Queens

230-unit housing project coming to site of abandoned Astoria megaproject

Streetview of 42-08 35th Avenue © 2022 Google

November 7, 2025

230-unit housing project coming to site of abandoned Astoria megaproject

By Aaron Ginsburg

A site in Astoria once slated for a 3,200-unit development will now be home to a handful of residential buildings with just over 230 apartments. As first reported by Crain's, the Hakimian Organization and CW Realty have filed plans for a 16-story building at 35-17 42nd Street and a 13-story building at 42-08 35th Avenue, on the former site of the $2 billion Innovation QNS megaproject. The ambitious housing project was scrapped in September amid financing challenges following the expiration of the 421-a tax break and uncertainty surrounding its replacement, the 485x program.
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NYC Council approves Jamaica rezoning, paving the way for 12,000 new homes

All images courtesy of DCP

October 31, 2025

NYC Council approves Jamaica rezoning, paving the way for 12,000 new homes

By Aaron Ginsburg

Nearly 12,000 new homes are coming to Jamaica, Queens, following the City Council’s approval of the neighborhood’s transformative rezoning on Wednesday. The Jamaica Neighborhood Plan updates zoning rules across 230 blocks of the transit-rich area, paving the way for thousands of new homes—roughly 4,000 of which would be permanently affordable. The plan, which includes the largest mapping of Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) in the city, will also add two million square feet of commercial space, create more than 7,000 jobs, and deliver $400 million in infrastructure upgrades.
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City Council committees approve Long Island City neighborhood rezoning

Photo © Ondel Hylton

October 30, 2025

City Council committees approve Long Island City neighborhood rezoning

By Aaron Ginsburg

The proposed rezoning of Long Island City — which could deliver the most homes created by a neighborhood rezoning in 25 years — took another step toward reality this week. On Wednesday, the City Council’s Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises and Committee on Land Use approved the OneLIC Neighborhood Plan, expected to bring nearly 15,000 new homes, including 4,350 permanently affordable units, to a 54-block stretch of the Queens neighborhood. The vote followed Council Member Julie Won’s last-minute deal securing nearly $2 billion in city commitments, according to QNS.
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Major public art program unveiled for JFK Airport’s $9.5B Terminal One

The world’s largest split-flap display in Terminal 1 will flicker through scenes of New York as passengers move through security. Credit: The New Terminal One at JFK/Arup

October 27, 2025

Major public art program unveiled for JFK Airport’s $9.5B Terminal One

By Aaron Ginsburg

JFK Airport's new $9.5 billion terminal wants to reflect New York’s identity as a capital of creativity and culture. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and New Terminal One announced on Monday the seven artists who will create large-scale, site-specific works anchoring Terminal One's cultural program, which celebrates the history, culture, and diversity of New York City and Queens. The installations, ranging from sculptures and mosaics to murals, will complement the broader arts initiative that also features filmmaking and immersive digital experiences.
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Hillside Avenue in Queens gets first bus lane upgrades in more than 50 years

Credit: NYC DOT

October 23, 2025

Hillside Avenue in Queens gets first bus lane upgrades in more than 50 years

By Aaron Ginsburg

More than 215,000 daily bus riders who travel on Hillside Avenue in Queens will now benefit from faster and safer commutes. On Thursday, Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced the completion of nearly eight miles of new and upgraded bus lanes along the corridor, one of the longest bus priority projects in the agency’s history. The project adds offset bus lanes from 139th Street to Springfield Boulevard, improving service for 22 routes that together carry more riders than the entire populations of Yonkers and Rochester.
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Adams unveils plan to transform ‘The Hole’ with new drainage system, 5,000 homes

Credit: Benny Polatseck/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

October 22, 2025

Adams unveils plan to transform ‘The Hole’ with new drainage system, 5,000 homes

By Aaron Ginsburg

A long-neglected, low-lying area on the Brooklyn-Queens border known as “The Hole” may finally be getting attention from the city. On Tuesday, Mayor Eric Adams announced a $146 million investment in the area, also known as the Jewel Streets, to install a long-needed sewage system in the neighborhood, which regularly floods even after light rainfall. The plan also calls for a 17-acre city-owned site to become 1,400 housing units, a rezoning to unlock an additional 3,600 homes, and other flood-prevention infrastructure.
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Jamaica rental with sculpture garden opens lottery for 185 apartments, from $1,843/month

Credit: Bezier

October 8, 2025

Jamaica rental with sculpture garden opens lottery for 185 apartments, from $1,843/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Applications are now being accepted for 185 mixed-income apartments at a massive development in Jamaica, Queens. Located at 166-20 90th Avenue, the two-building complex dubbed Ruby Square has over 600 apartments and nearly one acre of lush public and private outdoor spaces, including a tranquil interior courtyard with a sculpture garden. New Yorkers earning 80 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, with rents starting at $2,688/month for studios, $1,843/month for one-bedrooms, and $2,188/month for two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

$8B Citi Field casino proposal moves forward

Credit: SHoP Architects, Field Operations

September 30, 2025

$8B Citi Field casino proposal moves forward

By Aaron Ginsburg

Some good news for New York Mets owner Steve Cohen. The billionaire's vision of a casino complex next to Citi Field is one step closer to becoming reality. On Tuesday, the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) overseeing the bid unanimously approved "Metropolitan Park," advancing the proposal to the final stage: securing one of the state’s coveted downstate gaming licenses. Cohen's bid joins three other CAC-approved proposals: Bally's Bronx casino, MGM Empire City in Yonkers, and Resorts World NYC in Jamaica, Queens.
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Policy

Yonkers and Jamaica casino proposals advance

Rendering courtesy of MGM Resorts

September 26, 2025

Yonkers and Jamaica casino proposals advance

By Aaron Ginsburg

After several high-profile New York City casino proposals were rejected this month, two bids, in Queens and Yonkers, have advanced in the approval process. On Thursday, Resorts World NYC in Jamaica and MGM Empire City in Yonkers won unanimous approval from community advisory committees, sending the proposals to the state board. Both bids aim to convert existing gaming facilities into full-scale casinos, unlike other remaining plans, such as those in the Bronx and Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, which include entirely new developments.
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Policy

On the Rockaway peninsula, new rental opens lottery for 37 apartments, from $2,650/month

All images courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

September 24, 2025

On the Rockaway peninsula, new rental opens lottery for 37 apartments, from $2,650/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Applications are being accepted for 37 middle-income apartments at a new residential development on the Rockaway peninsula. Located at 60-14 Beach Channel Road in Arverne, a small neighborhood between Rockaway Beach and Far Rockaway, the five-story building includes contemporary residences, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Jamaica Bay on the other. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $2,650/month studios to $2,800/month two bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Rare Constitution copy on display in Queens for one weekend only

Images courtesy of Christie’s

September 19, 2025

Rare Constitution copy on display in Queens for one weekend only

By Aaron Ginsburg

As the right to free speech makes headlines following the Trump administration's attack on late-night show hosts, what better time to revisit the Constitution? A rare draft of the document will be on display at the King Manor Museum in Jamaica, home to founding father Rufus King, for this weekend only. The draft has King's handwritten edits and marks the first time the words "We the people of the United States," were included. The free public exhibition, held September 19 through September 21, is presented by Christie's auction house, ahead of its annual Americana sale in January.
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Events & Things To Do

Construction to turn vacant Forest Hills hospital into 145 affordable apartments begins

Photo by Peter Wilk/Wilk Marketing Communications

September 17, 2025

Construction to turn vacant Forest Hills hospital into 145 affordable apartments begins

By Aaron Ginsburg

Construction has begun on an intergenerational affordable housing development at the site of a long-vacant hospital in Forest Hills. Foxy Development and Selfhelp Realty Group on Wednesday announced work has begun on The Perennial, a mixed-use project that converts the existing Parkway Hospital building, inactive since 2008, into 145 affordable apartments for seniors and families. Developers describe the $150 million project as one of New York's most complex public-private development projects in recent history and the neighborhood’s first deeply affordable senior housing project.
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MTA expands bus lane camera enforcement to four more routes

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

September 15, 2025

MTA expands bus lane camera enforcement to four more routes

By Aaron Ginsburg

Don't block the bus. Four more bus routes in Queens and the Bronx will now have automated camera enforcement, with a 60-day warning period for drivers improperly using busways or blocking stops starting on Monday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced. After the warning period is up, the MTA will issue summonses ranging from $50 for a first offense to $250 for repeat violations.
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$2B Astoria project with 3,200 units scrapped, scaled-down tower planned

Rendering of the proposed Innovation QNS district; courtesy of VERO Digital

September 3, 2025

$2B Astoria project with 3,200 units scrapped, scaled-down tower planned

By Aaron Ginsburg

A huge development that would have brought more than 3,000 units to Astoria has been scrapped. Silverstein Properties has withdrawn from Innovation QNS—a proposed 3,200-unit, $2 billion complex spanning five blocks— citing financing challenges tied to the expiration of the 421-a tax break and its replacement, the 485x program, as reported by Crain’s. While the larger plan has collapsed, remaining partners BedRock Real Estate Partners and L+M Development filed plans last week for a 560-unit building on one of the original sites.
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City Planning Commission approves Long Island City rezoning

Photo © Ondel Hylton

September 3, 2025

City Planning Commission approves Long Island City rezoning

By Aaron Ginsburg

The proposal to rezone Long Island City, which could bring tens of thousands of new homes to the Queens neighborhood, advanced this week with a key approval. On Wednesday, the City Planning Commission voted to approve the OneLIC Neighborhood Plan, which would rezone a 54-block industrial section of the waterfront to make way for 14,700 homes, with at least 4,300 of them permanently affordable, the most homes created by a neighborhood rezoning in 25 years. The plan also calls for more than 3.5 million square feet of commercial and industrial space, as well as a continuous, publicly accessible waterfront from Gantry Plaza State Park to Queensbridge Park.
DETAILS ON THE PLAN

New public waterfront esplanade opens at Astoria residential complex

All photos courtesy of Jeremy Frechette/The Durst Organization

August 12, 2025

New public waterfront esplanade opens at Astoria residential complex

By Aaron Ginsburg

A previously industrial stretch of the East River in Astoria has been transformed into a vibrant public waterfront esplanade, restoring access to the area for the first time in decades. On Monday, the Durst Organization celebrated the opening of the Halletts Point esplanade, located beside the developer’s 20 and 30 Halletts Point buildings. Designed by Starr Whitehouse, the 50,000-square-foot waterfront green space offers sweeping city skyline views, lots of seating, a playground, and picnic areas.
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Architecture And Design

New JFK terminal to display art from iconic NYC museums

Credit: JFK Millennium Partners on Flickr

August 11, 2025

New JFK terminal to display art from iconic NYC museums

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City’s world-famous cultural institutions are set to greet global travelers arriving at the new Terminal 6 at John F. Kennedy International Airport. On Monday, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and JFK Millennium Partners announced a partnership with the American Museum of Natural History, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Museum of Modern Art to permanently display installations from each institution in the airport’s new $4.2 billion terminal.
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Transit

NYC wants to build 3,000 new homes at former Flushing Airport site

All renderings courtesy of S9 Architecture/Starr Whitehouse

July 28, 2025

NYC wants to build 3,000 new homes at former Flushing Airport site

By Aaron Ginsburg

A massive housing proposal in Queens would transform the long-vacant Flushing Airport into 3,000 new homes. Mayor Eric Adams on Monday unveiled a plan to turn the 80-acre city-owned site in College Point, which has been inactive since 1984, into a mixed-income development with affordable and market-rate workforce housing, as first reported by amNY. Owned by the city's Economic Development Corporation, the land has reverted to a wetland, which will be preserved as part of the new development, according to the city.
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New Developments

NYC proposes first major overhaul of ferry routes since launching in 2017

Credit: Sam Jotham Sutharson on Unsplash

July 15, 2025

NYC proposes first major overhaul of ferry routes since launching in 2017

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City has proposed the first major overhaul of its ferry system since it launched in 2017. The city's Economic Development Corporation on Tuesday released its NYC Ferry Network Optimization Plan, which includes several route changes aimed at providing better access to Midtown and Lower Manhattan, speeding up trips, and expanding capacity on busy routes.
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Astoria’s 31st Avenue gets two-way bike boulevard, more pedestrian space

Images courtesy of NYC DOT

July 7, 2025

Astoria’s 31st Avenue gets two-way bike boulevard, more pedestrian space

By Aaron Ginsburg

The first round of pedestrian and cyclist safety upgrades along 31st Avenue in Astoria is now complete, with more improvements on the way. On Thursday, Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced the completion of the first phase of the corridor’s transformation into a bike boulevard, including a new east-west protected bike connection from Vernon Boulevard to Steinway Street that creates a continuous protected route from Astoria to the Queensboro Bridge. The project also expands pedestrian space, upgrades intersections to slow turning vehicles, and adds new public seating.
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See CetraRuddy’s 46-story residential tower set to rise in Long Island City

Credit: CetraRuddy Architects

July 1, 2025

See CetraRuddy’s 46-story residential tower set to rise in Long Island City

By Aaron Ginsburg

A 46-story residential tower designed by CetraRuddy is ready to rise in Long Island City after developers secured financing. Developers Baron Property Group and LargaVista Companies on Monday announced that 30-25 Queens Boulevard, a 525-foot-tall project set to bring more than 500 homes to the neighborhood, had acquired $388.5 million in construction financing. The tower will include 561 residences, 451 rentals and 110 condos, ranging from studios to two-bedrooms, along with 21,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and a suite of expansive amenities.
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Queens bus network overhaul rolls out

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

June 27, 2025

Queens bus network overhaul rolls out

By Aaron Ginsburg

Attention Queens residents: You may want to double-check if your local bus stop still exists. On Sunday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will launch phase one of its Queens bus network redesign—the most significant overhaul in the system’s 70-year history, affecting all but three of the borough’s bus routes. More than six years in the making, the redesign aims to improve transit equity, speed up commutes, strengthen connections to subways and rail, and enhance overall service for the borough’s roughly 800,000 daily riders.
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70,000 new homes could be built along Interborough Express with zoning changes

View of the Bay Ridge Branch, which would be incorporated in the proposed Interborough Express. Adjacent to the Fort Hamilton Parkway station. Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

June 27, 2025

70,000 new homes could be built along Interborough Express with zoning changes

By Aaron Ginsburg

More than 70,000 new homes could be built within a half-mile of the proposed Interborough Express (IBX) train line through land-use changes. Outlined in an analysis released Thursday by the New York Building Congress, and first reported by the New York Times, implementing land use changes could lead to the development of tens of thousands of new homes within a 10-minute walk of the 19 stops along the 14-mile light rail line, with the potential to exceed 100,000 units over a decade. However, these changes would face many obstacles, as the IBX will run through diverse neighborhoods with varying residential densities and local willingness to welcome new homes.
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Live across from the AirTrain at new Jamaica high-rise, from $2,065/month

Credit: NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

June 19, 2025

Live across from the AirTrain at new Jamaica high-rise, from $2,065/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Whether you're a frequent flyer or want a speedy commute to Midtown, this new Jamaica rental across from the Long Island Rail Road and the AirTrain to JFK Airport offers brand-new apartments in a convenient location. A housing lottery launched this week for 90 low-income apartments at 94-15 Sutphin Boulevard, a 24-story building with a fitness center, rooftop, playroom, dog spa, on-site garage, and more. New Yorkers earning 80 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $2,065/month studios to $3,021/month three bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

City looks to build mixed-use project with up to 900 homes on Hunter’s Point South parcel

Image courtesy of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development

June 18, 2025

City looks to build mixed-use project with up to 900 homes on Hunter’s Point South parcel

By Devin Gannon

The city is seeking a developer to build a mixed-use development on one of the last vacant parcels in the Hunter's Point South neighborhood of Long Island City. The Department of Housing Preservation and Development last week issued a request for proposals for Parcel E, the sixth of seven sites that are part of the city's 30-acre redevelopment of the waterfront. For this project, the city wants a multi-tower, mixed-use project with between 850 and 900 apartments, with up to 70 percent of them affordable.
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JFK AirTrain fare will be 50% off this summer to encourage public transit use

Credit: PANYNJ on Flickr

June 18, 2025

JFK AirTrain fare will be 50% off this summer to encourage public transit use

By Aaron Ginsburg

AirTrain fare will be 50 percent off this summer to encourage travelers to use public transit during peak construction at John F. Kennedy International Airport. The single ride fare will be reduced to $4.25 starting on June 30 through Labor Day, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced on Tuesday. With record-breaking travel expected and a $19 billion redevelopment underway, significant congestion around the airport is anticipated.
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55-story Long Island City condo with over 600 units moves ahead

June 13, 2025

55-story Long Island City condo with over 600 units moves ahead

By Aaron Ginsburg

A massive 55-story condo tower with over 600 homes in Long Island City is moving forward after developers secured $525 million in construction financing. Charney Companies and Tavros, in partnership with Incoco Capital, announced this week funding for a 636-unit development at 24-19 Jackson Avenue and 45-03 23rd Street in the Court Square section of the neighborhood. The developers received $425 million from Madison Realty Capital and an additional $100 million from Kushner Companies and OneIM.
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New Developments

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255 East 77th Street

Lenox Hill

Upper East Side condos with Central Park views

3 beds starting at $5,300,000
4 beds starting at $7,400,000
5 beds starting at $8,750,000