First of seven buildings tops out at Astoria’s Halletts Point megaproject

It’s been a long road for the Durst Organization’s Queens megaproject, Halletts Point, but things seem to be picking up at the development site. The developer announced yesterday that the first building of the 2.4-million-square-foot waterfront project has topped out. Construction on the building has been ongoing since January of 2015.

That first building, designed by Dattner Architects, will have 405 apartments when it opens in the summer of 2018. At least 81 of those units will be affordable to families earning between 40 and 50 percent of the AMI, but overall pricing for the rentals has not yet been released.

Once complete, the larger Halletts Point development will transform this particular part of the Queens waterfront with lots of new retail, residential units, and park space. It’ll eventually be home to around 2,000 rental apartments throughout seven buildings, with as many as 480 affordable units, according to developer the Durst Organization.

The fate of the project was in question last year due to issues with the 421-A tax exemption, but upon news of the program's replacement, Durst was able to move "full steam ahead" by this April.

This summer, Durst signed a long-term lease with Brooklyn Harvest Market for a 25,000 square-foot store in the first tower. The site will also get an extended and enhanced waterfront esplanade, parklands and renovated playgrounds.

Courtesy Durst

• Durst Organization’s Queens megaproject is a go with 421-a replacement [Curbed]
• All Halletts Point coverage [Curbed]