We apply a three-body model consisting of two valence neutrons and the core nucleus $^{14}$C in order to investigate the ground state properties and the electronic quadrupole transition of the $^{16}$C nucleus. The discretized continuum spectrum within a large box is taken into account by using a single-particle basis obtained from a Woods-Saxon potential. The calculated B(E2) value from the first 2$^+$ state to the ground state shows good agreement with the observed data with the core polarization charge which reproduces the experimental B(E2) value for $^{15}$C. We also show that the present calculation well accounts for the longitudinal momentum distribution of $^{15}$C fragment from the breakup of $^{16}$C nucleus. We point out that the dominant ($d_{5/2})^2$ configuration in the ground state of $^{16}$C plays a crucial role for these agreement.