City's newest oceanfront community finally opens.

Arverne by the Sea, New York's newest oceanfront community in Rockaway, Queens opened last week.

Several years ago, Benjamin-Beechwood, LLC, the development team, paid the City $8.3 million for the land and expects to spend another $100 million on infrastructure, community facilities and amenities. Purchase prices for the first 27 homes that were completed last week ranged from $395,000 to $495,000.

As part of the second phase of construction, another 121 two-family homes are already underway. HPD expects to issue a Request for Proposals for the redevelopment of the 47-acre East End section of the Arverne Urban Renewal Area at the end of the year, which will add up to 1,500 units of mixed-income housing and approximately 600,000 s/f of commercial and retail space. An additional 200 housing units are planned for Water's Edge, bringing the total of new city-sponsored homes in the Arverne Urban Renewal Area to up to 4,010.

When completed, Arverne by the Sea development will include 2,300 residential units in a mix of one- and two-family homes, mid-rise rental-apartment buildings and condominiums, over 250,000 s/f of retail space, a YMCA, school, transportation center, and ten acres of parkland. They were sold through a lottery that gives preference to Queens District 14 residents. Eight buyers currently reside in Queens Community District 14; five, in other parts of Queens; eight, in other boroughs; and six, in the metropolitan area.

Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn, are the master planners and design architects of the community.