Conceptual Rendering
Willets Point
Location:
Queens
Project Status:
Ongoing - Renderings Are Concept Only
Connecting Willets Point to the diverse fabric of Queens, bringing economic opportunity to a community that has long been underserved.
The Need
With limited infrastructure and a history of environmental degradation, Willets Point is located within the 100-year flood plain. The City has been working with community partners such as the Queens Community Board’s 7, 3 and 4, to reimagine Willets Point in ways that would create new opportunities for residents and businesses. By leveraging the area's strategic location, Willets Point could better serve the nearby neighborhoods by providing spaces for schools, delivering on much needed affordable housing, jobs and recreational needs to better serve residents. Willets Point can realize its full potential to serve the nearby communities with investments in affordable housing, critical infrastructure and remediation of historically contaminated land.
A Vision and a Plan
The next phase of transformation in Willets Point is the result of historic public-private investment to turn the area into a true mixed-use, mixed income neighborhood—turning the tide on decades of neglect to bring the community long-term economic opportunity.
In November 2022, former mayor Adams announced a vision for Willets Point that is anchored by 2,500 new affordable homes, the largest 100-percent affordable, new construction housing project in New York City in 40 years. The plan will also bring New York City’s first soccer-specific stadium along with public open space, a hotel and neighborhood-serving, ground-floor retail shops that will create good-paying jobs for community residents. All told, the project is expected to create over 16,000 jobs as well as generate $6.1 billion in economic impact over the next 30 years.
Watch the video, Willets Point: Investing in the World's Borough
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Video Transcript
00:01 [Music.] [Opening aerial view of Willets Point and surrounding Queens streets, rail lines, waterfront, and stadium-area infrastructure. Text overlay: “Willets Point.”]
00:03 [Aerial footage continues over Willets Point, showing industrial lots, roads, and nearby large-scale public infrastructure. “Willets Point: Investing in the World’s Borough” text overlay is followed by "Moving past decades of neglect..."] [Music.]
00:07 [Aerial photo of a large metal globe sculpture stands in a circular fountain, surrounded by trees and buildings. The word “Now” is centered on the image and followed by “historic public and private investment,” with the following logos at the bottom: New York City Football Club, Sterling Equities, RELATED, NYC, and NYCEDC.] [Music.]
00:11 [Conceptual rendering of a planned street and mixed-use neighborhood environment. Text overlay: “for a neighborhood’s future:”] [Music.]
00:13 [Conceptual rendering of new residential buildings and landscaped pedestrian areas. Text overlay: “2,500 affordable homes.”] [Music.]
00:16 [Conceptual imagery of development activity and future neighborhood setting. Text overlay: “New jobs.”] [Music.]
00:17 [Construction-related background footage suggesting local workforce and job-training opportunities. Text overlay: “Training for local residents.”] [Music.]
00:22 [Construction and site-preparation imagery showing land cleanup and improvement activity. Text overlay: “Built on a foundation of: Environmental remediation.”] [Music.]
00:23 [Construction imagery showing site work, road or utility improvements, and infrastructure preparation. Text overlay: “Critical infrastructure upgrades.”] [Music.]
00:26 [Video of children embracing each other and smiling. Text overlay: “A new 650-seat school.”] [Music.]
00:28 [Conceptual rendering of outdoor public space with landscaping, walking areas, and neighborhood gathering space. The rendering includes “CONCEPT ONLY” labeling. Text overlay: “New open space.”] [Music.]
00:30 [Conceptual rendering of Etihad Park, with surrounding streets, buildings, and public realm improvements. The rendering includes “CONCEPT ONLY” labeling. Text overlay: “And a world-class soccer-specific stadium.”] [Music.]
00:32 [Footage of people walking on different streets in Willets Point. Text overlay: “14,200 construction jobs, 1,550 permanent jobs, and $6.1 billion in economic impact.”] [Music.]
00:38 [People chatting and sitting in an outdoor space in, followed by image of children performing a fun outdoor activity with their parents watching them. Text overlay: “Connecting Willets Point to the community fabric… of the world’s borough.”] [Music.]
00:42 [Group of people, including Former Mayor Adams, holding banner at launch ceremony of Willets Point housing plan. Banner text: “HOUSING IS THE GOAL!” Text overlay: “This is public-private partnership at its best, getting stuff done for the people of Queens.”] [Music.]
00:45 [Final conceptual aerial renderings of the new neighborhood look, including housing, open space, streets, and a large soccer stadium. Text overlay: “CONCEPT ONLY.” Partner logos are overlaid on the screen.] [Music.]
This plan is the result of a partnership between NYCEDC, the City of New York, New York City Football Club (NYCFC) and Queens Development Group (QDG), a joint venture of Related Companies and Sterling Equities. The future of Willets Point is being driven by historic public-private investment to turn the area into a true mixed-use, mixed income neighborhood—turning the tide on decades of neglect to bring the community long-term economic opportunity.
Meeting a Community’s Needs
The plan for Willets Point builds on the City’s first phase of investment in the community, which will include the first 1,100 100% affordable homes, a new 650-seat standalone public school, new public open space, and significant infrastructure investment—all meeting long-standing needs. This phase also included significant remediation of the formerly contaminated soil that historically gave Willets Point its “Valley of the Ashes” reputation.
Historic Transformation
By The Numbers
$6.1B
in economic impact
Conceptual Rendering
By The Numbers
1.5K
permanent jobs + 14,200 construction jobs
By The Numbers
2.5K
100% affordable homes
By The Numbers
650
school seats
Conceptual Rendering
By The Numbers
1.5K
permanent jobs + 14,200 construction jobs
By The Numbers
$6.1B
in economic impact
By The Numbers
2.5K
100% affordable homes
Conceptual Rendering
By The Numbers
650
school seats
Willets Point Task Force
This proposal was first recommended by the Willets Point Task Force convened in 2018. The task force—chaired by then-Borough President Melinda Katz and Council Member Francisco Moya—was a group of Queens stakeholders that met to define the vision for the future of the area.
Over four months, the task force identified community priorities and produced recommendations for the City-owned land, including a scenario that reimagined the Special Willets Point District as a hub for a new soccer stadium with public facilities, programmed open space with active and passive uses, and new homes at a range of affordability levels.
The significant infrastructure investment for this project will include additional environmental cleanup—supplementing the ongoing remediation work—as well as installation of new storm and sanitary sewers, reconstruction of streets, and improvements to the existing streetscape.
This next phase of the Willets Point transformation will need to go through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), the New York City Public Design Commission, and Environmental Review, beginning in 2023. Learn more about the the task force.
Willets Point
Conceptual renderings
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Related Documents
To access, click on the + button to view more.
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Queens CB7 Quarterly Meeting Presentation April 29, 2026
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Queens CB7 Quarterly Meeting Presentation November 12, 2025
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Queens CB7 Quarterly Meeting Presentation April 9, 2025
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Queens CB7 Quarterly Meeting Presentation November 14, 2024
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Willets Point ULURP: CB7 Land Use Committee Meeting November 15, 2023
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Queens CB7 Quarterly Meeting Presentation September 13, 2023
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Queens CB7 Quarterly Meeting Presentation May 10, 2023
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Queens CB7 Quarterly Meeting Presentation February 8, 2023
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Queens CB7 Quarterly Meeting Presentation September 28, 2022
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Queens CB7 Quarterly Meeting Presentation April 6, 2022
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Queens CB7 Quarterly Meeting Presentation December 8, 2021
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Queens CB7 Quarterly Meeting Presentation April 29, 2021
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Queens CB7 Quarterly Meeting Presentation December 18, 2019
View additional information about the Willets Point Development including documents relating to city planning commission resolutions, the Willets Point Phase 1 RFP, Willets Point Design Guidelines, and off-site infrastructure improvements such as NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) Permit. Environmental Review documents can be downloaded through the Mayor’s Office of Environmental Coordination’s website.
View the exhibits and additional documents associated with the past EDPL Hearing.
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