WILLETS POINT. QUEENS

CLIENT: Queens Development Group SCOPE OF WORK: Architecture, Interior Design SIZE: 1.8M SF LOCATION: Queens, NY STATUS: Construction PROGRAM: Residential, Retail

S9 Architecture created the master plan and designed the first three mixed-use residential buildings for the new Willets Point, a ground-up neighborhood in northern Queens. Phase 1 includes three 12-story buildings, each with ground-floor retail and community space. Buildings 1 and 2 will provide 880 permanently affordable rental units; Building 3 will provide 220 studio and one-bedroom units designated for low-income seniors under the City’s Senior Affordable Rental Apartments (SARA) program. All residents will enjoy interior amenities on the ground level, inner courtyards, an outdoor lounge and a community garden on the roof. The buildings will be all-electric, LEED Gold certified, and feature high-efficiency systems.

Willets Point will also include new hotel development, a new sports stadium, retail, office space, a school, and publicly accessible green space. The master plan includes the addition of new streets and utility services and is designed using pedestrian-centric urban planning principles. When complete, Willets Point will feature 2,500 units of 100% affordable housing that will anchor the new neighborhood. Residential buildings will include workforce housing and affordable homes for individuals, families and low-income seniors. These much-needed affordable and environmentally sustainable residences will help address the city’s shortage of affordable housing by connecting New Yorkers with high-quality, all-affordable homes.