Short Triangle

Introduction / Overview

In the rapidly transforming urban landscape of Long Island City, Queens, where towering residential buildings and modern commercial spaces now dominate, sits a curious little green space known as Short Triangle. This unassuming park, located at the intersection of Jackson Avenue and 45th Road, is less about sprawling lawns and recreational facilities and more about its unique character and a subtle nod to the neighborhood's past. For New Yorkers seeking to explore the less-traveled paths and uncover the idiosyncratic charm of their city, Short Triangle offers a peculiar yet intriguing experience. It’s a place that embodies the raw, unpolished authenticity that still lingers amidst LIC’s rapid modernization.

Short Triangle, true to its name, is indeed "quite short and in fact, very triangular." It's a small urban parcel that invites contemplation rather than active play. Its reviews paint a picture of a spot with "leftover historical significance," a place where one can "peruse the nsfw shop" nearby, or simply "watch from the best spot as you view some leftover sleaze from LIC’s 70/80’s past." This description suggests a gritty, unvarnished charm, offering a stark contrast to the polished facades of much of modern Long Island City. This article will delve into the specifics of Short Triangle, detailing its precise location, its unconventional "services," and the peculiar features that make it a uniquely suitable spot for adventurous and curious locals in the New York region.

Location and Accessibility

Short Triangle is distinctively located at the intersection of Jackson Avenue and 45th Road in Long Island City, NY 11101, USA. This address places it in a highly active and historically significant part of Long Island City, directly beneath the elevated train tracks, which contributes significantly to its unique ambiance and accessibility. Its position at a bustling intersection ensures high visibility, despite its small size, and makes it a recognizable landmark for those traversing the area.

The accessibility of Short Triangle is excellent, a hallmark of Long Island City’s well-connected infrastructure. It is exceptionally well-served by New York City’s extensive subway system. The nearby Court Square-23rd Street station provides access to the E, M, G, and 7 train lines, offering rapid and convenient connections to Manhattan, other parts of Queens, and Brooklyn. This makes it an easy destination for New Yorkers from across the boroughs. Numerous bus routes also operate along Jackson Avenue and surrounding streets, providing additional layers of accessibility for local travel. The immediate area around Short Triangle is highly walkable, with many residents and workers passing by it daily. Its proximity to both residential buildings and various local businesses ensures that it's a naturally integrated part of the Long Island City experience, even if its charm is unconventional.

Services Offered

Short Triangle, given its unique and unconventional nature as described by reviewers, does not offer traditional park services like playgrounds or vast recreational fields. Instead, its "services" are more experiential and niche, catering to a specific type of urban exploration:

• Urban Observation Point: It offers a distinct vantage point to observe the "leftover sleaze from LIC’s 70/80’s past," providing a raw, unfiltered glimpse into the neighborhood's history and character.
• Unconventional Seating: While not explicitly stated as having benches, the implied "front row seat" suggests spaces where one can pause and take in the peculiar surroundings, perhaps on informal surfaces or by simply standing.
• Proximity to Unique Local Businesses: The park's immediate vicinity includes an "nsfw shop" and a "time warp" diner, which can be seen as "services" in that they provide unique, albeit unconventional, diversions for visitors.
• Public Open Space (for contemplation): It functions as a public patch of land for those seeking a brief, perhaps gritty, escape or a place for quiet (or not-so-quiet, given the train) contemplation.
• Sense of Urban Freedom: Reviewers suggest "no rules so be free," implying a relaxed, unpoliced atmosphere where visitors can experience a sense of urban liberty.
• Historical Significance: The "leftover historical significance" offers an unspoken service of connecting visitors to LIC's past, providing a subtle layer of cultural context.

It's important for New Yorkers to approach Short Triangle with an open mind, as its offerings deviate significantly from a typical family-friendly park.

Features / Highlights

• Glimpse into LIC's Past: A primary highlight of Short Triangle is its ability to offer a raw and unfiltered glimpse into Long Island City’s 70s and 80s past. It’s a small bastion of "leftover sleaze" that contrasts sharply with the area's modern development, providing a sense of historical continuity and urban authenticity.
• Unique Urban Ambiance: The park's location directly under a "loud train curve" creates a highly distinctive and immersive urban soundscape. This constant hum of the elevated train is a defining feature, adding to its peculiar charm and making it unlike any other "park" experience in the city.
• Unconventional Surroundings: Its immediate proximity to an "nsfw shop" and a "time warp" diner contributes to its idiosyncratic character. These neighboring establishments are highlights in themselves, offering unusual points of interest for the curious explorer and adding to the park’s offbeat appeal.
• "Bermuda Triangle" Type Feel: The description of it as a "Bermuda Triangle type-park" suggests a mysterious and captivating quality, inviting visitors to "enter a zone" and experience a sense of intrigue. This abstract feature makes it particularly memorable.
• A Place for Unfiltered Observation: Short Triangle is presented as a "best spot" from which to observe the local urban scene, particularly the less polished aspects of LIC. This makes it ideal for urban anthropologists, photographers, or anyone interested in the raw, unfiltered realities of city life.
• Authentic Local Character: Unlike many manicured parks, Short Triangle retains a sense of unvarnished authenticity. Its lack of formal rules and polished amenities means visitors can "be free" and experience a unique slice of local Long Island City life.

Promotions or Special Offers

As a public urban space, Short Triangle does not engage in commercial promotions or offer traditional discounts. Its "special offers" are entirely experiential and intrinsic to its unique character, providing benefits that are unconventional but potentially valuable to certain New Yorkers:

• Free Access to Urban Authenticity: The most significant "promotion" is the complimentary access to a raw, unfiltered glimpse into Long Island City's historical and contemporary "sleaze." This cultural experience is free for all who are curious enough to visit.
• Complimentary "Front Row Seat": It offers a free "front row seat" for observing the distinctive urban environment, including the elevated train and the peculiar happenings in its immediate vicinity. This voyeuristic opportunity is available at no cost.
• Unique Photo Opportunities: While not picturesque in a conventional sense, the park provides free and unique backdrops for unconventional urban photography, appealing to artists and those seeking to capture the less glamorous, yet equally compelling, aspects of city life.
• Sense of Unrestricted Freedom: The implied "no rules so be free" suggests an atmosphere of uninhibited personal space, a rare and appealing "offer" in a highly regulated city like New York.
• Time Warp Experience: Its proximity to the "time warp" diner can be considered an indirect "offer," as it provides a free and fascinating glimpse into a bygone era, enhancing the overall visit to the area.

Short Triangle's promotions are not about saving money, but about gaining an unusual and authentic urban experience that is freely accessible to adventurous locals.

Contact Information

For inquiries regarding Short Triangle, located at Jackson Ave. &, 45th Rd, Long Island City, NY 11101, USA, the primary contact would be the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. As a public "triangle" park, it falls under their jurisdiction for general maintenance and oversight. While this specific small parcel might not have a dedicated on-site staff or direct contact line, the central parks department is the appropriate channel for official inquiries.

New York City Department of Parks & Recreation:

• Phone: (212) 639-9675
• Mobile Phone: +1 212-639-9675
• Address: General inquiries can be directed to their central office. For specific concerns about a small triangle park's condition or usage, referencing its address is crucial when contacting the department.

Given its unconventional nature, as described by reviewers, any specific questions about its peculiar features or neighboring establishments would need to be directed to those individual businesses rather than the park's administrative body. However, for general public park matters, the NYC Parks Department is the go-to resource for New Yorkers.

Conclusion: Why this place is suitable for locals

Short Triangle, despite its modest size and unconventional nature, is surprisingly suitable for locals in the New York region, particularly those in Long Island City, who appreciate the raw, authentic, and often peculiar facets of urban life. Its suitability lies not in typical park amenities, but in its unique ability to offer a peculiar, unfiltered slice of New York City's past and present.

For New Yorkers, who are accustomed to and often seek out the extraordinary, Short Triangle provides an authentic "zone" to "enter." It serves as a living, albeit small, testament to Long Island City's industrial and less polished history, allowing residents to connect with the "leftover sleaze from LIC’s 70/80’s past." This kind of historical significance, often overlooked, offers a deeper understanding of the city's evolution, which can be highly appealing to locals with an appreciation for urban anthropology.

Furthermore, its unusual features, such as being directly under a "loud train curve" and its proximity to a "time warp" diner and an "nsfw shop," create an inimitable ambiance that challenges conventional notions of a "park." This provides a rare sense of urban freedom, as suggested by the reviewer's "no rules so be free." For the adventurous, the curious, or those simply seeking a break from the meticulously curated public spaces, Short Triangle offers an unexpected, authentic, and thought-provoking experience. It's a place where one can simply "watch from the best spot," making it a fitting, if peculiar, local attraction for New Yorkers who cherish the quirks and unvarnished character of their city.

Short Triangle

Jackson Ave. &, 45th Rd, Long Island City, NY 11101, USA