Governor Unveils Massive New Housing Plan at Creedmoor Site in Queens

ALBANY—New York Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled the Creedmoor Community Master Plan, a massive mixed-use project to redevelop underutilized land at the 125-acre Creedmoor Psychiatric Center campus in Eastern Queens.

The plan, released on Dec, 6 looks to transform approximately 58 acres of the state-owned Creedmoor campus from surface parking lots, overgrowth, and vacant buildings into a vibrant new community with homes, recreational spaces, greenery, and neighborhood retail.

The Creedmoor Community Master Plan introduces approximately 2,800 units of new housing, with more than 55% designated as homeownership. This would represent the area’s single largest new investment in housing since Glen Oaks Village in the 1950s and its largest single expansion in homeownership opportunities since the construction of North Shore Towers in the 1970s. No development cost for the project, as proposed, was released. The master plan is the result of a six-month collaborative planning process led by Empire State Development and the Queens Borough President's Office, facilitated with help from the Metropolitan Urban Design Workshop.

“Creedmoor represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for New Yorkers to reimagine state land and plan for the emerging needs of tomorrow,” Gov. Hochul said. “Working together in productive partnership with the community—and thanks to the leadership of Queens Borough President Donovan Richards—we can build more housing, create more jobs, and strengthen Eastern Queens for the next generation.”

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. said, “The potential before us on the Creedmoor campus is limitless, as the new Creedmoor Master Plan boldly outlines. From thousands of units of housing to historic homeownership opportunities to school seats to community facilities to retail, this plan represents the single largest investment in Eastern Queens in generations, and I could not be more excited for the work ahead. It’s taken decades to get to this moment, and I’m deeply grateful to Governor Hochul, Empire State Development and the residents of Eastern Queens for their tireless dedication and partnership in developing this community-centric proposal from the ground up. We’re making history every day in Queens, and this project is yet another example of our borough’s bright future.”

The housing component breakdown, according to the master plan, calls for a total of 2,873 units, including 165 earmarked for veterans. The plan calls for 1,633 for-sale units comprised of 813 elevator co-op units in six-to-eight-story buildings; 536 walk-up co-ops in three to four-story buildings; 186 triplexes in three-story buildings; and 98 semi-attached two-family units in two-story buildings.

The plan, if approved, would feature 1,240 rental units, comprised of 377 senior apartments in six-to-eight-story buildings; 431 supportive units in six-to-eight-story buildings and 432 affordable lottery units, also in six-to-eight-story buildings.

Most of the structures on campus were constructed between 1920 and 1940. Within the Creedmoor redevelopment site, 19 out of 25 buildings are currently vacant. A significant portion of the Creedmoor campus, including the redevelopment site, qualifies as a historic district eligible for inclusion in the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places. Two key community institutions call the Creedmoor campus home today: Services Now for Adult Persons (SNAP) and the Living Museum. The museum, established in 1983, is located in a former Creedmoor kitchen hall and features a collection of contemporary art created by artists who receive care at Creedmoor. SNAP provides a wide range of programs, including Meals on Wheels, classes, discussion groups, and various events specifically designed for seniors in the area.

The existing utility infrastructure at the Creedmoor campus would require substantial upgrades to accommodate any new development. Given Creedmoor’s size, the site provides unique opportunities to integrate the newest sustainability best practices and building technologies to reduce demands on area infrastructure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to the master plan.

The plan also designates approximately 14 acres of open space and sets aside locations for amenities such as a recreation center, daycare facility, school, and neighborhood retail.

The plan’s development involved an extensive six-month community engagement process which included in-person and virtual workshops that identified priorities like a need for community gathering spaces, diverse housing options, neighborhood retail, and improved transit. Following the plan's release, Empire State Development will form the Creedmoor Community Advisory Committee to provide ongoing guidance on implementation.

The next steps include commencing an environmental review process in 2024. ESD will also create a General Project Plan and will release requests for proposals (RFPs) to find development partners who will implement the plan in phases.

Gov. Hochul announced a package of executive actions earlier this year to promote housing growth as part of an ongoing commitment to increasing the housing supply and addressing New York's housing crisis. As part of that package, the governor directed state agencies to review lands in their ownership and control and determine whether those sites can be used for housing.

Recently, the governor unveiled a proposal to transform the former Lincoln Correctional Facility in New York City into a mixed-use development with 105 units of affordable housing. The governor has also announced requests for proposals to redevelop the former Bayview Correctional Facility and Javits Center's Site K in Manhattan and the former Downstate Correctional Facility in Fishkill with an emphasis on housing.