By Christian Spencer
A Yelp Queens event kicked off its Along the 7 Train series, highlighting the borough’s development boom and how the 7 train is fueling accessibility to its neighborhoods, businesses, and cultural hubs.
With its combination of transit access, investment, and cultural vitality, Yelp Queens hosted an event on August 19, recognizing how New York’s third most populous borough is reshaping itself in real time.
The 7 train continues to act as both conduit and beacon, linking residents and visitors to the borough’s fast-evolving neighborhoods and signaling that Queens is no longer just a pass-through, but a destination with enduring appeal.
The Lighthouse Rooftop in Long Island City event drawn in local leaders, residents, and food enthusiasts to celebrate Queens’ growth.
The rooftop venue offered sweeping views, breezy lantern-lit spaces, and a lively atmosphere that emphasized the borough’s appeal as a social hub.
Guests sampled chocolate chip cookies from Darryl Makes Cookies, gelato and sherbet infused with tequila from Tipsy Scoop, and Platter’s Nuts, represented by Mr. Peanut.
Attendees also had the opportunity to enter a raffle for U.S. Open tickets, connecting the celebration to Queens’ major cultural and sporting events.
Ben Gutmann, Executive Director of the Queens Economic Development Corporation, said the 7 train provides a direct link to the borough’s diverse neighborhoods, vibrant food scene, and expanding cultural institutions.
“We see it as a big gateway in terms of accessing all the wonderful neighborhoods we have,” Gutmann said. “You can get off the train at any stop on the 7 line, and there’s some of the best food you’re ever going to have, some of the best cultural institutions, the most beautiful neighborhoods you can walk around. This is end to end the end-to-end most important train in New York City.”
Gutmann hyped that Queens’ transformation is widespread, saying, “I don’t think you can make an argument that anywhere else is more exciting than Queens,” he said. “In every corner of the borough, you see what’s happening — in Long Island City, in Jamaica with planned development, in the Rockaways, Flushing. It’s a must-stop for every foodie. We have the Resorts World proposal, the Willis Point development, Flushing Airport development — there’s more happening in Queens than anywhere else.”
Home to 2.3 million residents who speak more than 800 languages, Queens operates a $133 billion economy and hosts two major airports.
Gutmann noted that continued transit improvements, including proposals like the Interborough Express and Queens Link, are key to unlocking further economic growth.
“If there is a magic button that unlocks more economic development in the borough, it’s transit and housing,” he said.
Growth along the 7 train corridor reflects both economic expansion and changing social patterns. Businesses from Long Island City to Flushing are capitalizing on the line’s convenience, drawing commuters to stay in the borough after work to enjoy dining, nightlife, and cultural events.
Observers say the corridor’s accessibility acts as a catalyst for new investments, turning subway stops into active nodes of commerce and community.
Events like Yelp’s rooftop kickoff offer a platform to coalesce local entrepreneurs, residents, and visitors around shared experiences, showing that Queens has the ability to balance pragmatic economic development with cultural and culinary exploration.
“Queens is the most diverse urban place on the planet, and it’s the most exciting borough in the city right now,” Gutmann added. “We have the most exciting new projects going online anywhere, and we have the best people making this the beating heart of New York City.”
