Paragon LIC: Long Island City's First Waterfront Condominium in Over a Decade

For more than ten years, the Long Island City waterfront has waited. Today, that wait ends. Paragon LIC has officially debuted as the first for-sale new development condominium to rise along the LIC waterfront in over a decade — a contemporary tower that reimagines this corner of Queens on the historic Anable Basin.

Designed by Archimaera and developed by ZD Jasper, Paragon is not simply another glass tower. It is a statement: a sophisticated residence that honours Long Island City's industrial heritage while setting an entirely new benchmark for waterfront luxury in the borough. Much like other landmark waterfront towers redefining New York City skylines, Paragon arrives at a moment when demand for genuinely distinctive luxury condominiums in the outer boroughs has never been higher.

A Tower Defined by Its "Boxes"

What sets Paragon apart from the moment you see it is its architecture. Archimaera has crafted a distinctive staggered box motif — double-height balcony "boxes" wrapped in copper-toned projecting frames. These frames nod to both the site's gritty industrial past and the sleek modern towers that now define the skyline.

The genius detail: because each balcony is double-height, there is no balcony directly above yours. It is a genuinely one-of-a-kind feature for the area, delivering privacy and uninterrupted New York City views that most waterfront residences simply cannot offer.

The building's very name pays homage to the original Paragon Paint Factory, whose structure is integrated into the tower's base — a thoughtful preservation of place and memory rather than its erasure.

Interiors by MAWD: Boutique Hospitality, Lived-In Comfort

The interiors come from March & White Design (MAWD), the award-winning firm behind some of the world's most celebrated luxury spaces. Their philosophy here was deliberate: design around how each home is actually lived in, with strong spatial logic and a consistent material language flowing across kitchens, living areas and bathrooms.

The result is an intimate, boutique-hospitality atmosphere that still feels like home. A curated art program adds pops of colour throughout — a clever wink to the building's paint-factory origins — layered alongside bespoke wallpapers, custom glasswork and specialised ceiling treatments. The lobby anchors it all with a grand staircase that makes a high-impact first impression. For a sense of how interior design at this level translates into record-breaking resale value, see what happened when a New York City penthouse sold for a record price on the strength of its finishes and outlook alone.

Residences at a Glance

Finishes: Standard vs. Penthouse

The penthouse tier at Paragon follows a broader national pattern of developers investing significantly more in top-floor finishes to capture a buyer segment that treats primary residences as high-end lifestyle assets with iconic city views.

Amenities Built for an Active, Outdoor Life

Paragon prioritises movement and outdoor living in ways most luxury condos overlook. Alongside the expected fitness center, residents gain access to amenities you rarely find in a single building:

The Sky Lounge sits beneath a functional solar canopy, and the development delivers two brand-new parks, including a dedicated public waterfront park connecting the neighbourhood directly to the East River.

Building Conveniences

• 24-hour attended lobby
• LATCH keyless entry system
• NEST learning thermostats
• Package room with cold storage
• Amazon Hub
• Bicycle storage
• Ground-floor retail

The Team Behind Paragon

ZD Jasper, founded by Tom Wu in 1996, brings nearly three decades of development experience and a portfolio exceeding 5 million square feet of commercial and residential space. "The property's outsized potential was clear from the start," says Jasper Wu, Vice President of ZD Jasper, describing the Anable Basin location.

Sales and marketing are led by SERHANT. New Development.

Founder and CEO Ryan Serhant is characteristically direct on the demand:

Why Paragon Matters for the LIC Market

For buyers, Paragon represents something the neighbourhood has lacked: a genuinely new-construction, full-service luxury condominium directly on the water. The combination of architectural distinction, MAWD interiors, family-oriented amenities and a preserved sense of place positions it as a category-definer rather than a category-follower.

The broader New York luxury residential market has shown consistent appetite for exactly this kind of offering. Manhattan property developers riding strong demand for luxury homes have long understood that buyers will follow quality wherever it appears — and Long Island City, with its East River frontage and Manhattan proximity, is well positioned to absorb that overflow demand. The success of boutique condominium developments with luxurious outdoor spaces in Brooklyn further demonstrates that outer-borough buyers are no longer settling for second-best — they are choosing the boroughs for their specific character and expecting full luxury delivery in return. Across the US, towers like landmark developments elevating city skylines with artistic vision have shown that architecture-led luxury projects consistently outperform generic towers in both sales velocity and long-term value retention.

For more information and pricing inquiries, visit www.paragonlic.com or contact paragonlic@serhant.com.