Exterior work is nearing completion on Edgemere Commons’ second all-affordable housing building at 5119 Beach Channel Drive in Far Rockaway, Queens. Designed by Aufgang Architects and developed by Tishman Speyer’s TS Communities, the company’s affordable housing development platform, the 247,000-square-foot structure will yield 237 rental apartments in studio to three-bedroom layouts, with 36 reserved for the formerly homeless, as well as 8,000 square feet of retail space and 7,500 square feet of community facility space. The property, also known as Edgemere Commons Building B1, is located between Beach 50th and Beach 53rd Streets, across from its sister development, Building A1.
Work has progressed steadily since our last update at the end of April, when the reinforced concrete superstructure had just topped out and crews were in the process of framing the building out with metal studs and insulation boards. Recent photographs show the gray, red, and brown brick façade enclosing almost the entirety of the structure, and the grid of large windows installed across all but the final three stories. The ground floor remains obscured by the sidewalk fencing and the hoist continues to operate from the southern elevation.
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
The rendering below previews the final appearance of Building B1, looking at its northwestern corner along Beach Channel Drive.
Rendering of the next affordable housing property to debut at Edgemere Commons – Courtesy of Aufgang Architects
The following photographs show Building A1, which sits directly to the west at 5123 Beach Channel Drive and has already opened for occupancy. The building contains 194 units of affordable housing with 58 supportive units, including 29 for formerly homeless individuals, and 23,000 square feet of commercial space, including an upcoming ground-floor supermarket. The walls on the southern elevation have been left blank where a future building in the master plan will stand.
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Edgemere Commons is located on the 9.34-acre site of the former Peninsula Hospital, which permanently closed in 2012. The master plan was unanimously approved by the New York City Council in November 2019 and will comprise 11 buildings yielding a total of 2.2 million square feet with 2,050 rental apartments, including 237 residences set aside for senior citizens, 973 parking spaces, 38,000 square feet of open public space, 77,000 square feet of community space, and 72,000 square feet of retail space for a supermarket, a fitness center, and food and beverage tenants.
Tishman Speyer will develop the remaining nine structures of Edgemere Commons.
Street view of Edgemere Commons – Aufgang Architects
Aerial view of publicly accessible outdoor spaces at Edgemere Commons- Aufgang Architects
Edgemere Commons is expected to create 350 construction jobs, 650 permanent jobs, and generate $1.5 billion in economic activity. TS Communities secured $196.8 million in financing in a combination of tax-exempt bonds, traditional construction debt, subsidy loans from the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the New York City Housing Development Corporation, and low-income housing tax credit equity. This figure also includes $138.6 million from Wells Fargo.
5119 Beach Channel Drive’s anticipated completion date is slated for summer 2025, as noted on site.
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Where it can bring together the differences, of each person into the same community: Thanks to Michael Young.
Building A1 is yet to be open
It’s been open already.
I’m really looking forward to seeing this when finished.