A rendering of Arvene East. Photo courtesy of Bernheimer Architecture/Local Office Landscape & Urban Design
Coming later this year, Rockaway will see the reconstruction of Edgemere Avenue as a part of the first phase of the Arverne East Project, a new development that will provide mixed-income housing, retail and community spaces, and greenways from Beach 32nd Street to Beach 56th Place.
Last week, L+M Development Partners, Bluestone Organization, and Triangle Equities announced they have closed on $44.66 million in financing for the reconstruction of Edgemere Avenue between Beach 32nd and Beach 38th Streets, a critical infrastructure improvement to the overall peninsula.
The road project will revitalize the existing streetscape along Edgemere Avenue and install critical infrastructure to support 1,650 units of housing, retail, and community space and a public nature preserve.
“Queens is the future of New York City, and thanks to truly transformative projects like Arverne East, it’s becoming clearer with each day that Rockaway is the future of Queens. That is why investments in infrastructure to support this kind of growth like the $44 million being announced are absolutely critical to the success of this work,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “Rockaway families deserve vibrant streets that don’t flood every time it rains. Rockaway families deserve a nature preserve that not only provides a place of peace but also protects the peninsula from coastal flooding. Thank you to all our partner organizations for this vital investment in the overall health of Rockaway and the future of the families who call it home.”
The developers believe that the 116-acre oceanfront site will set a new standard for resilient and energy-efficient development in coastal areas and include a new 35-acre public nature preserve on the Atlantic Ocean. This project phase is being funded by Housing Infrastructure Funds provided by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
“The Rockaways are in desperate need of investment in resilient infrastructure,” Councilwoman Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, New York City Council Majority Whip. “This revitalization of Edgemere Avenue’s streetscape will help protect the area from storms and the impacts of climate change, beautify the street, and serve as a necessary foundation for future development. I applaud L+M and their partners for advancing this project and look forward to its completion.”
Developers say the roadwork will improve streetscape conditions and replace outdated infrastructure along Edgemere Avenue between Beach 32nd and Beach 38th Street, which has been underutilized for decades and is insufficient to support future development in the area.
The scope of the reconstruction project is designed to minimize flood risks, combat future climate change impacts, and improve the quality of life for residents of the Rockaways, who are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and environmental injustice.
However, not everyone is on board with the plans, and that sentiment was voiced at the Oct. 1 meeting of Community Board 14. Specifically, the Department of Transportation’s plan details that the resulting traffic from the construction effort will be diverted to Beach Channel Drive, which is part of the peninsula’s main evacuation route, which frustrated members of the community board.
“During your time of construction will be in the time of our hurricane season,” said board member Annette Lord-Cohen. “These are the things that you need to be concerned with.”
Traffic does not seem to be a major concern for the supporters of the project, who maintain that the road aspect of the project is pivotal to the success of the overall Arverne East development, which cannot be supported by the area’s current substandard infrastructure conditions.
“This historic investment will provide critical street design enhancements and infrastructure improvements while supporting the creation of affordable housing and encouraging climate resiliency in this underserved Rockaway neighborhood,” said New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “Widening and reconstructing the sidewalks along Edgemere Avenue will make much-needed improvements that put pedestrian safety front and center.”
Once complete, the Arverne East development will include 1,650 units of housing developed in a myriad of typologies (including townhomes, bungalows, and mid-rise multifamily) 80 percent will be affordable serving a range of households from formerly homeless, to low-income, to middle-income individuals and families and 20 percent will be market-rate.
Arverne East will also provide homeownership opportunities both affordable and market-rate.
Green space is a big factor as well, as the plan includes a 35-acre nature preserve managed by the New York City Parks Department between Beach 44th Street and Beach 56th Place, with a new welcome center, park ranger office, comfort station, and a community space
Additionally, the project will include a main retail corridor connecting the 36th Street A train subway station to the beach, anchored by a full-production brewery and restaurant operated by the Rockaway Brewing Company and a beachfront hotel. The project will also include diverse neighborhood retail, a community center, and outdoor public open spaces.
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