Queens Development 1,000 New Homes Moves Forward

The Mamdani administration announced on July 29, 2026 that a long-empty lot in Hunter’s Point South, Queens will be transformed into The Orion, a mixed-use development delivering nearly 1,000 new homes across three buildings, with two-thirds affordable to extremely low- to moderate-income households. The Orion in Hunter’s Point South will deliver nearly 1,000 new homes across three buildings, two-thirds affordable, according to a July 29, 2026 HPD press release. This landmark project signals a major step in converting public land into a multi-use neighborhood that blends housing with services, alongside a new child care center, workforce development opportunities, and ground-floor retail. The announcement marks a concrete pivot in the city’s ongoing effort to expand affordable housing opportunities in the Long Island City area, where demand has grown rapidly alongside rising rents and a changing neighborhood identity. HPD’s leadership framed The Orion as part of a broader strategy to increase the city’s housing supply while weaving in essential community amenities that help stabilize neighborhoods over the long term. HPD press release (nyc.gov)

This long-awaited transformation of Hunter’s Point South continues a broader arc of development that has reshaped the waterfront district over the past decade. The Orion builds on an earlier wave of investments in the area, shifting a formerly industrial 30-acre waterfront into a mixed-use, mixed-income community that includes thousands of homes, schools, parks, and improved transit connections. The press release frames The Orion as a continuation of the area’s evolution—an evolution that has brought more than 3,000 new homes, a waterfront park, and multiple community facilities already, with additional projects on the horizon. The plan’s emphasis on affordability, services, and transit-adjacent location aligns with city policy goals to diversify housing stock and reduce displacement risks in high-demand neighborhoods. The announcement underscores a clear, data-informed approach to leveraging City-owned land for housing production, while integrating childcare, workforce development, and retail to create a more complete neighborhood. This positioning matters for how developers and city agencies coordinate on future multi-use projects, and it foreshadows how accompanying community amenities can multiply the long-term benefits of new housing. (nyc.gov)

Section 1: What Happened

Announcement Details

The Orion will be built on a long-empty City-owned site in Hunter’s Point South, Queens, known as Parcel E, located at 54-42 2nd Street within Queens Community District 2. The site’s redevelopment is designed to add a substantial, transit-accessible residential core to an area that has undergone a broad waterfront revitalization. The precise address and parcel designation anchor the project within the city’s land-use framework and are cited directly by HPD in the July 29, 2026 release. HPD press release (nyc.gov)
The Orion comprises three buildings and will total approximately 980 to nearly 1,000 new apartments, depending on final design refinements and financing outcomes. Of these, about 658 units will be income-restricted to families at the extremely low to moderate-income bands, with roughly 150 units designated as supportive housing. This mix is intended to serve a range of households, including formerly homeless residents who require wraparound services. The distribution of income-restricted and supportive units is a central element of HPD’s Mixed Income Market Initiative (MIMI), which seeks to balance market-rate and affordable units within the same development to support programmatic financing and long-term affordability. The Orion’s building breakdown, including the ground-floor amenities and the total unit count, is detailed in the city’s release. HPD press release (nyc.gov)
The project will offer more than just housing. Ground-floor components include about 6,000 square feet of retail space and roughly 8,900 square feet of community facility space operated by Commonpoint. In addition, residents will have access to an indoor community pool and an on-site childcare center designed to be affordable and accessible. The inclusion of a workforce development center aims to connect residents with training and employment opportunities, reinforcing the project’s goal of helping residents move toward economic self-sufficiency. The Orion thus positions itself as a neighborhood-scale transformation rather than a stand-alone housing complex. The plan’s amenity package and care-and-workforce components are enumerated in HPD’s release. HPD press release (nyc.gov)
The development team behind The Orion includes Slate Property Group and The Hudson Companies as co-leaders, with Volunteers of America–Greater New York (VOA-GNY) providing supportive services. Marvel Architects is slated to lead design, and Commonpoint will lease and operate the daycare, workforce development center, and the pool. The team composition underscores a public-private collaboration designed to deliver housing along with essential supportive infrastructure. The Orion’s team lineup and the role each partner will play are spelled out in the HPD release. HPD press release (nyc.gov)
The RFP for Parcel E was released on June 13, 2025, marking the start of a community-focused predevelopment process that included public meetings with Queens Community Board 2 and outreach to local organizations. The HPD release notes a robust public visioning component, including an online questionnaire and in-person engagement to shape the project’s final form. This public process is presented as a prerequisite to formal financing and construction. The public engagement timeline and the RFP origin are documented in the HPD press release. HPD press release (nyc.gov)
The Orion sits within a broader city framework for accelerating affordable housing production. The release situates the project within Block by Block: The Housing Plan for a New Era, which aims to deliver 200,000 new affordable homes and preserve 200,000 more over the next decade. It also notes the administration’s commitment to tenant protections, housing code enforcement, and expanded homeownership pathways, as well as the supervision and facilitation of housing development through the LIFT Task Force and Executive Order 4. The financing and policy underpinnings described in the HPD release illuminate how a single project can fit into a citywide strategy to scale affordable housing and support services. HPD press release (nyc.gov)

Timeline and Key Facts

The project timeline centers on a multiagency process designed to expedite development while preserving affordable housing goals. The RFP for Parcel E was issued on June 13, 2025, with public outreach continuing through predevelopment and entitlements. The city notes this period as essential to ensuring a “community-focused” design that reflects local needs, including family-sized units (about one-third of the units are two-bedroom or larger) and the integration of community spaces, childcare, and workforce programs. The timeline and community engagement steps are described in the HPD release. HPD press release (nyc.gov)
Financing and construction readiness are addressed through a staged process. The Orion’s plan envisions financing the project before construction begins, with the city and partners pursuing a mix of public and private funding streams to support the development. The release notes that HPD will work with the development team to secure financing and keep the community informed of progress, an approach that aligns with City standards for transparency and public accountability in large-scale housing projects. The financing and predevelopment steps are outlined in the HPD release. HPD press release (nyc.gov)
The Orion’s timeline also segments the project as part of a broader “public land to housing” strategy. The city emphasizes the use of city-owned land to deliver mixed-use developments that can incorporate affordable housing with supportive services, while ensuring that the project remains accessible to transit, employment centers, and schools. The Orion’s conceptual alignment with Block by Block priorities and E.O. 4 LIFT Task Force demonstrates how the project is positioned as a model for future land use decisions in Queens and across the five boroughs. The HPD release details these connections. HPD press release (nyc.gov)

The Orion’s Core Details

Unit count and affordability: Approximately 980 new apartments, with about 658 income-restricted to extremely low- to moderate-income households and approximately 150 specifically designated as supportive housing. These numbers reflect a deliberate mix designed to address housing affordability in a high-demand neighborhood while offering services that support vulnerable residents. HPD press release (nyc.gov)
Ground-floor and community amenities: Roughly 6,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space and almost 9,000 square feet of community facilities run by Commonpoint, including an on-site childcare facility and a workforce development center. The project’s amenities are designed to complement the housing component and expand opportunities for local families. Block-level facility space and childcare offerings are detailed in HPD’s release. HPD press release (nyc.gov)
Housing and services integration: The Orion includes an indoor community pool and family-friendly recreational spaces, reflecting a design approach that prioritizes resident well-being and neighborhood vitality in addition to housing stock. The pool facility and other residential amenities are outlined in the HPD release. HPD press release (nyc.gov)
Leadership and design: Marvel Architects will handle architectural design, supported by Slate Property Group and The Hudson Companies as co-leaders in development, with VOA-GNY adding the critical role of supportive services. This trio—developers, a nonprofit service partner, and an architectural firm—illustrates a blended public-private partnership approach intended to deliver housing + services at scale. The Orion’s team composition and responsibilities are described in the HPD release. HPD press release (nyc.gov)
Public engagement and community input: The RFP process included a structured community visioning effort, public meetings with Community Board 2 and local organizations, and an online questionnaire to gather input on the project’s design and programming. This process is highlighted as a core element of shaping The Orion to reflect resident needs and priorities. The HPD release describes these steps in the project timeline. HPD press release (nyc.gov)

Quotations from Key Officials

Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning: “The Orion marks the next step in the transformation of Hunter’s Point, bringing hundreds of new homes, a new child care center, workforce development, and retail space to a long-vacant lot. This project shows how we can use public land to deliver mixed-use projects that benefit future residents and the surrounding community alike. I look forward to working with the development team, HPD, and local leaders to see The Orion to fruition.” The Deputy Mayor’s remarks anchor the project within a broader policy narrative about public land use and housing production. HPD press release (nyc.gov)
Donovan Richards Jr., Queens Borough President: “With our city in the midst of an unprecedented housing crisis, The Orion and its more than 650 income-restricted units out of nearly 1,000 total homes is exactly the kind of investment we need in neighborhoods like Long Island City, where the cost of living continues to rise.” The borough president’s remarks emphasize affordability and neighborhood resilience as core outcomes of the project. HPD press release (nyc.gov)

Section 2: Why It Matters

Affordability, Diversity of Housing, and Community Benefits

The Orion represents a multi-layered approach to affordability. With about 658 income-restricted units and roughly 150 supportive units out of a total near-980–to–1,000 apartments, the project delivers a broad affordability spectrum within a single development. This structure aligns with the city’s stated intent under Block by Block to increase both the supply of affordable homes and the range of housing options available to residents at different income levels. The project’s unit mix and its alignment with Block by Block priorities are described in HPD’s press release. HPD press release (nyc.gov)
The Orion’s inclusion of a childcare center and a workforce development center signals a more holistic approach to neighborhood development. These services are designed to support families and workers as they settle into new housing, facilitating access to early education and pathways to employment. The on-site facilities are part of a broader strategy to create a self-reinforcing ecosystem—housing plus services—that can enhance stability and opportunity for residents. The childcare and workforce components are outlined in HPD’s release. HPD press release (nyc.gov)
The Orion’s placement in Hunter’s Point South—an area already transformed by waterfront redevelopment and invested infrastructure—means potential spillover benefits for surrounding neighborhoods, including improved public spaces, new schools, and better transit access. The project’s location and the broader urban renewal context are highlighted in the press release, which frames the Orion as a continuation of the area’s multi-phase redevelopment. The location and scale context are documented in HPD’s release. HPD press release (nyc.gov)
The Orion embodies a public-private partnership model with a dedicated nonprofit anchor. VOA-GNY’s role is to provide supportive services, while Commonpoint will manage childcare and workforce programming. This collaboration reflects a trend in New York City housing where nonprofits contribute essential services to support residents and scale programmatic outcomes beyond the surface of brick-and-mortar housing. The HPD release details these roles. HPD press release (nyc.gov)
The Orion’s financing approach and MIMI framework are designed to leverage market-rate units to support affordable components, a strategy that many housing developers view as a viable path to increasing overall affordability without sacrificing project feasibility. The release highlights the Mixed Income Market Initiative and its role in funding and programmatic design. HPD press release (nyc.gov)

Community Input, Transit, and Economic Context

The Orion’s Long Island City location places it in a neighborhood with robust transit access and proximity to employment hubs, schools, and cultural amenities. The East River waterfront transformation and the district’s evolving urban fabric create a backdrop in which a nearly 1,000-unit, mixed-income development could influence demand for local services, small businesses, and public amenities. The Orion’s alignment with transit-accessible, mixed-use development is emphasized in the HPD release. HPD press release (nyc.gov)
The project’s community-driven design process—public meetings, stakeholder engagement, and an online feedback mechanism—illustrates a governance approach that seeks to incorporate local voices in shaping large housing developments. The emphasis on community input, as described in HPD’s press release, reflects the city’s expectation that new housing projects should be integrated with public services and neighborhood amenities from the outset. HPD press release (nyc.gov)
The Orion’s scale in a single site—nearly 1,000 homes across three buildings—also places it in the context of the city’s broader affordable-housing targets. HPD outlines that Block by Block aims to deliver hundreds of thousands of affordable homes, a policy-level frame under which this project sits. While numbers vary by source, the release reinforces the city’s commitment to a high-volume, strategic approach to housing production. HPD press release (nyc.gov)

Quotable Perspective from the Field

The Orion marks the next step in the transformation of Hunter’s Point, bringing hundreds of new homes, a new child care center, workforce development, and retail space to a long-vacant lot. This project shows how we can use public land to deliver mixed-use projects that benefit future residents and the surrounding community alike. I look forward to working with the development team, HPD, and local leaders to see The Orion to fruition. — Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning. HPD press release (nyc.gov)

Section 3: What’s Next

Timeline, Next Steps, and Watchpoints

Financing, approvals, and predevelopment steps will determine the pace of construction. HPD and the development team will continue to engage with community stakeholders as financing is secured and final entitlements are obtained. The release calls for ongoing communication with Community Board 2 and other local groups to ensure transparent updates and opportunities for input as the project progresses toward groundbreaking. HPD press release (nyc.gov)
The Orion’s schedule is tied to the city’s broader affordable-housing acceleration agenda, including reforms to streamline development processes (the SPEED reforms referenced in related HPD materials) to shorten the time between planning and occupancy while maintaining safeguards for tenants and neighborhoods. While the press release itself focuses on the Orion, HPD’s broader policy notes suggest a path toward faster, yet responsible, development. The SPEED reform context is discussed in separate HPD materials and related City releases. HPD press release and related materials (home4.nyc.gov)
The Orion’s design, marketing, and construction planning will be executed by the named development team with Marvel Architects leading architectural work, Slate Property Group and Hudson Companies handling development duties, VOA-GNY coordinating supportive services, and Commonpoint delivering childcare and workforce programming. The sequencing will hinge on final financing agreements and entitlements, after which construction procurement and on-site development will commence. The HPD release details the team’s roles and the process ahead. HPD press release (nyc.gov)

Closing

The Orion project represents a deliberate, data-informed attempt to blend housing with critical services in a high-demand Queens district, anchored by a clear timeline, well-defined unit mix, and a robust community-engagement framework. HPD and its partners emphasize affordability, accessibility, and neighborhood vitality as core outcomes, and they anchor those outcomes in a concrete development plan for Parcel E in Hunter’s Point South. As the city continues to navigate a challenging housing landscape, The Orion stands as a bridge between public land use, private-sector expertise, and nonprofit service delivery—an example of how large-scale housing initiatives can be designed to support families, workers, and local economies in tandem. Readers should expect ongoing project updates from HPD and the developer team as financing closes, entitlements are finalized, and construction milestones approach.

If you’re tracking housing, planning, or neighborhood change in Queens, The Orion’s progress will be a bellwether for how mixed-income housing and integrated services are executed on a city-owned parcel in a high-opportunity area. For updates, stay tuned to HPD announcements and the project’s official communications channels, as well as local community boards and neighborhood press covering Long Island City and Hunters Point South.