Chris Jiashu Xu, founder and president of United Construction and Development, has established his firm as one of Queens’ leading developers. Since its founding in 1996, the company has built a diverse portfolio of residential condominiums, hotels, and commercial properties. In 2020, Xu completed Skyline Tower in Long Island City, a 67-story, 763-foot condominium that remains the borough’s tallest residential building. More than 90% of its 800 studio-to-four-bedroom units have been sold.
Xu’s next major projects will rise just north of Skyline Tower at 42-50 24th Street and 42-53 24th Street. The first site will give way to a 44-story, 589-foot condominium tower, making it the second tallest in Queens. As first reported by The Real Deal, Xu acquired the property in 2024 for $57.5 million from a joint venture including Fisher Brothers and the Hakim Organization.
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42-50 24th Avenue (Credit: Emil Cohen/NYC Council Media Unit)
Early massing studies depict a slender tower atop a 30-foot landscaped podium, set back from the elevated 7 train for a more refined streetscape. While permits have yet to be filed, the tower’s position at the forefront of the Long Island City skyline promises striking views of Manhattan.
The Cube, a new 217-unit condo coming to LIC in 2027 (United Construction and Development)
The second project at 42-53 24th Street, to be known as The Cube, will rise at the corner of 24th Street and 43rd Avenue, replacing a former factory loft building. Plans call for a 14-story, 217-unit condominium with ground-floor retail and parking. Xu acquired the site in early 2022 for $40.1 million (per public records) and filed plans in spring 2024. The Cube is expected to be completed by 2027.
Meanwhile, sales are underway at Urban 21, a nine-story, 71-unit development at 46-30 21st Street, near MoMA PS1. All three projects helmed by United Construction and Development benefit from close proximity to the E, M, G, and 7 trains at Court Square and Queensboro Plaza, offering seamless connections to Manhattan, Brooklyn, and other parts of Queens.
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Urban 21 is a newly launched condo selling one-beds from $1.07M
Long Island City has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past two decades — evolving from an industrial hub to a mixed-use area heavily geared towards housing. For years, One Court Square— formerly the Citi Building — stood alone as the borough’s tallest tower. Xu’s Skyline Tower claimed that title in 2020, and it will soon be surpassed by the already topped-out rental The Orchard. However, with an FAA height cap limiting supertall construction in much of the area, Long Island City’s future growth will likely focus on density rather than height.
New development listings in Long Island City
Enzo, #6D (Nest Seekers LLC)
NOVA, #14C (Nest Seekers LLC)
Skyline Tower, #505 (Modern Spaces)
Mason LIC, #PHD (Serhant)
Radiant, #1702 (Nest Seekers LLC)
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Just complete the info below.
Or call us at (212) 755-5544
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
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