When The Durst Organization broke ground on its massive Halletts Point project in Astoria on a cold winter day in January 2016, the speeches were delivered inside a massive brick warehouse that had cut off public access to a stretch of East River waterfront for generations. That warehouse is long gone, demolished and then replaced by two high-rise residential towers, 20 and 30 Halletts Point, which launched leasing earlier this year, and a 58,000-square-foot waterfront esplanade that opened to the public this month.
With spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline, a playground, picnic area and a variety of seating, the waterfront space is at the heart of the development and marks a key step in reconnecting the Astoria community to the waterfront from 27th Avenue north to Whitey Ford Field.
“The new esplanade is a cornerstone of our vision for Halletts Point,” The Durst Organization President Jody Durst said. “This space opens up a stretch of Astoria’s shoreline that has been inaccessible for decades, while offering a meaningful, immersive connection to the natural landscape. We’re proud to offer this resource to the entire community.”
Durst partnered with landscape architects Starr Whitehouse to create the year-round riverwalk space. Starr Whitehouse’s landscape design features sculpted topography and a diverse mix of 83 native and adaptive plant species. Plants were selected for their year-round beauty, ecological benefit, and ability to withstand the winds and salt spray along the rugged East River promontory. The 70 trees along the esplanade include bald cypress, red cedar, sweet bay magnolia, sour gum, and service berry, while white oak and American yellowwood carry this floodplain east to 1st Street.
“The opening of the Halletts Point esplanade represents a major milestone in the evolution of Astoria’s waterfront,” Starr Whitehouse Co-founder Laura Starr said. “This part of the East River has been inaccessible for so long, so everything we did here was to bring people to the water.”
As temperatures climbed into the mid-80s on Saturday, visitors could be seen up and down the esplanade, a zig-zagging pathway that hugs the edge of the peninsula, revealing new vistas at every turn. The riverwalk is punctuated by 200 boulders along the waterfront and complemented by Corinthian granite blocks and integrated benches. More than 1,100 linear feet of seating is provided throughout with benches, seating steps, chaise lounges, picnic tables, and movable chairs, creating seating for approximately 550 people.
“The design created generous entrances off the street, aligning the paths to create a journey through native plants and locally sourced boulders to arrive at these incredible vistas,” Starr said.
Balancing tranquility with play, the esplanade features a nautically inspired playground. Sheltered from the northern winds by the adjacent towers, the playground and lawn areas and spacious lawn areas invite picnics, informal gatherings, and relaxation with a panoramic view of the East River.
“With places to sit, walk your dog, or play with your kids, we wanted people to be able to spend the day here, whether strolling in nature, relaxing, exploring, or enjoying the amazing view,” Starr said.”
The esplanade seamlessly connects to the Halletts Point mixed-use, mixed-income development with 1,000 rental units and nearly 8,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space.
Beyond the esplanade, Halletts Point residents enjoy 40,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenities, including a pool terrace, fitness center, lounges,and coworking spaces. The first building, 10 Halletts Point, opened in 2019 with 405 apartments and the first full-service supermarket in the area. Leasing for 20 and 30 Halletts Point began in January and brought 647 units to the campus.
