Several construction projects have begun along the Rockaway Peninsula, promising new community spaces and housing opportunities. Several of these projects focus on being economically and environmentally friendly to potential residents. However, nearby residents and visitors should be cautious, as construction accidents can lead to severe injuries.
One construction project has broken ground at 120 Beach 116th Street in Rockaway Beach, Queens. The location is between Rockaway Beach Boulevard and Ocean Promenade Belle Harbor, near the famous shopping center along 116th Street. It is also within walking distance of Rockaway Park and the Beach 116th Street Subway Station that serves the A and S trains.
The 84-foot-tall development plans to have an astounding 152,983 square feet split across residential lots and community facility spaces. The average rental unit is 868 square feet, and the building will offer 40 open and 53 enclosed parking spaces.
Another construction site is at 60 to 14 Beach Channel Drive in Arverne, Queens. The site is near the Straiton Avenue Subway Station that services the A train and is just East of Rockaway Park and Rockaway Beach between Beach 59th and Beach 62nd streets.
The masonry-based structure covers 75,849 square feet and includes 101 residences, a 44-foot-long rear yard, 31 open parking spaces, and 76 enclosed parking spaces.
A residential building is also being constructed near Arverne and Neponsit that promises to be New York City’s first net zero community. Plans include geothermal heating, passive house designs to optimize energy efficiency, and a raised storm surge elevation.
This oceanfront community is designed to update the Edgemere neighborhoods that have been ignored by city officials. To do this, they plan to offer 1,650 units, with 1,320 units designated for the formerly homeless or low, moderate, and middle-income households.
The project will also have incorporated green spaces, including a 35-acre nature preserve and an urban farm. Additionally, there is a boardwalk lining the south side of the construction and several hundred thousand square feet of retail space, a hotel, a coworking space, and even a brewery.
Just a few streets away is the Edgemere Commons, a $100 million community-first development. This grouping of 11 buildings will offer 2,050 affordable and middle-income apartments in addition to retail, community, medical, and outdoor spaces.
The first building will offer 194 affordable apartments with 12,000 square feet of retail space, including a supermarket, which has been in high demand from residents. Twenty-nine units have been reserved for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities, with another 30 reserved for adults experiencing homelessness.
The first phase of the Edgemere Commons will have over 200 affordable apartments with retail space and other supportive services. While the first phase is subsidized with $14.7 million in federal low-income tax credits and permanent tax-exempt bonds, the project is projected to generate $47.7 million in equity from New York State Homes and Community Renewal.
Another 8-story property began construction at 13-12 Beach Channel Drive in Far Rockaway, Queens, near Seagirt Boulevard and Wavecrest. The building will have 147 affordable units with 125 studio apartments, nine 1-bed apartments, and 13 2-bedrooms. Eighty-eight studios will be reserved for formerly homeless individuals, while the other 37 are reserved for households earning 30 to 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). Additionally, they will supply 100 shelter units with support services, tenant amenities, and a community facility.
The building also meets enterprise green community standards by providing energy star appliances, water-conserving fixtures, low-VOC finishes, coated windows, and above-grade insulation and roof coating materials. These energy-saving efforts continue into the wide range of amenity spaces, including a 1,239-square-foot flexible community room for gatherings and events, a laundry room, bike storage, a social service programming space, and outdoor recreational spaces. All of this is offered mere blocks away from Breezy Point and Belle Harbor.
While these construction projects are bound to add value to the Rockaway area, they can also bring dangers. With so many construction sites near each other, it is all the more likely for workers and pedestrians to sustain injuries in an accident.
If you or a loved one are injured at a construction site, call a skilled personal injury attorney for guidance on your legal options. You should not have to pay the bill for losses that were not your fault. Get the compensation you deserve by contacting Goldstein & Bashner today.
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