Hallets Cove Before and After Plans (Council Member Costa Constantinides’ Office)
Oct. 26, 2020 By Allie Griffin
An effort to revitalize the neglected Hallets Cove peninsula along the Astoria waterfront will begin this winter, local Council Member Costa Constantinides announced Monday.
Construction crews will remove a nearly-70-year-old decaying pier at the site and plant new wetland vegetation in its place to restore its natural ecology.
They’ll also clean the litter dumped along the riverbank, cut down trees that have grown within the site’s retaining wall and replace a chain link fence with a new railing.
Constantinides has sought to clean up the cove since he took office in 2014. He has allocated $1 million to the revitalization project since 2015 and former Borough President Melinda Katz invested another $3 million.
“The days of Hallets Cove as a crumbling dumping ground are over,” Constantinides said.
His office partnered with the Economic Development Corporation (EDC), the Queens Borough President and the Mayor’s Office to make the project a reality.
“Thanks to our partnership with the EDC, the Queens Borough President, the Mayor’s Office, and the surrounding community, we will make good on a promise to reimagine this waterfront by restoring its ecology,” Constantinides said. “I’m so excited we can get back to work and realize this vision for western Queens.”
The council member hopes the upgrades will improve the quality of life for nearby residents of the Astoria Houses.
“The residents at the Astoria Houses and the entire north western Queens neighborhood are excited to see this project get off the ground,” said Claudia Coger, President of the Astoria Houses Residents Association.
“As a lifelong Astoria Houses resident and a lover of the outdoors, I’m especially grateful to see these beginning stages of our waterfront’s revival and restoration.”
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