The Rockaways

November 15, 2024

MTA to offer free shuttle buses, discounted LIRR rides during Rockaway A line shutdown

Rockaway residents won't be left stranded this winter while the A and S subway lines undergo rehabilitation. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced a substitute service plan to ensure reliable transit options for Rockaway residents while the MTA conducts vital resilience upgrades to the A and S lines. The plan includes two free shuttle buses, heavily discounted Long Island Rail Road fares, and a free Rockaway subway shuttle train serving all stations on the peninsula between Far Rockaway and Rockaway Park.
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The A train won’t run in the Rockaways for 4 months starting in January

Photo by Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

November 5, 2024

The A train won’t run in the Rockaways for 4 months starting in January

By Aaron Ginsburg

The A train will shut down in the Rockaways for four months starting in January to strengthen infrastructure against extreme weather. From January 17 to May 19 next year, the A train will not run at all between Howard Beach-JFK Airport to Rockaway Park-Beach 116th Street or Far Rockaway-Mott Avenue in both directions. During this period, the Rockaway Park Shuttle, which normally runs to Broad Channel, will instead operate between Rockaway Park and Far Rockaway, with no shuttle service running at all during the first week of the closure
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The 15 best parks in NYC for outdoor grilling

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels

August 28, 2024

The 15 best parks in NYC for outdoor grilling

By Devin Gannon

While our tiny apartments and fire escapes may not always be the greatest spots to host a barbecue, the city's parks provide some of the best places to dine on hamburgers and hot dogs this holiday. Ahead, 6sqft rounded up 15 of the best NYC parks to host outdoor barbecues, from old standby Prospect Park to less-known locales like Staten Island's Clove Lakes Park.
Fin the best BBQ spots in your neighborhood

Hitch a ride to Rockaway Beach on a Ramones-themed NYC Ferry

Photo by © Danny Fields

August 16, 2024

Hitch a ride to Rockaway Beach on a Ramones-themed NYC Ferry

By Aaron Ginsburg

You can "hitch a ride to Rockaway Beach" on a Ramones-themed ferry ride this weekend. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the legendary punk band's first performance at the East Village dive bar CBGB, Rhino Entertainment and NYC Ferry are offering three Ramones-themed ferry rides to the Rockaways. The limited rides include an exclusive "50 Years of Ramones" sticker, a Ramones digital takeover, free samples from Rockaway Soda, and a raffle for a special Ramones prize pack.
GO TO Rock-rock, Rockaway Beach

Events & Things To Do

New Snøhetta-designed public library opens in Far Rockaway

Photos courtesy of Matthew Lapiska/DDC

July 31, 2024

New Snøhetta-designed public library opens in Far Rockaway

By Aaron Ginsburg

Far Rockaway's new public library officially opened this week. Designed by acclaimed architecture firm Snøhetta, the two-story Queens Public Library branch at 1637 Central Avenue is twice the size of the previous library, which closed in 2018, and features a striking sunrise-inspired glass facade and central atrium that lets natural light fill the building. The $39 million library is part of the broader 2017 Downtown Far Rockaway rezoning to bring more housing, retail, and amenities to the neighborhood.
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Architecture And Design

The ferry is a breezy way to get to NYC’s summer destinations — and maybe even see dolphins

Photo courtesy of Benjamin Kanter/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

July 8, 2024

The ferry is a breezy way to get to NYC’s summer destinations — and maybe even see dolphins

By Lidia Ryan

It’s in his blood, NYC Ferry Captain Vincent Ardolino says. His father was a captain, his grandfather was a captain, and his uncles, too. Growing up in the Rockaways, his typical ferry route from Wall Street to Brooklyn to Rockaway Beach is a natural one for him – and his favorite.
all aboard

MTA boosts weekend subway service to Rockaway Beach

Photo by Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

July 3, 2024

MTA boosts weekend subway service to Rockaway Beach

By Devin Gannon

Getting to the beach without a car will be a little easier this summer. Service will expand on the Rockaway Park Shuttle on weekends, allowing beachgoers to board any A train and get a transfer to Rockaway Beach, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced. On Saturdays and Sundays through Labor Day, the shuttle will also operate with 10 cars, doubling its normal capacity.
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Transit

Reach the beach: Vintage subway trains will ride to the Rockaways and Coney Island this summer

All photos courtesy of the New York Transit Museum.

May 30, 2024

Reach the beach: Vintage subway trains will ride to the Rockaways and Coney Island this summer

By Devin Gannon

Beach and boardwalk-bound New Yorkers can ride to the shore in vintage style this summer. The New York Transit Museum announced two "nostalgia rides" in July and August that will bring beachgoers to Coney Island and the Rockaways via R-19 train cars from the 1930s. Tickets, which cost $60 for adults, go on sale Friday, May 31.
details this way

Events & Things To Do

35-acre nature preserve opens in the Rockaways at NYC’s first net-zero community

Photo courtesy of Francine Fleischer

April 26, 2024

35-acre nature preserve opens in the Rockaways at NYC’s first net-zero community

By Devin Gannon

New York City this week opened a public nature preserve in Far Rockaway that serves as the centerpiece of a new sustainable mixed-use project. The 35-acre natural area marks the first phase of Arverne East, a development transforming a vacant 116-acre oceanfront site into a community with 1,650 homes, retail, and open space. The nearly $1 billion project will produce more energy than it consumes, through passive house construction and a district geothermal system, making it the city's first net-zero community.
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Architecture And Design

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

Rendering by Aufgang Architects

April 19, 2024

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

By Aaron Ginsburg

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.
find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Lottery opens for 155 affordable apartments in Far Rockaway, from $410/month

Rockaway Village. Photo ©️David Sundberg ESTO

March 19, 2024

Lottery opens for 155 affordable apartments in Far Rockaway, from $410/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A housing lottery opened this week for 155 apartments at a new 100 percent affordable development in Far Rockaway. The building at 1605 Village Lane is the fourth phase of Rockaway Village Apartments, a sprawling housing project with 1,700 apartments connected by several public plazas. New Yorkers earning 30, 50, 60, and 80 percent of the area median income, or between $17,006 for a single person and $140,080 for a household of seven, can apply for the units, priced from $410/month studios to $2,035/month three bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Inside the trendy Rockaway Hotel, a laid-back beach getaway in NYC

Photos courtesy of Kyle Knodell unless otherwise noted.

August 21, 2023

Inside the trendy Rockaway Hotel, a laid-back beach getaway in NYC

By Lidia Ryan

The lobby of The Rockaway Hotel and Spa has a distinct scent – fresh and perfumy. It’s reminiscent of walking into a posh hotel on Miami Beach. But Rockaway Beach is not Miami. It’s a true Queens neighborhood with bungalows lining the streets leading over to the boardwalk and expansive Atlantic Ocean-facing beach. Locals lugging sandy beach chairs or grocery bags to and from their houses greet each other by name. Directly across the street from The Rockaway is Happy Jack’s Burger Bar, serving pub food and named for a former NYPD police officer and Korean War veteran. Attached to the hotel is the Greenhouse Cafe selling matcha lattes and “rocket fuel” coffee. The hotel, by architect Morris Adjmi, is tall and modern but fits into the neighborhood well from the outside. The interior is much trendier than anything else on its block — or any of the nearby blocks for that matter.
see inside

New York City’s best spots for bird watching

Birdwatching in Prospect Park, courtesy of the Prospect Park Alliance on Flickr

June 15, 2023

New York City’s best spots for bird watching

By Devin Gannon

With hundreds of parks and over 500 miles of waterfront, New York City is an excellent place for bird watching. The five boroughs serve as a temporary and permanent home to over 400 species of bird, thanks to both habitat diversity and location on the Atlantic Flyway, the route birds follow during migrations. From Pelham Bay Park in the northeast Bronx down to Great Kills Park on the South Shore of Staten Island, there is no shortage of birding activities in New York. We've rounded up the best places to find feathered friends throughout the city, most of which are accessible via public transportation. For guided bird-watching tours and walks, check out events from NYC Parks, NYC Audubon, and the Linnaean Society of New York.
Full list ahead

282 affordable apartments up for grabs in Far Rockaway, from $388/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

June 8, 2023

282 affordable apartments up for grabs in Far Rockaway, from $388/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Applications are now being accepted for 282 affordable units at a new residential development in Queens. Located at 1626 Village Lane, the building is part of the third phase of the Rockaway Village Apartments, a huge housing complex that is replacing an abandoned strip mall. New Yorkers earning 30, 50, and 80 percent of the area median income, or between $16,252 annually for a single person and $140,080 for a household of seven, are eligible to apply for the units, which range from $388/month studios to $1,968/month three bedrooms.
Do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

Beach closures scheduled in the Rockaways this summer, but boardwalk will fully open

Photo courtesy of Shinya Suzuki on Flickr

April 6, 2023

Beach closures scheduled in the Rockaways this summer, but boardwalk will fully open

By Aaron Ginsburg

Beach closures at the Rockaways are scheduled once again this summer, but city officials say the shutdown won't be as disruptive as last year. Starting on Memorial Day weekend, 10 to 15 blocks of the beach will temporarily close on a rolling basis throughout the summer, the city's Parks Department announced this week. Closures, necessary for continued work on the Atlantic Shorefront Resiliency Project, will shift as necessary, moving west from Beach 116th Street and east from Beach 143rd Street, according to the agency. The Rockway boardwalk and its concessions will remain fully open.
Find out more

City Living

$50M restoration of Jacob Riis Art Deco bathhouse adds restaurants, pool, and hotel rooms

All photos courtesy of Sylvester Zawadzki

October 21, 2022

$50M restoration of Jacob Riis Art Deco bathhouse adds restaurants, pool, and hotel rooms

By Aaron Ginsburg

The 90-year-old Art Deco bathhouse at Jacob Riis Park will be restored to its former glory as a beachfront hub under a $50 million rehabilitation project unveiled Thursday. CBSK Developers and the architect firm Beyer Blinder Belle will transform the iconic, but underutilized, 1932 building into a multi-purpose public space with restaurants, a bar, a pool, event spaces, and a 28-room boutique hotel.
See more here

NYC Ferry’s reservation-only ‘Rockaway Rocket’ offers direct service from Wall Street to the beach

Rockway Line NYC Ferry on Sunday, April 08, 2018. Benjamin Kanter/Mayoral Photo Office on Flickr

July 20, 2022

NYC Ferry’s reservation-only ‘Rockaway Rocket’ offers direct service from Wall Street to the beach

By Devin Gannon

New York City will launch express weekend service from Lower Manhattan to Rockaway Beach on Saturday. NYC Ferry's "Rockaway Rocket" will run on summer weekends from Lower Manhattan to the Rockaways and cost passengers $8 each way. The shuttle pilot program is an effort by the city to raise revenue and increase ridership and is part of a broader overhaul of the ferry's fare system.
Get the details

Transit

Rockaway Beach reopens after shark sightings prompted temporary closure

Image courtesy of Lars Plougmann on Flickr

July 20, 2022

Rockaway Beach reopens after shark sightings prompted temporary closure

By Aaron Ginsburg

New Yorkers trying to escape the heat on Tuesday were disappointed when the city closed all of Rockaway's beaches to swimming due to a number of shark sightings. A city lifeguard told Gothamist there were at least two reports of shark sightings: a surfer who reported that a shark had collided with his surfboard at Beach 67th Street and a lifeguard who reported seeing a shark off of 102nd Street. By Tuesday evening, city officials reopened the beaches.
See more here

City Living

Construction begins on massive $100M affordable complex in Far Rockaway

All renderings by Aufgang Architects

May 27, 2022

Construction begins on massive $100M affordable complex in Far Rockaway

By Aaron Ginsburg

Construction officially kicked off on a huge housing development that will rise on a former hospital site in Far Rockaway. Edgemere Commons is an 11-building complex with more than 2,000 affordable homes, retail, community space, medical facilities, and outdoor public space planned. The first phase involves the construction of a 17-story building with 194 homes.
Find out more

Several blocks of Rockaway Beach will be closed this summer due to construction

Photo by Malaya Sadler on Unsplash

May 13, 2022

Several blocks of Rockaway Beach will be closed this summer due to construction

By Aaron Ginsburg

With just two weeks until the unofficial start of summer, the city announced it would close several blocks of Rockaway Beach. NYC Parks on Thursday said six blocks will be temporarily closed with no sand, swim, or recreation access from May through September as part of an ongoing resiliency project to protect the coast from severe storms.
Find out more

City Living

Lottery opens for nearly 700 mixed-income units at huge Far Rockaway complex, from $388/month

All renderings courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

December 20, 2021

Lottery opens for nearly 700 mixed-income units at huge Far Rockaway complex, from $388/month

By Devin Gannon

A housing lottery opened this week for 692 affordable apartments at a brand new development in Far Rockaway, Queens. Developed by Phipps Houses, the Rockaway Village Apartments consist of three buildings within a massive complex, which is currently under construction on site of a former abandoned shopping center. New Yorkers earning 30, 40, 50, 60, 80, and 100 percent of the area median income can apply for the lottery units, which range from $388/month studios to $1,885/month three-bedrooms.
Details here

Affordable Housing

NYC’s first net-zero community moves forward in Far Rockaway

Image courtesy of Local Office Landscape/Bernheimer Architecture

December 17, 2021

NYC’s first net-zero community moves forward in Far Rockaway

By Aaron Ginsburg

After more than 40 years of planning, the construction of New York City's first net-zero community is moving forward. L+M Development Partners, the Bluestone Organization, and Triangle Equities have agreed on $30.3 million in financing, signaling the beginning of phase one of Arverne East, a sustainability-focused, mixed-use development project in Far Rockaway. The project will bring 1,650 new units of housing, with 80 percent of them affordable, to a 116-acre oceanfront site that has been vacant for more than four decades.
Find out more

Apply for 200 rent-restricted rentals in Far Rockaway, from $522/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

December 14, 2021

Apply for 200 rent-restricted rentals in Far Rockaway, from $522/month

By Devin Gannon

In the Queens neighborhood of Far Rockaway, a brand new mixed-use building with a host of amenities launched an affordable housing lottery this week. Located at 10-47 Beach 21st Street, the 10-story building features 224 rent-restricted apartments, a restaurant, a daycare and childhood center, and parking for vehicles and bikes. New Yorkers earning 40, 50, 60, and 100 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, ranging from $522/month studios to $2,121/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Apply for 227 affordable apartments at new Far Rockaway complex, from $535/month

Rendering courtesy of NYC Department of Housing Preservation & Development

October 11, 2021

Apply for 227 affordable apartments at new Far Rockaway complex, from $535/month

By Devin Gannon

Applications are now being accepted for 227 affordable apartments across two buildings in Downtown Far Rockaway in Queens. The new complex, dubbed RadRoc, consists of two 10-story mixed-use structures, a steel and plank building at 19-38 Cornaga Avenue and a modular construction building at 10-18 Beach 20th Street. Qualifying New Yorkers earning between 40 and 80 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, ranging from $535/month studios to $2,059/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

July 27, 2021

Kayaking, sailing, jet skiing, and more: NYC’s 8 best water activities

By 6sqft

After last year's summer-that-wasn't, New Yorkers are spending extra time outdoors with beach trips and outdoor sports. And a great way to get the most out of the warm weather is to combine those two activities. Thanks to the city’s long list of available watersports, you have quite a few aquatic choices in the summer months, from kayaking to sailing, to surfing in the Rockaways. Ahead, we've rounded up eight of our favorite options.
Dive in

City Living

Asking $4.25M, this 17-acre Connecticut estate includes two transported Civil War-era barns

Listing photos by Alan Barry Photography

June 28, 2021

Asking $4.25M, this 17-acre Connecticut estate includes two transported Civil War-era barns

By Dana Schulz

Sixty years ago, carpenter and contractor Ed Cady founded East Coast Barn Builders, which not only constructs new homes made to look like 18th- and 19th-century barns, but actually preserves and relocates historic English- and Dutch-style barns. This Cady masterpiece in Roxbury, Connecticut incorporates both. The 17.5-acre Rockridge estate includes a 10,346-square-foot mansion that is a Colonial reproduction flanked by two pristine Civil War-era barns from upstate New York, which were dismantled and reassembled onsite. The incredible interiors include hand-built cabinetry, locally forged hardware, and soaring beamed ceilings. The property is on the market for $4,250,000.
You've gotta see the whole place

May 27, 2021

The 7 best beaches in NYC

By Rebecca Fishbein

Want to hit the beach? Most New Yorkers have two options--sit in endless hours of traffic trying to get to the beaches on the Hamptons or down the Jersey Shore, or have a staycation in the city. And while the latter may sound boring (and hot!) there are plenty of beaches to hit up within the boroughs. From the Rockaways to Fort Tilden, we've rounded up the seven best sandy spots in New York City.
Check out the list

222 LES Tower + Lofts

222 East Broadway

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Studios starting at $799,000
1 bed starting at $1,100,000
2 beds starting at $1,955,000
3 beds starting at $2,875,000

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