The Rockaways

Waterfront living in NYC: Inside resort-style rentals in every borough

Photo by Mike Sinko on Flickr

May 29, 2026

Waterfront living in NYC: Inside resort-style rentals in every borough

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Waterfronts across New York City are being developed, many with ultra-luxe high-rise condos with sweeping views. But thanks to rezoning and climate resiliency efforts, as well as the launch of NYC Ferry almost a decade ago, several rental buildings have popped up along shorelines in every borough, making resort-style living slightly more attainable. With beautiful views and amenities to match, and now, a quicker commute via new, expanded ferry service, riverside (and seaside!) living in New York is more appealing than ever. To explore what waterfront life is really like in NYC, we took a look at a few rentals along the water's edge, from glassy high-rises in Greenpoint to modern homes a block from the beach in the Rockaways.
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For $1.6M, this magical Rockaway Beach ‘surf shack’ has a sauna, plunge pool, and music studio

All photos courtesy of Kathrine Pastrana/Interiors by Kat for The Corcoran Group

May 29, 2026

For $1.6M, this magical Rockaway Beach ‘surf shack’ has a sauna, plunge pool, and music studio

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If you've ever dreamed of spending summer days and nights in a laid-back surf cottage like one you'd find in Malibu or Venice, but you're a committed New York City dreamer, this Rockaway Beach rarity could be just what you need. Half a block from the Atlantic Ocean, this townhouse at 144 Beach 93rd Street is no ramshackle shack. Though the vibe is 100 percent surf chic, it has been designed for 21st-century comfort, including bespoke wellness perks like a Finnish sauna and plunge pool, plus a music studio and a roof deck with ocean views. Asking $1,550,000, this home is surrounded by seaside tranquility, yet less than an hour from Manhattan.
definitely not the hamptons (in a good way)
NYC invests nearly $40M to bring clean heat pumps to Rockaways NYCHA complex

Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

February 5, 2026

NYC invests nearly $40M to bring clean heat pumps to Rockaways NYCHA complex

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New York City is investing nearly $40 million to bring clean heating and cooling to more than 700 homes at a public housing complex in the Rockaways. Announced on Wednesday by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the $38.4 million investment will install clean, reliable heat pumps in 712 apartments at NYCHA’s Beach 41st Houses in Edgemere, among the first NYCHA residences to receive custom-designed heat pumps under the agency’s “Clean Heat for All” initiative. The initiative aims to expand clean heat pump installations to more than 10,000 NYCHA apartments by 2030.
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First housing phase of NYC’s net-zero Far Rockaway development moves forward

Credit: FX Collaborative

December 30, 2025

First housing phase of NYC’s net-zero Far Rockaway development moves forward

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The development team behind New York City’s first net-zero community in Far Rockaway has secured $278.8 million for its first phase, which will bring 320 new homes to the neighborhood. On Monday, L+M Development Partners, Urbane Development, and other project stakeholders announced the closing of financing for Arverne East Building D, the first phase of housing of the larger revitalization of a 116-acre oceanfront site in Edgemere into a mixed-use community. Upon completion in 2028, the 355,000-square-foot building will deliver 230 affordable rentals and 90 homes designated for ownership.
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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

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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.
Find out if you qualify
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

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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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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

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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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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

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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?
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

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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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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

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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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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

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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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The A train won’t run in the Rockaways for 4 months starting in January

Photo by Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

November 5, 2024

The A train won’t run in the Rockaways for 4 months starting in January

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The A train will shut down in the Rockaways for four months starting in January to strengthen infrastructure against extreme weather. From January 17 to May 19 next year, the A train will not run at all between Howard Beach-JFK Airport to Rockaway Park-Beach 116th Street or Far Rockaway-Mott Avenue in both directions. During this period, the Rockaway Park Shuttle, which normally runs to Broad Channel, will instead operate between Rockaway Park and Far Rockaway, with no shuttle service running at all during the first week of the closure
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The 15 best parks in NYC for outdoor grilling

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels

August 28, 2024

The 15 best parks in NYC for outdoor grilling

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While our tiny apartments and fire escapes may not always be the greatest spots to host a barbecue, the city's parks provide some of the best places to dine on hamburgers and hot dogs this holiday. Ahead, 6sqft rounded up 15 of the best NYC parks to host outdoor barbecues, from old standby Prospect Park to less-known locales like Staten Island's Clove Lakes Park.
Fin the best BBQ spots in your neighborhood
Hitch a ride to Rockaway Beach on a Ramones-themed NYC Ferry

Photo by © Danny Fields

August 16, 2024

Hitch a ride to Rockaway Beach on a Ramones-themed NYC Ferry

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You can "hitch a ride to Rockaway Beach" on a Ramones-themed ferry ride this weekend. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the legendary punk band's first performance at the East Village dive bar CBGB, Rhino Entertainment and NYC Ferry are offering three Ramones-themed ferry rides to the Rockaways. The limited rides include an exclusive "50 Years of Ramones" sticker, a Ramones digital takeover, free samples from Rockaway Soda, and a raffle for a special Ramones prize pack.
GO TO Rock-rock, Rockaway Beach
New Snøhetta-designed public library opens in Far Rockaway

Photos courtesy of Matthew Lapiska/DDC

July 31, 2024

New Snøhetta-designed public library opens in Far Rockaway

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Far Rockaway's new public library officially opened this week. Designed by acclaimed architecture firm Snøhetta, the two-story Queens Public Library branch at 1637 Central Avenue is twice the size of the previous library, which closed in 2018, and features a striking sunrise-inspired glass facade and central atrium that lets natural light fill the building. The $39 million library is part of the broader 2017 Downtown Far Rockaway rezoning to bring more housing, retail, and amenities to the neighborhood.
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The ferry is a breezy way to get to NYC’s summer destinations — and maybe even see dolphins

Photo courtesy of Benjamin Kanter/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

July 8, 2024

The ferry is a breezy way to get to NYC’s summer destinations — and maybe even see dolphins

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It’s in his blood, NYC Ferry Captain Vincent Ardolino says. His father was a captain, his grandfather was a captain, and his uncles, too. Growing up in the Rockaways, his typical ferry route from Wall Street to Brooklyn to Rockaway Beach is a natural one for him – and his favorite.
all aboard
MTA boosts weekend subway service to Rockaway Beach

Photo by Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

July 3, 2024

MTA boosts weekend subway service to Rockaway Beach

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Getting to the beach without a car will be a little easier this summer. Service will expand on the Rockaway Park Shuttle on weekends, allowing beachgoers to board any A train and get a transfer to Rockaway Beach, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced. On Saturdays and Sundays through Labor Day, the shuttle will also operate with 10 cars, doubling its normal capacity.
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Reach the beach: Vintage subway trains will ride to the Rockaways and Coney Island this summer

All photos courtesy of the New York Transit Museum.

May 30, 2024

Reach the beach: Vintage subway trains will ride to the Rockaways and Coney Island this summer

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Beach and boardwalk-bound New Yorkers can ride to the shore in vintage style this summer. The New York Transit Museum announced two "nostalgia rides" in July and August that will bring beachgoers to Coney Island and the Rockaways via R-19 train cars from the 1930s. Tickets, which cost $60 for adults, go on sale Friday, May 31.
details this way
35-acre nature preserve opens in the Rockaways at NYC’s first net-zero community

Photo courtesy of Francine Fleischer

April 26, 2024

35-acre nature preserve opens in the Rockaways at NYC’s first net-zero community

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New York City this week opened a public nature preserve in Far Rockaway that serves as the centerpiece of a new sustainable mixed-use project. The 35-acre natural area marks the first phase of Arverne East, a development transforming a vacant 116-acre oceanfront site into a community with 1,650 homes, retail, and open space. The nearly $1 billion project will produce more energy than it consumes, through passive house construction and a district geothermal system, making it the city's first net-zero community.
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134 affordable apartments available at massive Far Rockaway development, from $617/month

Rendering by Aufgang Architects

April 19, 2024

134 affordable apartments available at massive Far Rockaway development, from $617/month

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Applications are now being accepted for 134 affordable apartments at a new residential complex in Far Rockaway. The apartment building is part of the first phase of Edgemere Commons, an 11-tower development with over 2,000 affordable homes, retail, community space, health care facilities, and outdoor public space. New Yorkers earning 30, 60, and 80 percent of the area median income, or between $24,480 for a single person and $140,080 for a household of seven, can apply for the apartments, priced from $617/month for one-bedroom homes to $2,665/month three bedrooms.
find out if you qualify
Lottery opens for 155 affordable apartments in Far Rockaway, from $410/month

Rockaway Village. Photo ©️David Sundberg ESTO

March 19, 2024

Lottery opens for 155 affordable apartments in Far Rockaway, from $410/month

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A housing lottery opened this week for 155 apartments at a new 100 percent affordable development in Far Rockaway. The building at 1605 Village Lane is the fourth phase of Rockaway Village Apartments, a sprawling housing project with 1,700 apartments connected by several public plazas. New Yorkers earning 30, 50, 60, and 80 percent of the area median income, or between $17,006 for a single person and $140,080 for a household of seven, can apply for the units, priced from $410/month studios to $2,035/month three bedrooms.
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Inside the trendy Rockaway Hotel, a laid-back beach getaway in NYC

Photos courtesy of Kyle Knodell unless otherwise noted.

August 21, 2023

Inside the trendy Rockaway Hotel, a laid-back beach getaway in NYC

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The lobby of The Rockaway Hotel and Spa has a distinct scent – fresh and perfumy. It’s reminiscent of walking into a posh hotel on Miami Beach. But Rockaway Beach is not Miami. It’s a true Queens neighborhood with bungalows lining the streets leading over to the boardwalk and expansive Atlantic Ocean-facing beach. Locals lugging sandy beach chairs or grocery bags to and from their houses greet each other by name. Directly across the street from The Rockaway is Happy Jack’s Burger Bar, serving pub food and named for a former NYPD police officer and Korean War veteran. Attached to the hotel is the Greenhouse Cafe selling matcha lattes and “rocket fuel” coffee. The hotel, by architect Morris Adjmi, is tall and modern but fits into the neighborhood well from the outside. The interior is much trendier than anything else on its block — or any of the nearby blocks for that matter.
see inside
New York City’s best spots for bird watching

Birdwatching in Prospect Park, courtesy of the Prospect Park Alliance on Flickr

June 15, 2023

New York City’s best spots for bird watching

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With hundreds of parks and over 500 miles of waterfront, New York City is an excellent place for bird watching. The five boroughs serve as a temporary and permanent home to over 400 species of bird, thanks to both habitat diversity and location on the Atlantic Flyway, the route birds follow during migrations. From Pelham Bay Park in the northeast Bronx down to Great Kills Park on the South Shore of Staten Island, there is no shortage of birding activities in New York. We've rounded up the best places to find feathered friends throughout the city, most of which are accessible via public transportation. For guided bird-watching tours and walks, check out events from NYC Parks, NYC Audubon, and the Linnaean Society of New York.
Full list ahead
282 affordable apartments up for grabs in Far Rockaway, from $388/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

June 8, 2023

282 affordable apartments up for grabs in Far Rockaway, from $388/month

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Applications are now being accepted for 282 affordable units at a new residential development in Queens. Located at 1626 Village Lane, the building is part of the third phase of the Rockaway Village Apartments, a huge housing complex that is replacing an abandoned strip mall. New Yorkers earning 30, 50, and 80 percent of the area median income, or between $16,252 annually for a single person and $140,080 for a household of seven, are eligible to apply for the units, which range from $388/month studios to $1,968/month three bedrooms.
Do you qualify?
Beach closures scheduled in the Rockaways this summer, but boardwalk will fully open

Photo courtesy of Shinya Suzuki on Flickr

April 6, 2023

Beach closures scheduled in the Rockaways this summer, but boardwalk will fully open

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Beach closures at the Rockaways are scheduled once again this summer, but city officials say the shutdown won't be as disruptive as last year. Starting on Memorial Day weekend, 10 to 15 blocks of the beach will temporarily close on a rolling basis throughout the summer, the city's Parks Department announced this week. Closures, necessary for continued work on the Atlantic Shorefront Resiliency Project, will shift as necessary, moving west from Beach 116th Street and east from Beach 143rd Street, according to the agency. The Rockway boardwalk and its concessions will remain fully open.
Find out more
$50M restoration of Jacob Riis Art Deco bathhouse adds restaurants, pool, and hotel rooms

All photos courtesy of Sylvester Zawadzki

October 21, 2022

$50M restoration of Jacob Riis Art Deco bathhouse adds restaurants, pool, and hotel rooms

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The 90-year-old Art Deco bathhouse at Jacob Riis Park will be restored to its former glory as a beachfront hub under a $50 million rehabilitation project unveiled Thursday. CBSK Developers and the architect firm Beyer Blinder Belle will transform the iconic, but underutilized, 1932 building into a multi-purpose public space with restaurants, a bar, a pool, event spaces, and a 28-room boutique hotel.
See more here
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