Two months after it was announced that a group including Robert De Niro was planning to build a production studio in Astoria, the developers have unveiled a design concept and renderings for the space.
The 650,000-square-foot studio—developed by Wildflower Development Group along with Robert De Niro, his son Raphael, and Jane Rosenthal—will be located at 87 19th Avenue, a site near the Queens Steinway/Luyster Creek, which used to house a storage facility for piano manufacturers Steinway & Sons.
Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group, the $400 million space will have several stages, open and private offices, lounges, and production-support areas. It will be “a hub for the creation of film, television, augmented reality, and virtual reality,” the developers said. It will also have parking, public water access, and land conservation areas for the community.
“Due to the unique space conditions of working on an urban site, we were challenged by Wildflower to distill all the physical, logistical, technical and experiential aspects of film production into a one of a kind vertical village for film,” Bjarke Ingels said in a statement.
The City Council will soon review the plans, the developers said in a statement, but the group hopes to begin construction next year.
“This studio is a testament to the strength and future of the New York film and television production industry,” Robert De Niro said in a statement. “Completion of this project ensures that future generations of producers, directors, writers, and storytellers will play a vital role in filmed entertainment in New York for years to come.”
Five months ago, Netflix announced that it’s bringing soundstages to Bushwick; and in recent years, several other production companies have flocked to New York City. Back in 2016, Silvercup Studios opened an outpost in the Bronx, and in 2015, Steiner Studios announced their plans to expand their Brooklyn Navy Yards headquarters with additional space, including six soundstages.