Design and Construction Report staff writer
A long-dormant section of northern Queens could soon be transformed into a major housing and public space development.
On Thursday, city officials and developers unveiled a proposal to build about 3,000 housing units and 60 acres of parkland on the former Flushing Airport site in College Point. The 80-acre property, inactive since 1984, has largely reverted to wetlands over the decades.
The redevelopment proposal, submitted by New York-based firms Cirrus Workforce Housing and LCOR Incorporated, is the result of a competitive selection process led by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC). If approved, construction is expected to begin in 2028 following a full environmental review and completion of the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP).
The project is expected to generate an estimated $3.2 billion in economic activity over 30 years, including 1,300 union construction jobs and more than 500 permanent positions, according to city estimates.
In addition to housing — much of it aimed at middle-income workers — the plan includes sustainable construction elements and designs intended to preserve and integrate with the surrounding wetlands. Renderings show landscaped pathways, wildlife habitats, and open-air recreational spaces.
Cirrus and LCOR say the development will be built entirely with union labor and financed in part by union pension funds. They also plan to explore the use of mass timber construction and other environmentally conscious building methods.
Despite the fanfare from developers and labor groups, the project raises several open questions — including how the plan will account for flood risk in a low-lying area near the coastline, what percentage of the housing will be truly affordable, and how the proposal will impact local infrastructure and traffic.
In the past, proposals to redevelop the Flushing Airport site have faced resistance from environmental advocates and local residents concerned about overdevelopment, ecological damage, and insufficient transportation options.
So far, details on the affordability breakdown of the housing units and plans for community engagement remain limited. Cirrus has stated it intends to collaborate with labor unions, local elected officials, and community groups as the project progresses.
The announcement comes amid a broader push by city leaders to address New York City’s housing shortage by building on city-owned land. Several other large-scale housing proposals are moving forward elsewhere in the city, including in Jamaica, Long Island City, and the Bronx.
City data shows that New York remains tens of thousands of housing units short of meeting demand. According to a recent report by the Department of City Planning, the city needs to build roughly 50,000 units per year to keep pace with population growth and affordability needs.
