Construction on External Frames for Buildings 1 and 2 Finished, Ahead of Schedule
Buildings 1 and 2 Will Deliver First 880 Units of 2,500 Affordable Homes, One Acre of Open Space, Retail Space, and Much-Needed Infrastructure
Transformation at Willets Point Expected to Generate $6.1 Billion in Economic Impact Over 30 Years, Creating 1,550 Permanent and 14,200 Construction Jobs
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Adolfo Carrión, Jr., New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC) President Eric Enderlin, and New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball today announced an important construction milestone for Buildings 1 and 2 of the first phase of the Willets Point Transformation, the city’s largest 100 percent affordable housing development in 40 years. In partnership with the Queens Development Group (QDG), a joint venture formed by Related Companies and Sterling Equities, the frames of Buildings 1 and 2 were completed, marking the halfway point of Phase One of the project, which will provide 880 units of affordable housing to working-class New Yorkers. The complete Willets Point Transformation — which Mayor Adams announced in November 2022 — will deliver more than 2,500 affordable homes, roughly 150,000 square feet of new public open space, significant infrastructure upgrades, a new public school, over 20,000 square feet of retail space, a new 250-key hotel, and a soccer-specific stadium that will be the permanent home of the New York City Football Club (NYCFC). The project is projected to generate $6.1 billion in economic impact over the next 30 years, creating 1,550 permanent jobs and 14,200 construction jobs.
“Cities can still do bold, ambitious things that make life safer and more affordable for working-class people. Willets Point is proof of that,” said Mayor Adams. “From the ‘Valley of Ashes,’ we are building a brand-new neighborhood with thousands of affordable homes, valuable public space, and the city’s first soccer-specific stadium. With today’s topping off ceremony, we are one significant step closer to bringing this historic plan into reality and giving New Yorkers the homes, public space, and jobs they deserve.”
“Willets Point is rising — and with it, thousands of new affordable homes, good-paying jobs, and a dynamic new neighborhood for Queens,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Adolfo Carrión Jr. “This milestone proves what’s possible when we put working-class New Yorkers at the center of growth and invest in a future that’s inclusive, resilient, and built to last.”
“After breaking ground less than 18 months ago, I’m proud to be celebrating the topping off of the first two apartment buildings in Willets Point, which will soon deliver the first 880 of 2,500 units of affordable housing to Queens in the city’s largest all-affordable housing project in over 40 years,” said NYCEDC President and CEO Kimball. “Today is a preview of what’s to come as we transform the ‘Valley of Ashes’ into New York City’s next great neighborhood, with affordable homes, a new public school, new open space, and a privately-financed, all-electric professional soccer stadium.”
Mayor Adams’ vision for the transformation of Willets Point builds on core goals in his “Rebuild, Renew, Reinvent: A Blueprint for New York City's Economic Recovery” and “Housing Our Neighbors: A Blueprint for Housing and Homelessness,” including leveraging neighborhood infrastructure investments to catalyze equitable community development and creating housing opportunities in neighborhoods with strong access to jobs, transit, schools, parks, and other amenities.
The proposal was recommended in 2018 by the Willets Point Task Force, a group of Queens stakeholders represented by state and local elected officials; Community Boards 3, 4, and 7; economic development groups; community-based organizations; and local civic associations. Over four months, the task force identified community priorities and produced recommendations for the city-owned land, including a scenario that reimagined the neighborhood as a hub for a new soccer stadium with public facilities, programmed open space with active and passive uses, and new homes at a range of affordability levels.
In December 2023, Mayor Adams and city officials broke ground on Willets Point Phase 1 to deliver the first 880 units of affordable housing. The remaining 220 units for affordable senior housing (Building 3) will begin soon completing the Phase 1 development. The Willets Point Phase 2 development will deliver the remaining 1,400 of the 2,500 total affordable homes, as well as the new hotel, and NYCFC’s soccer stadium. The 25,000-seat stadium will be the first privately-financed major league stadium in New York City in generations. No new parking will be created for the stadium. Instead, NYCFC will utilize parking at Citi Field on match and event days based on an agreement with the New York Mets. Additionally, the stadium will be the first fully-electric stadium in Major League Soccer and the first fully-electric professional sports stadium in New York City. The stadium is expected to be completed and operational by the 2027 Major League Soccer Season. Phase 2 will also deliver key infrastructure that builds upon the work of Phase 1 and enables Willets Point to grow and function as the city's newest neighborhood.
“The Willets Point project is nothing short of transformational, and that's exactly what it will be for the first 880 families who will soon call this community home. Having toured the progress at this site myself in recent months, I could not be more excited to have topped off these two buildings, and I commend our construction workers for giving their all to ensure this historic 100 percent affordable housing project is moving ahead of schedule," said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. "Building is exactly what we're doing all across Queens, but nowhere is more emblematic of the holistic live, work, and play vision we have for our borough than Willets Point.”
