Inovation Queens: For Transit-Oriented Mixed-Use Housing
A 27-story, mixed-use residential tower in Astoria delivered with a high-performance, unitized façade to accelerate enclosure, improve predictability, and support 485-x affordability goals.
A high-density, mixed-use residential development in Astoria, Queens that transforms an underutilized site into a transit-oriented tower with ground-floor retail. The project delivers 560 residential units—including affordable units supported by the 485-x program—while strengthening long-term neighborhood investment.
Delivering Dwall unitized façade panels with custom aluminum cladding articulation to define the building’s façade expression while supporting performance, durability, and constructability.
Sustainability
Support energy efficiency and long-term durability through a high-performance envelope aligned with NYC climate requirements and 485-x standards.
Efficiency
Accelerate installation and reduce on-site labor demand through prefabricated unitized façade delivery—improving jobsite safety and schedule certainty.
Innovation
Apply scalable, repeatable unitized façade methods to meet the growing demand for high-density urban housing.
Delivery & Construction Approach
To support fast, predictable enclosure in a tight urban environment, the façade strategy emphasized off-site fabrication and efficient installation logistics:
- Unitized installation for accelerated enclosure
- Smaller installation crews to reduce labor costs and improve productivity
- Spider crane placement for precise panel handling on a constrained site
- Reduced on-site waste and staging needs through off-site fabrication
Dense Urban Site Constraints
Limited access and staging required careful sequencing and logistics planning.
Integration with Structure & Expression
The façade system was customized to accommodate structural conditions while maintaining performance and architectural intent—balancing cost control, sequencing, and regulatory requirements.
- Faster enclosure with improved schedule predictability
- Reduced on-site labor and increased safety through unitized installation
- Consistent façade quality enabled by controlled off-site production
- Lower waste and jobsite disruption versus conventional site-built approaches
- Community value: Significant housing delivery plus activated street-level retail
Why It Matters
IQB1 reflects a growing citywide need for efficient, high-density housing supported by public incentives like 485-x. It demonstrates how unitized prefabricated façade systems can improve speed, quality, and predictability at scale—creating a repeatable delivery model for future residential towers across New York City.
.jpg)
.jpeg)
_format(webp).avif)
_format(webp).avif)
_format(webp)%20(2).avif)
_format(webp).avif)
_format(webp).avif)
_format(webp).avif)
_format(webp).webp)