Interesting ideas.

What Ed wrote is dead on the money, so don't expect any retail leases until at least the next 3 buildings go up - then MAYBE there will be enough critical mass to support some good retail. Also remember that retail businesses generally pay to build out there own space - who is going to do that for a short term lease (5yrs or less), when they probably don't have enough customers to support the business? Down the road, a coffee shop or cafe would be perfect for the space next to the school, and the other spaces will be leased, but its a long way off - a few more years at least. An art exhibit or something that is inexpensive to set up, and willing to leave on short notice, might be interesting, but don't count on it (would you walk over from PS 1 just to see 2,000 SF of exhibits)? Unlikely.

Actually, art exhibits in the CL retail spaces would likely draw visitors "all the way from P.S. 1". There is already an interest in viewing & buying artwork directly from local artists - as seen by the proliferation of open studio tours in Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Dumbo and now Long Island City (which will host open studios next weekend 5/19-5/20). For many years now, Brooklyn artists have drawn thousands of visitors to attend the BWAC Pier Show which takes place each spring in a waterfront warehouse in Red Hook - talk about inconvenient, there is not even a subway in Red Hook. Queens West, on the other hand, is very convenient to get to by subway.