A proposed development project in Queens would be the largest housing project built in New York City since the 1970s.

Vince Guerrieri details the long history—back to the 1910 opening (on the same day as Penn Station)—of Sunnyside Yard in Queens, which outlived Pennsylvania Station but could now be headed for new life as a massive development. Guerrieri summarizes the recent developments in the life of Sunnyside Yard:
In 2014, Amtrak, while making its own upgrades to the yards, developed a partnership to use the land, and three years later, a study outlined the possibility of building a concrete deck over the yards to allow development on top of it. A steering committee made up of various stakeholders went through a series of neighborhood consultations and public workshops, and on March 3, the group released its Sunnyside Yard master plan. The development promises 12,000 homes, plus schools, libraries, a new commuter railroad station, a new subway line and a new bus line.
As for the future of the site, the article includes insights from the lead planner for the project, Vishaan Chakrabarti, the founder of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU). "Chakrabarti touts the plan as a forward-thinking idea for a holistic neighborhood, which will be carbon-neutral and optimized for walkability and transit, not cars," according to Guerrieri.
A press release announcing the new master plan provides additional details on the project proposal.
Previous Planetizen coverage of Sunnyside Yard.
- Tricky Planning Politics for New York's Sunnyside Yard Mega-Project (July 2019)
- Previewing NYC's Next Big Megadevelopment (December 2018)
FULL STORY: The Many Megaprojects of Sunnyside Yard

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico
An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.

Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes
Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.

Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels
Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions