Astoria’s Changing Skyline Is Getting Hard to Ignore

Astoria’s skyline has been changing for years. I remember a much lower-rise mix of small houses, duplexes, workshops and factories. If someone who moved away several years ago came back now, I think they might not recognize parts of the neighborhood. In some areas, those tall buildings have already given Astoria a Midtown feeling.

Halletts Point is one of the clearest examples. The site was once an industrial yard; the master plan by Dattner Architects describes a 10-acre waterfront development with housing, retail and a public esplanade. The 20 and 30 Halletts Point towers together offer 647 apartments, according to QNS. It’s a very different use of the waterfront than many of us remember.

Further inland, projects are moving at different speeds. Developers have secured construction financing for Elara, a two-building Astoria project with 429 apartments, including 107 designated affordable. Completion is expected in 2028. At 31-29 Vernon Boulevard, a proposed 20-story, 402-unit building was still seeking a zoning change when The Real Deal reported on it in late September.

Steinway Crossing is another project to watch. The planned 27-story building would bring 560 apartments to two parcels tied to the former Innovation QNS plan. Developers have secured financing, and QNS reported that a quarter of the apartments are planned as affordable, with a 2029 completion target.

These projects aren’t all at the same stage. Some are built, some have financing, and others still need approvals. Together, they show how much Astoria’s skyline has changed—and how it keeps changing.

New towers may be the first thing a returning neighbor notices. I hope the familiar, everyday parts of Astoria have room in the picture too: local shops, parks, transit and places to gather. What would surprise someone coming back after several years? What parts of the neighborhood would you hope they still recognize?