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East River Coastline Rises In Queens

Part of the planned development of Queens West.

By Andrew Moesel

Manhattan residents have stared at a listless and bland western shore of the East River for decades, but with the Queens West development forging ahead after years of planning, they finally have something to gaze at – and maybe one day, envy.

Developers have completed a number of buildings and broken ground on several more. Starting in the late 1990s and continuing over the last decade, buildings such as City Lights and Avalon Riverview have begun to thicken the Queens skyline. When completed, the $2.3 billion, 74-acre project will consist of a total 15 residential and 4 commercial buildings.

Although financed mostly by private developers, Queens West has the support of a collection of government agencies, including The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, The New York City Economic Development Corporation, the Empire State Development Corporation and the Queens Borough President. With each new tower, borough officials seem more confident that the reality will one day match the impressive models and renderings they’ve been displaying for years.

The ambitious project is divided into four stages: two residential sections to the north, extending from 50th Street to Anabel Basin; another residential section to the south, bordering Newtown Creek; and a commercial and retail center connecting them in the middle.

At ground level, new boardwalks, waterfront parkland and bike paths will complement the towers. The state Parks Department will oversee the more than 20 acres of new space, consisting of recreational areas and public lawns.

The first stage, with four residential towers, is coming to a close. Citylights at Queens Landing had its first tenants in 1997. Avalon Riverview, a 312-unit building, was opened in 2002. Its companion, Avalon Riverview North, will consist of nearly twice as many units and will be completed in the next several years. Riverview Gardens, 80-units of senior housing, broke ground last year, rounding out the phase.

Rockrose Development recently completed the first of seven buildings and broke ground on the second, getting the second phase under way. Built on the 22-acre former Pepsi site, the development, called EastCoast, will contain 3,300 new housing units in a mix of rentals and condos.

The last two phases were temporarily put on hold pending the outcome of New York’s 2012 Olympic bid – officials considered turning the area into the athletes’ living quarters – but now the projects are ready to begin.

To handle the increased population, officials have planned for new schools and retail outlets to be constructed along with the residential buildings. New commerce, such as restaurants and dry cleaners, has already started to creep into the neighborhood in anticipation of the wave of professionals taking up residence.

It seems now it’s only a matter of time.