The 6 acre site is located on the edge of Jamaica Bay and is currently vacant with tidal wetlands. Surrounding the project site are industrial and transportation buildings, vacant lands, and an elevated subway train track.  Facing the site is the Terrapeninsula Preserve, an approximately 22 acre, city-owned bird sanctuary. The development of this city-owned site required the approval of several city and state agencies, including NYC Public Design Commission and NYC Department of City Planning.  As a result, Phase 1 of the project included the conceptual design of the entire site.

The site is designed to maximize waterfront access and to include boat slips, a community garden, a continuous walkway, a boat launch, and a wood boardwalk that runs along the waterfront and the marina building. The marina building is designed as two slipped parallel rectangles. The “Land” bar curves along the front to follow the entry driveway and faces the car & bicycle parking lot and car drop off. It contains retail stores and a restaurant on the 1st level with a grand stair up to the 2nd level banquet hall. The “Water” bar is more rectangular in shape with a sloping metal roof angled towards the waterfront to provide views and natural light to the 2nd level balcony that runs along the entire north facade of the banquet hall.