New York Construction Report staff writer
Artimus and Phoenix Realty Group have been selected to develop more than 500 new mixed-income homes on two vacant waterfront parcels in the New Stapleton area. Announced recently by city officials, the project will be the largest mass timber residential development in New York City and one of the largest in the nation to include affordable housing — setting a new benchmark for sustainable urban development.
About 25 percent of the new housing units will be reserved for families earning between 40 and 80 percent of the area median income.
The development, located at Front and Canal Streets, will be the first publicly awarded project to use mass timber at scale in the Northeast. Mass timber is a low-carbon, engineered wood-based material that allows for faster, more efficient construction. The developer’s design team will also participate in NYC’s Mass Timber Studio, a program that provides technical and regulatory assistance to innovative timber projects.
“By selecting a forward-thinking development team, we’re showing how sustainable building isn’t just the future — it’s happening now on Staten
will help transform the site into a 32-acre, mixed-use neighborhood Island,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Adolfo Carrión Jr.
The broader redevelopment of the New Stapleton Waterfront — a former U.S. naval base — will include:
- Over 2,100 total housing units
- A 600-seat public school
- Ground-floor retail
- 12 acres of interconnected public open space
The development is expected to begin construction in 2027, following site investigations and final design work.
Recent investments and progress in the North Shore area include:
- New park space and esplanades under construction at Stapleton
- $2.5 million renovation of Pier 1 to restore public waterfront access
- New public waterfront access underway through the Tompkinsville Esplanade
- Plans for a new recreation center and grocery-anchored affordable housing development
“This project marks a new chapter — one that brings much-needed housing, creates local jobs, and embraces sustainable building to ensure the North Shore becomes a place that serves our community for generations,” said Assemblymember Charles D. Fall.
