Queens

NYC expands reservation-only Rockaway ferry service this summer, hikes price

Rockway Line NYC Ferry. Photo: Benjamin Kanter/Mayoral Photo Office on Flickr

May 22, 2025

NYC expands reservation-only Rockaway ferry service this summer, hikes price

By Aaron Ginsburg

Riding the New York City ferry to the beach will be easier this summer, but it’ll cost more. NYC Ferry and the city's Economic Development Corporation on Wednesday announced plans to expand the popular "Rockaway Rocket" and "Rockaway Reserve" programs, offering more reserved seats at a new price of $12 per ticket, up from $10. The expanded service will let beachgoers reserve spots on the crowded ferries in advance, a response to rising demand as the city's public beaches saw 11.6 million visitors in 2024—an increase of over 230,000 people from the previous year, according to the city's Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC).
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U.S. Open’s Arthur Ashe Stadium to get $800M revamp

All renderings courtesy of USTA

May 20, 2025

U.S. Open’s Arthur Ashe Stadium to get $800M revamp

By Aaron Ginsburg

The U.S. Open's Arthur Ashe Stadium is getting an $800 million revamp, the U.S. Tennis Association announced Monday, marking the largest single investment in the tennis tournament's history. Unveiled on Monday, the project includes a grand entrance designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, expanded public space, upgraded concourses, a larger courtside bowl, and a new players-only building with state-of-the-art training facilities, premium accommodations, and cafes. Work is already underway and will roll out in three phases, continuing through 2025 and 2026 without disrupting tennis events, with completion expected ahead of the 2027 U.S. Open.
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Architecture And Design

Hazardous section of Jacob Riis beach will stay closed this summer

Credit: Steven Pisano on Flickr

May 20, 2025

Hazardous section of Jacob Riis beach will stay closed this summer

By Aaron Ginsburg

Parts of Jacob Riis Park in the Rockaways will remain closed this summer due to unsafe conditions. Bays 1 through 5 of the beach, labeled "extremely hazardous" by the National Park Service, have experienced years of erosion, with nearly century-old wooden pilings and rockwork now exposed along the shoreline, as first reported by Gothamist.
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Policy

Lottery opens for 189 apartments at Far Rockaway development, from $544/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

May 15, 2025

Lottery opens for 189 apartments at Far Rockaway development, from $544/month

By Devin Gannon

Another lottery opened for affordable apartments at the huge Far Rockaway development, Edgemere Commons. Currently under construction, the 11-building complex will deliver 2,000 affordable homes, retail, community facilities, and open public space to the Rockaway peninsula. The latest rental, located at 5119 Beach Channel Drive, has 189 apartments available through the housing lottery for New Yorkers earning 30, 50, 60, and 80 percent of the area median income. Homes are priced from $544/month for a studio to $2,949/month for a three-bedroom.
do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

A train service to the Rockaways will resume this month

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

May 9, 2025

A train service to the Rockaways will resume this month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Just in time for summer, A train service to the Rockaways will resume later this month following a four-month shutdown. On Wednesday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced that regular service will return on May 19, restoring subway access for the more than 9,000 daily commuters who travel in and out of the Rockaways. The shutdown, which began in January, allowed the agency to strengthen infrastructure against extreme weather and repair viaducts and bridges damaged during Hurricane Sandy.
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NYC’s plan to add 14,700 new homes to Long Island City enters public review

All images courtesy of DCP

April 22, 2025

NYC’s plan to add 14,700 new homes to Long Island City enters public review

By Devin Gannon

New York City has launched the public review for a Long Island City rezoning plan that could bring roughly 14,700 new homes to the Queens neighborhood. Certified by the Department of City Planning on Monday, the OneLIC Neighborhood Plan looks to rezone a 54-block stretch along the waterfront that has largely remained industrial to allow for more homes, including at least 4,000 income-restricted units. The proposal would mark the most housing units created from a rezoning in 25 years, according to the city.
more details this way

Policy

Lottery opens for 91 apartments at new Long Island City rental tower, from $2,750/month

Credit: NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

April 17, 2025

Lottery opens for 91 apartments at new Long Island City rental tower, from $2,750/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A housing lottery launched this week for 91 middle-income apartments at a new residential development in Long Island City. Located at 43-14 Queens Street in the neighborhood's Court Square section, the 19-story building marks the second phase of the expansive Eagle Loft complex, which has converted the former Eagle Electric factory into hundreds of luxury apartments. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced at $2,750/month for studios and $3,475/month for one bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Citi Field casino team throws in 450 units of affordable housing to enhance bid

Project rendering courtesy of Aufgang Architects

April 3, 2025

Citi Field casino team throws in 450 units of affordable housing to enhance bid

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen is enhancing his bid to build a casino by pledging 450 affordable housing units. Queens Future LLC, a joint venture between Cohen and Hard Rock International, and Slate Property Group announced on Wednesday plans to develop a 100 percent affordable building on a parking lot at 54-19 100th Street in Corona, Queens. The development will only be built if Cohen is awarded one of three gaming licenses to build "Metropolitan Park," a proposed $8 billion sports and entertainment complex next to Citi Field.
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Next phase of affordable Far Rockaway development breaks ground

Rendering by Aufgang Architects

April 2, 2025

Next phase of affordable Far Rockaway development breaks ground

By Aaron Ginsburg

Construction is set to begin on an affordable residential building within a new development in Far Rockaway. As first reported by Commercial Observer, Tishman Speyer's TS Communities announced it secured financing and will break ground this month on Edgemere Commons A2, a 100 percent affordable building at 337 Beach 52nd Street and the second all-affordable development within the larger Edgemere Commons complex. The building will rise 18 stories and deliver 244 affordable apartments ranging from studios to three bedrooms, for households earning between 40 and 80 percent of the area median income.
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Vacant and overrun by feral cats, Trump’s childhood home in Queens sells at huge discount

All photos courtesy of Paramount Realty USA

March 28, 2025

Vacant and overrun by feral cats, Trump’s childhood home in Queens sells at huge discount

By Aaron Ginsburg

President Donald Trump's childhood home in Jamaica Estates has traded hands for significantly less than its previous sales price after falling into disrepair and becoming overrun by feral cats. As first reported by the New York Post, the Tudor-style residence at 85-15 Wareham Place sold for $835,000 on March 3—less than half of its 2017 sale price of $2.14 million, according to the deed.
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Real Estate Trends

Q70 bus service to LaGuardia Airport will get $160M upgrade

Credit: MTA

March 26, 2025

Q70 bus service to LaGuardia Airport will get $160M upgrade

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York has revealed a $160 million plan to fund the long-awaited expansion of bus service to and from LaGuardia Airport. Gov. Kathy Hochul, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on Tuesday unveiled the proposed upgrades, which includes creating a bus-only lane, installing traffic signals that prioritize the Q70 bus, increasing service during peak hours, adding a dedicated pick-up and drop-off zone at LGA, and improving lighting and signage, and more. Recommended by an expert panel in 2023, the proposal is an alternative to the controversial AirTrain, a 1.5-mile elevated rail line to the airport scrapped by the governor.
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Former JFK Airport hotel launches lottery for 125 affordable apartments, from $784/month

Rendering of the indoor/outdoor garden planned for residents at Baisley Pond Park Residences. Courtesy of OSD

March 24, 2025

Former JFK Airport hotel launches lottery for 125 affordable apartments, from $784/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A former hotel near John F. Kennedy International Airport that has been converted into a housing development launched a lottery last week for 125 affordable apartments. Located at the former JFK Hilton in South Jamaica, the Baisley Pond Park Residences includes over 300 affordable and supportive housing units, a 2,400-square-foot healing garden, and on-site social services. New Yorkers earning 50 and 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, priced from $784/month for studios to $1,493/month for two bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Forest Hills Stadium’s summer concerts at risk amid noise dispute

Photo by Pat at Juno on Flickr

March 24, 2025

Forest Hills Stadium’s summer concerts at risk amid noise dispute

By Aaron Ginsburg

This season’s concerts at Forest Hills Stadium are at risk of cancellation as tensions between local residents and venue officials escalate over ongoing noise complaints. According to an NYPD Legal Bureau letter, the stadium’s new sound amplification permits were denied last week after the Forest Hills Gardens Corporation (FHGC) blocked the city from accessing the private roads surrounding the venue, as first reported by the New York Post. Unless FHGC and the West Side Tennis Club, which owns the historic stadium, reach an agreement on noise levels before the first scheduled concert on May 31, the shows will not go on.
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NYC’s plan to rezone Jamaica calls for 12,000 new homes

Jamaica Avenue and 165th Street. All images courtesy of DCP

March 20, 2025

NYC’s plan to rezone Jamaica calls for 12,000 new homes

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is moving forward with a new rezoning initiative that could bring more than 12,000 new homes to downtown Jamaica, Queens. On Thursday, the Department of City Planning (DCP) began the approval process for the plan, which looks to rezone about 300 blocks in the neighborhood to allow for thousands of new homes, including 4,000 units that would be income-restricted. If approved, the rezoning would create the city's largest Mandatory Inclusionary Housing area, add two million square feet of commercial space, and generate more than 7,000 new jobs, according to the Queens Eagle.
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Asian food hall to open in Long Island City this spring

Marathon Hong Kong Diner. All images courtesy of LIC Food Hall, unless noted otherwise

March 19, 2025

Asian food hall to open in Long Island City this spring

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new food hall showcasing the best of Asian cuisine is set to open in Long Island City this May. Dubbed the LIC Food Hall, the culinary experience will debut inside the Star Tower condo building at 27-17 42nd Road, as first reported by LIC Post. Featuring 10 established and emerging vendors, the hall will offer a mix of dine-in and takeout options, serving up Chinese, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, and Japanese specialties.
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Food & Dining

41 middle-income apartments available at huge development on Astoria waterfront, from $3,261/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

March 18, 2025

41 middle-income apartments available at huge development on Astoria waterfront, from $3,261/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Applications are now being accepted for 41 middle-income apartments in two new residential towers on the Astoria waterfront. Located at 20 and 30 Halletts Point, the buildings are part of the second phase of the massive Halletts Point development, which aims to deliver over 2,000 new homes. The towers offer tenants brand-new, modern residences with stunning views of the East River and Manhattan skyline. New Yorkers earning 120 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $3,261/month studios to $4,194/month two bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

MTA to host open houses for Interborough Express

Image courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

March 18, 2025

MTA to host open houses for Interborough Express

By Aaron Ginsburg

New Yorkers, here's your chance to learn more and ask questions about the Interborough Express (IBX) train line, a proposed project to connect Brooklyn and Queens by public transit. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced on Friday that it will host open houses to share information and answer questions about the IBX project. The first open house takes place at the Queens Public Library in Ridgewood on March 27 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
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$8B Citi Field casino and park proposal gets zoning approval from NYC Council

Credit: SHoP Architects, Field Operations

March 14, 2025

$8B Citi Field casino and park proposal gets zoning approval from NYC Council

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen's $8 billion casino proposal near Citi Field cleared a major hurdle this week. On Tuesday, the City Council voted 41-2 in favor of zoning changes for the Metropolitan Park development, a sports and entertainment complex planned for 50 acres of parking lots around the Mets stadium. While the approval grants Cohen and his partners the ability to make zoning changes on the site, which sits on city parkland, the project still requires approval from several local and state officials.
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JetBlue’s flagship terminal at JFK Airport set for major NYC-themed makeover

Renderings courtesy of JetBlue

March 7, 2025

JetBlue’s flagship terminal at JFK Airport set for major NYC-themed makeover

By Aaron Ginsburg

Big changes are coming to JetBlue's flagship Terminal 5 at John F. Kennedy International Airport, which is set to undergo a major New York City-inspired makeover. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) on Thursday announced a major refresh of Terminal 5, which includes adding more than 40 new concessions, art installations, and a redesigned center concourse inspired by the city's parks. The first new concessions will open later this year, with the terminal improvements set for completion by the end of 2026.
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Architecture And Design

NYC to redevelop Long Island City site once proposed for Amazon’s HQ2

Image via WikiCommons

February 6, 2025

NYC to redevelop Long Island City site once proposed for Amazon’s HQ2

By Aaron Ginsburg

The city is looking to redevelop three sites in Long Island City that nearly became Amazon's second headquarters. As first reported by Crain's New York, the Adams administration will release a request for expressions of interest (RFEI) this spring to redevelop 44-36 Vernon Boulevard, a longtime Department of Education property. The city is prioritizing proposals that include commercial, industrial, and community-serving tenants for the six-story building. The 672,000-square-foot warehouse was once slated to be part of Amazon's "HQ2," a sprawling campus for the retail giant, but the company withdrew its plan in 2019 after strong opposition from residents, elected officials, and community groups.
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244 apartments available at luxury Hunter’s Point rental, from $2,490/month

Image courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

January 23, 2025

244 apartments available at luxury Hunter’s Point rental, from $2,490/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A housing lottery launched this week for 244 middle-income apartments at a new luxury waterfront rental in Long Island City. Located at 2-21 Malt Drive in Hunter's Point South, the 38-story building is part of the three-tower Malt Drive development, which will add more than 1,000 new homes to the neighborhood upon completion. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $2,490/month for studios to $3,590/month for two bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

For $2.3M, this Georgian townhouse in Jackson Heights has Art Deco details, modern interiors, and a garage

Photo credit: Tina Gallo for The Corcoran Group

January 17, 2025

For $2.3M, this Georgian townhouse in Jackson Heights has Art Deco details, modern interiors, and a garage

By Michelle Cohen

This corner townhouse 34-41 83rd Street is a three-story refuge within the picturesque Jackson Heights Historic District. Built in 1927, its Georgian-style brick exterior reveals historic details that have been given new life with a modern renovation. Asking $2,295,000, the home's classic design and Art Deco flourishes are joined by the convenience of a garage and parking for five cars, outdoor space, a basement rec room, and a beautifully renovated kitchen and bathrooms.
take the tour

Distinctive Homes

‘QueensLink’ receives $400K grant to study reactivation of abandoned railway

All images courtesy of QueensLink

January 10, 2025

‘QueensLink’ receives $400K grant to study reactivation of abandoned railway

By Aaron Ginsburg

A plan to reactivate a deserted railway as the first north-to-south subway line in Queens just got a financial boost from the federal government. The nonprofit group behind QueensLink, a proposal extending the M train from Rego Park to the Rockaways along the abandoned Rockaway Beach Branch with accompanying bike paths and trails, received a $400,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) as part of the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program. The funds would pay for a study measuring the impacts of the project, which the group hopes could bring more support for QueensLink; it is currently competing against a separate project to build a linear park on the same railway.
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Citi Bike to expand in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx next fall

Credit: Elvert Barnes on Flickr

December 16, 2024

Citi Bike to expand in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx next fall

By Aaron Ginsburg

Citi Bike is set for a major expansion, bringing the bike-share service to 900,000 more New Yorkers in the outer boroughs. Mayor Eric Adams on Friday announced that starting in the fall of 2025, Citi Bike will roll out to underserved neighborhoods like Brownsville and Bay Ridge in Brooklyn, Norwood and Riverdale in the Bronx, and areas west of Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. The expansion will also add docking stations in high-demand areas to accommodate growing ridership.
See where Citi Bike is expanding

Long Island City luxury tower opens lottery for 72 apartments, from $3,423/month

Credit: Fogarty Finger

December 5, 2024

Long Island City luxury tower opens lottery for 72 apartments, from $3,423/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new 35-story luxury tower in Long Island City has launched a housing lottery for 72 middle-income apartments. Located at 23-10 42nd Road, Aura combines curated boutique residences with spacious layouts and an expansive amenities package not commonly seen in other developments in the neighborhood. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $3,423/month for studios to $4,376/month two bedrooms.
Learn if you qualify

Affordable Housing

NYC’s first pro soccer stadium in Queens to be called ‘Etihad Park’

All renderings courtesy of New York City FC

November 25, 2024

NYC’s first pro soccer stadium in Queens to be called ‘Etihad Park’

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's first professional soccer stadium will be called Etihad Park, named after the airline of the United Arab Emirates. New York City FC on Thursday announced a 20-year agreement with Etihad Airways, granting the airline exclusive naming rights for the 25,000-seat soccer stadium currently under construction in Willets Point, Queens. Set to open in time for the 2027 season, the stadium will become a "cathedral of soccer in the United States," according to NYCFC. The news came ahead of the team's loss to the New York Red Bulls during the MLS Cup Eastern Conference semifinal match on Saturday.
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MTA to offer free shuttle buses, discounted LIRR rides during Rockaway A line shutdown

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

November 15, 2024

MTA to offer free shuttle buses, discounted LIRR rides during Rockaway A line shutdown

By Aaron Ginsburg

Rockaway residents won't be left stranded this winter while the A and S subway lines undergo rehabilitation. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced a substitute service plan to ensure reliable transit options for Rockaway residents while the MTA conducts vital resilience upgrades to the A and S lines. The plan includes two free shuttle buses, heavily discounted Long Island Rail Road fares, and a free Rockaway subway shuttle train serving all stations on the peninsula between Far Rockaway and Rockaway Park.
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One Domino Square

8 South 4th Street

Williamsburg

Spectacular living on the Williamsburg waterfront

1 beds starting at $1,925,000
2 beds starting at $2,055,000
3 beds starting at $3,030,000