces.

There is a wide array of skewers and beef dishes - scallops and oysters are cooked on the grill. However, the large majority of people come for the fish.

Once the fish are caught, they are scaled. Striped bass is butterflied and then placed in a spicy marinade. The bass is then placed into a grill contraption and into a sideways grill. The cooked fish then goes onto a bed of onion and vegetables. A flavorful sauce then goes on top. You can also opt for two flavors at once to accommodate a variety of tastes.

Grill Master is located in the One Fulton Square Development - one of the many new buildings in Flushing - a neighborhood that is offering a wider variety of Asian food options as it grows.

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A celebrated Queens artist has covered the scaffolding surrounding Flushing’s incoming mega-development, the Tangram, with a colorful illustrated mural that serves as a homage to the neighborhood.

Artist Lisk Feng created the 291-foot-long installation around the Tangram construction site at 133-36 37th Ave. with illustrations celebrating the generations of immigrants that have given the neighborhood its vibrant food and culture scene.

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Popular fitness chain Orangetheory is expanding to Flushing, Queens with an outpost at Tangram, one of the largest new developments in the neighborhood, the developers announced this week.

The Boca Raton, Fla.-based workout franchise inked a 10-year, 3,200-square-foot lease for a retail space in the project at 37-12 Prince Street. Asking rent in the transaction wasn’t disclosed. Orangetheory will open in the summer of 2020.

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Tangram Tower – Flushing’s office condominium located within the 1.2 million s/f mixed-use Tangram development – has commenced closings and move-ins are now underway, the developers have announced.

“We are thrilled to welcome businesses to their new home at Tangram Tower in the new heart of Downtown Flushing in the neighborhood’s 39th Avenue corridor,” said Helen Lee, Executive Vice President of F&T Group, which is developing Tangram with SCG America. “Over 80 percent sold, Tangram Tower is the first building to be completed, marking a significant milestone for the project and for the neighborhood overall as a testament to the demand for class-A office space in one of the City’s fastest growing commercial districts.”

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A partnership between New York-based developers F&T Group has opened Tangram Tower, an 85,000-square-foot office building within the Tangram mixed-use development in Queens. The building is currently 80 percent sold to medical practitioners and other professionals. Tangram Tower offers access to the 1.2 million-square-foot Tangram development’s two residential towers and hotel, as well as an array of retail and culinary options. Margulies Hoelzli Architecture designed the development.

Revered Flushing SOUP DUMPLING SHOP Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao — which was deemed CLOSED in May — will resurrect in a new space this fall.

The longstanding beloved restaurant is receiving “a major upgrade” and reopening within One Fulton Square at THE CORNER OF PRINCE STREET AND 39TH AVENUE in downtown Flushing, according to a spokesperson. General manager Eddie Zheng tells Eater the restaurant is doubling its size with a new 5,100-square-foot space.

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All 132 units boast interiors by JG Neukomm Architecture. efficient layouts, elegant lines, incredible light, and views of the Manhattan skyline or lush gardens. Additional features include ceilings up to 11 feet high, French oak floors, in-unit washer/dryers, walk-in closets, baths with elegantly designed features, and kitchens with custom cabinetry and Miele appliances. Many apartments have private balconies, and studios come with the option to buy fully built out with custom furniture.

Tangram House West has an 8,000-square-foot health and wellness club includes a 60-foot-long indoor saltwater lap pool, an indoor vitality pool, and spa facilities with sauna and salt room. Additional amenities include a one-acre garden with skylight, a Japanese sand garden with class area, a 3,500-square-foot teahouse-inspired Pavilion with seating lounges and reflection areas, a library and lounge, indoor and outdoor children’s play areas, a dog run, an outdoor tennis court, and outdoor grills with seating and dining areas.

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Another big-deal Chinese import is heading to Flushing: Massive restaurant chain Xiao Long Kan Hot Pot will plant a 5,000-square-foot location in a glitzy new complex next summer.

The restaurant famous for its spicy Sichuan-style hot pot has over 800 stores around the world, but this will be its first in North America. It’ll be housed within Tangram, a nearly completed 1.2 million-square-foot development made up of retail stores, a hotel, offices, and condos, as well as a food hall and beer garden.

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Restaurateur Todd Leong, owner of Lucky Rice as well as Leaf Bar & Lounge, will open The Beer Assembly, a 3,550-square-foot beer garden at Tangram. The 1.2 million-square-foot mixed-use development is located in Flushing. Developed by F&T Group and Shanghai Construction Group (SCG), Tangram features residential, office, retail and hospitality uses, including a 24,000-square-foot food hall that will be positioned adjacent to the beer garden. The opening is slated for early 2020.