The Public Authorities Control Board recently approved a state plan by Governor Kathy Hochul’s administration for a sprawling mixed-use residential redevelopment of the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center at 79–25 Winchester Boulevard in Bellerose, Queens. The project calls for 2,022 new market-rate and affordable rental and for-sale homes, as well as supportive housing for veterans and seniors. The plan would also include 10.3 acres of open space, a 120,000-square-foot public grade school, an 8,000-square-foot childcare facility, 16,000 square feet of recreational space for seniors, and an additional 67,000 square feet of retail space. A developer will be selected next year, according to Hochul’s office. The site spans nearly 50 acres and is generally bounded by the Cross Island Parkway to the north and east, Hillside Avenue to the south, and Winchester Boulevard to the west.
Above is a diagram oriented looking north at the approved site plan with the blue lines outlining the parameters of the redevelopment.
Below is a Google Maps aerial view with the same orientation, showing the current set of old structures. Some parts of the property that are open include the Living Museum, which displays various local artwork, and the SNAP Innovative Senior Center – Services Now for Adult Persons, Inc., an active senior citizen center.
Creedmor Psychiatric Center. Image via Google Maps.
The Creedmoore Psychiatric Center, a portmanteau of the original landowners the Creed family and the British “moorlands,” has been in operation for more than 113 years and reached a peak capacity of 7,000 patients in 1959. A portion of the complex remains in use for mental health treatment, though much of the site has been abandoned and left to deteriorate for the last several decades.
Hochul’s administration first announced plans for Creedmoor’s redevelopment in December 2023 and plans to finance the project using the city’s $500 million Redevelopment of Underutilized Sites for Housing (NY-RUSH) initiative. Early concepts called for more than 2,800 new homes, but feedback from the local community board disapproved of the project’s large scale and density in eastern Queens. As a result, the State removed five eight-story buildings from the initial design, reducing the square footage by 27 precent and eliminating 588 units for purchase and 263 rental units, including 15 percent intended for individuals with mental illnesses.
The 2,022 homes will be composed of 977 rentals consisting of 412 senior units, 277 supportive units with 78 solely dedicated to veterans, and 288 generally affordable units. Homeownership units will total 1,045 and come in a mix of affordable and market-rate apartments. The open space will be divided into 4.4 acres of public space and 5.9 acres of private space.
Construction is anticipated to commence in 2027 with completion targeted for 2029. While no project cost has been outlined to date, the state fund is not expected to cover the total sum. The redevelopment is also reported to include five future phases that will collectively be completed by 2040.
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