Render of Halletts North. Image Credit: CPC.
On September 29, 2022, the City Council approved a rezoning for the Halletts North development in Astoria, Queens. The mixed-use development, located at the intersection of 27th Avenue and 3rd Street, consists of three towers with 46,509 square feet of waterfront public access area along the East River. The development will be 986,000 square feet total, with 962,800 square feet of residential space, 1800 square feet of commercial space, and a 21,500 square foot community facility.
The project will contain 1340 housing units across three towers measuring 348, 318, and 237 feet tall. The project will have 355 affordable units, pursuant to Mandatory Inclusionary Housing Option 1. Council Member Tiffany Cabán, whose district includes Astoria, cited the project’s deep affordability as a major reason she supports the project. On September 13, Cabán tweeted that 20 percent of units at Halletts North will be affordable to households earning an average of 40 percent area medium income (AMI), or $48,040 for a family of three. Cabán also explained that ten percent of units will be priced at 30 percent AMI, another ten percent at 50 percent AMI, and five percent at 80 percent AMI.
In addition to retail and community space, Halletts North will have an acre of open space, a job incubator run by local organizations Urban Upbound and Zone 126, 525 bike parking spots, and 525 vehicle parking spots.
In addition to providing affordable housing, supporters like Cabán noted that Halletts North is set to be constructed entirely with union labor. Further, the tenant association at the adjacent New York City Housing Authority development Astoria Houses will receive $1 million for capital and program investment.
Previously, Queens Community Board 1 voted 19-14 to approve Halletts North on April 19, 2022. On July 25, the City Planning Commission also approved the project, with Commissioner Leah Goodridge voting against. On September 7, the Subcommittee for Zoning and Franchises unanimously voted to move the development forward to committee. Six days later, the full Land Use Committee also passed the project.
Chief Housing Officer Jessica Katz praised the new development, stating, “The investments being made at Halletts North are another significant step towards a more affordable city for all New Yorkers. We’re proud to have worked with Speaker Adams, Councilmember Cabán, and the City Council to arrive at a project that everyone can be proud of.”
Mayor Eric Adams also voiced his support: “The solution to our housing shortage is simple: building more housing, and this project will create thousands of homes, including hundreds with restricted rents. We all need to take responsibility for the housing crisis we are facing, and I applaud our partners in the City Council for advancing this important project.”
By: Cassidy Strong (Cassidy is a CityLaw intern and a New York Law School student, Class of 2024.)