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Astoria just scored a brand-new front row seat to the East River—and the view is spectacular. The Halletts Point Waterfront Esplanade, a 58,000-square-foot stretch of green space, winding paths and skyline-gazing spots, is now officially open to the public, reconnecting the neighborhood to a slice of shoreline that’s been off-limits for generations.
This is no bare-bones boardwalk. Designed by Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects, the esplanade blends lush landscaping with places to actually hang out. Think: 70 trees (from sweet bay magnolia to bald cypress), more than 700 shrubs and small trees, pollinator-friendly wildflowers and a zig-zagging path that reveals new vistas at every turn. If you’re the “name that plant” type, expect seaside goldenrod, milkweed, iris, phlox and more. If you’re not, just enjoy the color, shade and breeze.
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You’ll also find seating for about 550 people, including benches, granite blocks, chaise lounges, picnic tables and movable chairs, so there’s no shortage of prime perches for an afternoon snack or a sunset selfie. The nautically inspired playground means kids can run off steam while adults lounge on the lawn (which, by the way, has a panoramic view of Manhattan). And when the wind picks up off the river, the towers at 20 and 30 Halletts Point offer just enough shelter to keep things comfortable year-round.
This space is also a community connector. Nearly 8,000 square feet of ground-floor retail is set to open, bringing cafes, shops and other neighborhood-friendly businesses right to the water’s edge. The idea is to create a seamless indoor-outdoor flow, so the esplanade stays lively even in the chillier months.
Halletts Point itself is a mixed-use, mixed-income development from The Durst Organization, with more than 1,000 apartments across multiple buildings. But you don’t need to live there to enjoy the esplanade—it’s fully public and that’s the point. As Durst president Jody Durst puts it, this project “opens up a stretch of Astoria’s shoreline that has been inaccessible for decades” and creates an “immersive connection to the natural landscape.”
The East River is finally yours again, Astoria. Bring a picnic, bring a book, bring your dog. Whether you’re in it for the views, the greenery or the people-watching, there’s now 58,000 square feet of reason to make the waterfront your new go-to.