134 affordable apartments available at massive Far Rockaway development, from $617/month

Applications are now being accepted for 134 affordable apartments at a new residential complex in Far Rockaway. The apartment building is part of the first phase of Edgemere Commons, an 11-tower development with over 2,000 affordable homes, retail, community space, health care facilities, and outdoor public space. New Yorkers earning 30, 60, and 80 percent of the area median income, or between $24,480 for a single person and $140,080 for a household of seven, can apply for the apartments, priced from $617/month for one-bedroom homes to $2,665/month three bedrooms.

Developed by The Arker Companies and Slate Property Group and designed by Aufgang Architects, the $100 million Edgemere Commons project, also known as The Peninsula, was approved by the City Council in 2019. The project is being constructed on the site of the former Peninsula Hospital, which closed in 2012 after 104 years of operation.

The Arker Companies and Slate purchased the site and conducted a large-scale rezoning in 2019, according to the New York Housing Conference. Edgemere Commons is being developed in five phases over roughly 10 years, with an estimated completion date in 2031. The long-term project is creating construction jobs and minimizing the impact of construction on the surrounding area.

In 2021, Tishman Speyer entered an agreement to acquire and develop 10 of the 11 building sites of the project.

Breaking ground in 2022, the development’s first building includes 194 total apartments, including 58 supportive units, 29 of which are set aside for formerly homeless individuals. There will be a supermarket on the ground floor.

The Block Institute will offer on-site services to residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities and WellLife Network will serve formerly homeless residents with severe mental illness.

The project incorporates sustainable building practices, including repurposing discarded wood into landscaping elements, green roofs, and a solar panel system to generate nearly all of the electricity needed for common area lighting. Edgemere Commons also offers large indoor and outdoor landscaped recreational spaces for residents.

Climate resilience is also an important part of the project. With the impact of Hurricane Sandy in mind, the development is designed to withstand future storm events, incorporating features like bioswales, a bio-retention rainwater system, tree pits, and standby generators, as 6sqft previously reported.

Nearby public transit options include the A subway line, accessible from the Beach 44th Street station, and the Q22, Q52-SBS, and QM17 buses.

Qualifying New Yorkers can apply for the apartments until June 10, 2024. Complete details on how to apply are available here. Preference for 50 percent of the units will be given to residents of Queens Community Board 14. Questions regarding this offer must be referred to NYC’s Housing Connect department by dialing 311.

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