Today, the southern end of Steinway Street is dominated by parking lots, underutilized industrial and commercial buildings, and vacant spaces.

Nearly five years of dialogue with neighborhood civic leaders, cultural institutions, small businesses, non-profits and residents has resulted in a vision for an inclusive, neighborhood-focused, mixed-use creative district that builds on Astoria's rich cultural fabric and will deliver meaningful economic opportunity at a critical time.

Innovation QNS will soon reactivate this corner of Astoria as a bustling hub of activity by expanding the neighboring Kaufman Arts District and building on existing cultural assets like the Museum of the Moving Image and the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts with:

Two acres of open space – more than 25% of the project site – with lawns, performance space, a playground and a dog park, as well as enhanced streetscapes and hundreds of new trees;
A community hub that will provide a new home for long-time community-serving nonprofit organizations;
200,000 square feet of neighborhood-serving shops, restaurants and entertainment that complement existing small businesses, including a new state-of-the-art cinema; and
Over 3,000 mixed-income homes, including 1,400 permanently affordable homes – more than 500 of which will be available at the most deeply affordable "extremely low-income" band (30% AMI).

Additionally, the Innovation QNS team has committed to:

Contribute $2 million to a community fund to support tenants rights, anti-displacement, and other services for nearby residents;
Offer discounted rents to small businesses and non-profit organizations;
Conduct a multi-lingual campaign to advertise affordable homes and provide application assistance to the local immigrant community;
Target 30% local hiring and MWBE participation;
Agreements with 32BJ SEIU, Laborers' Local 79 and District Council 9 (DC 9) of Painters and Finishers; and
Study and, if feasible, implement the use of on-site geothermal energy.