Rising on 75 acres of prime waterfront property directly across from midtown Manhattan, the Queens West Waterfront Development is one of New York City's largest and most exciting mixed-use projects.

Project Overview
Development Plan
Stages of Development
Public Spaces
Transportation Access
Project Sponsors
Economic Impact
Contact Information

This $2.3 billion development is ideally located at Hunters Point, Queens directly across the East River from the United Nations. A joint public and private sector effort, Queens West is reinvigorating a spectacular waterfront that overlooks the world's most recognizable skylines.

Panoramic views stretching from the Upper East Side to downtown Manhattan combine with outstanding transportation access, beautifully landscaped parks and recreational areas, and a superb development plan to provide an unparalleled location for residents, retailers and office tenants and a superb business opportunity for commercial and residential developers.

The parcels at Queens West are ready for development, with zoning and environmental approvals secured, and necessary infrastructure improvements in place. Queens West is also eligible for New York City and State-sponsored economic development incentives, relocation assistance, tax relief and energy savings credits.

This spectacular 9.1-million-square-foot project already includes two residential buildings with 1457 apartments, 20,000 square feet of retail space, an early childhood learning center, 769 parking spaces and two magnificent public parks. An additional residential tower offering 400 residential rental apartments and 35,000 square feet of retail space and a 150-unit condominium complex are under construction.

Queens West is sponsored by the New York Empire State Development Corporation, the New York City Economic Development Corporation and The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, in cooperation with the Queens Borough President. The Queens West Development Corporation (QWDC), a subsidiary of the Empire State Development Corporation, oversees development of the site.

The approved development plan calls for 9.1-million-square-foot project that includes 19 development parcels. Residential neighborhoods are located at the north and south ends of the site, with a commercial core anticipated for the lower central area. As planned, the Queens West project will house 6,400 residential units, 2.3 million square feet of office space, 225,000 square feet of local retail, two elementary schools, parking for over 5,500 vehicles. A 20-acre park system, uniquely designed to service the development's recreational needs, is interspersed among the development parcels.

Anticipated development by type of use is:

Residential. 6,400 units on 15 parcels (11 north and four south), with in-building parking for more than 3,800 cars.

Office. 2.3 million square feet on the three large floor-plate parcels, with in-building parking for more than 1,500 cars.

Retail & Services. 225,000 square feet for local retail and services, supermarket, restaurants, medical offices, etc.

Community Facilities. 40,000 square feet for various possible uses including health and day care facilities, meeting rooms, and a public library.

Elementary Schools. A 650-student pre K-S public school and a 300-student early childhood learning center, both with space available for after-hours community use.

Recreation Facility. Full-service community center with pool, gymnasium, courts, fitness center and meeting rooms.

Parking. On-site garage for about 5,300 cars, integrally designed with buildings, plus 350 curbside spaces.

Parks and Open Spaces. A 20-acre public park system for a variety of activities, including 12 acres of a continuous waterfront esplanade and larger multi-purpose park areas of various sizes.

Development of the site, which is well underway, will occur in four stages. The plan includes one residential neighborhood in the northern half of the site (Stages I and II) and one residential neighborhood in the southern quarter (Stage III), with a commercial core (Stage IV) in between. Stages I and II are already under construction and two residential buildings have been completed. The General Project Plan has been fully reviewed and approved through established environmental and public policy procedures. Design guidelines articulate the planning and design objectives of the redevelopment plan and govern the construction of all buildings and public spaces.

Developer M.O. Associates opened the first residential building on Parcel 10, CityLights at Queens West, in 1997. This 42-story building has 522 co-op apartments, retail space and parking for more than 400 cars. The New York City Department of Education operates an early childhood learning center on the premises.

Residents began moving into developer AvalonBay Communities' Avalon Riverview on Parcel 11 in 2002. This second residence in Stage I consists of 435 apartments, 10,000 square feet of retail space and a 369-car garage. Parcel 11 includes an 80-apartment senior citizen residence, sponsored and built by the Foundation for Senior Citizens.

AvalonBay is constructing Avalon Riverview North on Parcel 9. this building which will contain 539,000 square feet of residential space and 30,000 square feet of retail is expect to open in early 2008.

Rockrose Development Corporation, the designated developer for Stage II, has completed construction of a 372,000-square foot residential building on Parcel 6. This residential tower, is 30 stories high, offering 425 apartments and 10,000 square feet of retail space.

When completed, Stage II will contain 3,200 apartments in seven buildings with 20,000 square feet of retail space, an 1,825-car parking garage and publicly accessible open spaces and parks. Construction on Stage II streets, infrastructure, the waterfront park and esplanade and water's edge structures commenced in 2003.

Rock rose also broke ground for its planned residential tower on Parcel 9.

The General Project Plan for this section, which is located on the southernmost end of the development, includes residential, retail and parking. Specific elements in Stage III plan are under review and may be altered based on the results of a comprehensive analysis of the site and its potential uses.

Originally envisioned as the project's commercial core, the plan for stage IV is also under review and may be altered based on the results of a comprehensive analysis of the site and its potential uses.

A community park equipped with basketball courts and a children's play area opened in 1995. Gantry Park, which is situated directly on the waterfront, opened in 1998. this award-winning park features piers and fish-cleaning stations. Peninsula Park, also on the waterfront, opened in 2003. These parks are located in the Stage I area.

A number of new parks and open spaces, distributed throughout the project, are in the design and engineering stage.

Situated in the Hunters Point waterfront section of Long Island City, Queens West is well served by a variety of transportation modes.

• By Car. The Queensboro Bridge is just 10 minutes to the north. The entrances to the Queens Midtown Tunnel to Manhattan, and the Long Island and Brooklyn-Queens expressways are three blocks east of the site, providing direct vehicle access to midtown Manhattan, Long Island, and LaGuardia and JFK airports.


• By Rail or Subway. The site is served by the E, F, G and #7 subway lines, all of which provide one-stop service to Manhattan and is close to two Long Island Railroad stations.


• By Ferry. Queens West also boasts an on-site ferry that provides fast, efficient service to midtown and downtown Manhattan and Fulton Ferry Landing in Brooklyn.

Queens West is a joint project sponsored by The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, the New York Empire State Development Corporation and the New York City Economic Development Corporation, in cooperation with the Queens Borough President. The sponsors established the Queens West Development Corporation (QWDC), a subsidiary of the Empire State Development Corporation, in 1992 to facilitate implementation of the approved development plan. There are six members of the QWDC Board of Directors, two from each sponsor, who play an instrumental role in formulating policy and authorizing major actions.

The Port Authority has committed $190 million for property acquisition, planning and pre-development activities, and infrastructure design. The City of New York has funded construction contracts for building the Stage I area streets, infrastructure and parks. Portions of this work are completed and the balance, currently underway, is scheduled for completion in the next several years.

Queens West is expected to generate an estimated 14,000 construction-related jobs and $428 million in wages and salaries. When completed, the development is forecast to provide almost 10,000 full-time positions and nearly $100 million in sales, income, corporate and business tax revenues for the City and State.

For more information, contact:

Patrick Flinn
General Manager
Regional and Economic Development
212-435-7813
pflinn@panynj.gov