Starting in the ‘80s, the western Queens neighborhood of Long Island City became a haven for artists of all kinds. They were drawn for the same reasons that previously attracted creative types to an area like Manhattan’s now upscale Soho neighborhood—namely, the rents were cheap and the spaces, often in former industrial locations, were large.

But as with Soho, Long Island City began to see its share of gentrification, with condo developments galore in recent years. As artists were often priced out of the market, they voiced...