Major League Soccer team New York City Football Club aims to complete construction of a stadium in Queens, N.Y., in time for the 2027 season—selecting architect HOK and general contractor Turner Construction Co. for the $780-million project, the firms announced April 14.
The 25,000-seat soccer-specific stadium is planned for a location east of the New York Mets’ Citi Field baseball stadium in the Willets Point neighborhood as part of a larger city-backed area redevelopment. Construction still requires uniform land use approvals from city officials to advance. The soccer team, known as NYCFC, expects to enter the review process later this year.
Brad Sims, CEO of NYCFC, called the firms the “right partners” for the project. Turner and HOK say they have completed more than 400 projects together over 50 years.
“HOK is renowned for designing some of North America’s most successful stadiums, arenas, and entertainment districts, and we are looking forward to working with [the firm] as we enter the [uniform land use review procedure] approval process,” he said in a statement. “Turner is recognized as a leading builder of stadiums, arenas and ballparks—including one dozen Major League Soccer stadiums—that support the communities in which they are built.”
Stadium design would “embrace the multi-faceted identity of Queens, Flushing Meadows and the site’s industrial heritage,” said Rashed Singaby, HOK principal and senior project designer at HOK, in a statement.
The New York City Economic Development Corp. has also partnered with Queens Development Group, a joint venture of real estate developers Related Cos. and Sterling Equities on Willets Point redevelopment. Plans call for construction of 2,500 affordable housing units, a school, hotel, retail space and open public areas, in addition to the soccer stadium. New York City Mayor Eric Adams said last fall that the work is expected to support 14,200 union construction jobs.
Economic Development Corp. officials have said they expect first phase work on the affordable housing to start next year. City Council member Francisco Moya said during a meeting this month that the “transformation of Willets Point will help us build our way out of” New York City’s housing shortage.
Brownfield remediation of portions of the 61-acre site started in 2021. Crews have removed more than 100,000 tons of materials, including 27 tons of hazardous soil and 8,250 tons of petroleum source material. Work improving infrastructure, including sewers and water mains in the area also is underway.
