Plaxall

Three Generations of Commitment to L.I.C.

The Plaxall family has been a proud community leader
in Western Queens for over 75 years

It Began with
a Vision

Louis Pfohl founded Plaxall in the heart of Long Island City over 75 years ago, with the help of his wife Pauline Mathis Pfohl. A pioneer in the plastics industry, Mr. Pfohl was the originator of the process known as Thermoforming. He immediately recognized Long Island City’s potential not just as a manufacturing hub, but also as a bustling neighborhood for families that offered opportunities for diverse business growth.

Louis Pfohl believed L.I.C. held great promise as a bustling neighborhood for families and diverse business growth – a community reflecting the entrepreneurial spirit he embodied, but also accommodating inspiring changes.

Honoring a Legacy

With the success of the plastics business, Louis and Pauline were able to invest in local property. Their son James Pfohl ran the company for many years and, with the help of his sisters Ann Pfohl Kirby and Lynn Pfohl Quigley and later his nephew Andrew Louis Kirby, continued to expand the property holdings. Today the Plaxall team of third generation family members – Paula Kirby, Tony Pfohl and Matthew Quigley – manage over one million square feet of space, in addition to running the manufacturing business.

Plaxall has worked to cultivate a community within its properties, from providing space for local non-profit organizations like LIC Community Boathouse and Recycle-a-Bicycle to co-founding and sponsoring the popular LIC Flea & Food. Plaxall also proudly supports local businesses and civic organizations such as the Coalition for Queens, the Jacob A. Riis Settlement House, LIC Cultural Alliance and the LIC Partnership, among many others, through the Mathis Pfohl Foundation and – in several cases – active Board membership.

Plaxall
Today and Tomorrow

Plaxall founder Louis Pfohl always believed it was only a matter of time before Long Island City evolved from a manufacturing hub to a thriving mixed-use community. With his 46th Avenue factory up and running in the 1950s, he started to invest in local real estate and began the purchase and rehabilitation of nearby properties. In commitment to his firm belief in transformation of Long Island City,
Louis Pfohl purchased a five-story factory and, with the addition of another five stories and modern amenities, developed Hunters Point Plaza. It was one of the first modern office buildings on the south end of Jackson Avenue and, for a time, the tallest building in the neighborhood. The Plaxall real estate business continues to offer an array of attractive commercial spaces today.

Being a Good Neighbor

We’ve been a proud supporter of numerous outstanding community organizations for generations. These groups have helped make both LIC and New York a better place to Live, Work, and Visit.