Draft:Astoria Cove

Astoria Cove is a mixed-use waterfront development in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens, New York City. The development is located along the East River on the Halletts Point peninsula, near Astoria Park and the Astoria Houses public-housing complex.

The project was originally proposed by Alma Realty and approved by the New York City Council in 2014. The approved plan provided for 1,723 apartments, commercial space, parking, a waterfront esplanade and space for a public school.

Construction was delayed for several years following the expiration of New York State's 421-a property-tax exemption. New building applications filed in 2022 indicated that development activity was restarting.

An affordable-housing lottery opened in 2026 for apartments in the first portion of the development.

Site

The original Astoria Cove development site covered approximately 8.7 acres (3.5 ha) on the Halletts Point peninsula. It was generally bounded by 27th Avenue to the south, 4th Street to the west, the East River to the north and 9th Street to the east.

The site was historically occupied by warehouses, vehicle-storage areas, light-industrial buildings and vacant land. Much of the property had limited public access to the waterfront before the redevelopment proposal.

Nearby properties include Whitey Ford Field, Astoria Park, Shore Towers, Astoria Houses and the separate Halletts Point development.

The land-use plan included an extension of 4th Street toward the waterfront and the elimination of a mapped portion of 8th Street. These changes were intended to create vehicle, pedestrian and emergency access through the development.

Original proposal

Alma Realty, through the project ownership entity 2030 Astoria Developers LLC, submitted applications to the New York City Department of City Planning for zoning and land-use changes covering the site.

The applications included:

• amendments to the New York City zoning map;
• amendments to the zoning text;
• special permits allowing modifications to height, setback and waterfront requirements;
• changes to the official city street map;
• authorization for the waterfront public-access area; and
• approval of a large-scale general development plan.

The modified proposal considered by the City Planning Commission included approximately 1.76 million square feet of development. The plan provided for:

• 1,723 residential apartments;
• approximately 54,000 square feet of commercial space;
• a proposed supermarket;
• approximately 900 parking spaces;
• approximately 60,500 square feet reserved for a public elementary school; and
• approximately 55,600 square feet of waterfront and pedestrian open space.

The residential buildings were planned with a combination of market-rate and income-restricted apartments. The approved buildings ranged from approximately six to 32 stories.

Design

Studio V Architecture prepared the original master plan for Astoria Cove. The design organized the buildings around new streets, pedestrian routes and publicly accessible waterfront space.

The waterfront plan included an esplanade along the East River, landscaped open areas and connections between the development and the surrounding street network. A pedestrian route known as the 8th Street Mews was planned as an internal connection through the site.

The proposed retail space was concentrated along the lower floors of the development. The project also reserved space for a supermarket intended to serve the development and surrounding Halletts Point neighborhood.

The environmental review identified matters involving hazardous materials, air quality, transportation, infrastructure and waterfront construction. Environmental restrictions were placed on several lots requiring investigation and remediation before development.

Public review

Astoria Cove underwent the city's Uniform Land Use Review Procedure in 2014. The process included review by Queens Community Board 1, the Queens borough president, the City Planning Commission and the New York City Council.

Community Board review

Queens Community Board 1 voted 44–0 to recommend disapproval of the proposal with conditions. The board requested a larger affordable-housing component and raised concerns regarding transportation, traffic, infrastructure, school capacity and the project's relationship to the surrounding community.

The board called for 35 percent of the residential units to be designated as affordable housing. It also objected to a proposed private shuttle service that would primarily serve residents of the development and requested broader transportation improvements for the neighborhood.

Borough president review

Queens Borough President Melinda Katz recommended disapproval of the original proposal. Her recommendations included increasing the affordable-housing requirement, improving transportation access, providing stronger employment commitments and addressing the timing of the proposed public school.

City Planning Commission

The City Planning Commission held a public hearing in August 2014. Twenty-one speakers testified in support of the applications and 24 testified in opposition.

Supporters cited the creation of housing, public waterfront access, commercial space and economic activity. Opponents raised concerns about affordability, neighborhood infrastructure, wages, construction employment and transportation access.

The commission voted 10–1, with two abstentions, to approve the applications in September 2014.

City Council approval

Negotiations continued during the City Council review. The original proposal had provided for a smaller affordable-housing component, while community organizations and elected officials sought a higher percentage and lower income levels.

The final agreement required approximately 27 percent of the residential floor area to be permanently affordable. The affordable apartments were divided among several income categories.

The agreement also included commitments involving construction employment, nearby public facilities, waterfront access and a contribution toward a possible ferry landing.

The City Council Land Use Committee approved the modified proposal by an 18–0 vote. The full City Council granted final approval in November 2014.

City officials described the agreement as an early use of a mandatory affordable-housing requirement connected to a neighborhood rezoning.

Delay

Construction did not begin immediately following the 2014 approval.

In 2016, representatives of the project stated that development could not proceed without the 421-a property-tax exemption. The state program had expired following a disagreement involving state legislators, real-estate interests and construction unions.

The exemption had been an important component of the financial structure for residential developments that included rent-regulated apartments. Astoria Cove and several other major housing projects were delayed while the future of the program remained unresolved.

The property was placed on the market in 2017 with a reported asking price of $350 million. The proposed sale was not completed, and the project remained inactive for several years.

Revival and construction

In March 2022, applications were filed with the New York City Department of Buildings for four buildings on the eastern portion of the Astoria Cove site.

The filings described:

• one 26-story residential tower;
• two eight-story buildings;
• one seven-story building;
• a combined 469 apartments; and
• approximately 14,500 square feet of commercial space.

The applications generally corresponded with the eastern portion of the previously approved master plan. Because the property had already received zoning approval, construction could proceed without repeating the original rezoning process, subject to building permits and other regulatory requirements.

Later plans expanded the number of residential units associated with the first construction phase. Reporting in 2026 described the broader phase as containing 731 apartments.

Affordable housing lottery

An affordable-housing lottery opened in April 2026 for 75 apartments at Astoria Cove Phase 1(A). The lottery covered apartments in buildings at 4-34 and 4-42 26th Avenue.

The available apartments included studios, one-bedroom units and two-bedroom units. Eligibility was limited to households earning between 80 and 130 percent of the area median income, depending on the apartment category and household size.

Applications were due by June 2, 2026. The development included residential amenities, parking and access to the waterfront area.

Relationship to Halletts Point

Astoria Cove is separate from the nearby Halletts Point development.

The Halletts Point plan was approved in 2013 for approximately 2,404 apartments in ten residential and mixed-use buildings. It also included affordable housing, retail space, parking and development on portions of the Astoria Houses property.

Together, the two developments were planned to add several thousand residences and extend public waterfront access along the Halletts Point peninsula.

External links

• Official website

Category:Astoria, Queens Category:Buildings and structures under construction in the United States Category:East River Category:Multi-building developments in New York City Category:Redeveloped ports and waterfronts in the United States Category:Residential buildings in Queens, New York