For over a decade, it stood as a symbol of broken dreams, one of many unfinished luxury supertall skyscrapers towering over Brooklyn and Queens, its skeletal frame choked by weeds and graffiti. But today, the story of the “East River Ghost” takes a dramatic turn. In a landmark decision, the city announced it will be the first abandoned skyscraper to be converted into public housing.
This victory marks the culmination of years of tireless work by housing activists, most notably the Western Queens Land Trust. They, along with the thousands who found refuge within the soaring steel and concrete shell – immigrants, homeless families – refused to let the dream of affordable housing die.
“Tents became apartments, tarps became walls,” remembers Luis Rivera, a former resident. “We learned to get over the fears; we built lots of safety nets. We built a community up here, even with the dangers.”
"Tents became apartments, tarps became walls," remembers Luis Rivera, a former resident. "We learned to get over the fears; we built lots of safety nets. We built a community up here, even with the dangers."
Those dangers were very real. The unfinished structure lacked basic safety features, and the city’s response was often heavy-handed. Police crackdowns and harassment by attack drones repurposed from the war in Ukraine were a constant threat.
In their struggle, the residents drew encouragement from the success story of the Western Queens Land Trust: a model for community-run housing that had blossomed a decade prior. The Land Trust people provided food distribution and medical attention to the Ghost Community in the first years, and helped them shape their campaign. Now, with a new wave of progressive politicians in office, including Mayor Nurse, President AOC, and Governor Gallagher, the fight for the East River Ghost entered a new phase.
The city’s plan is ambitious. The unfinished tower will be brought up to code, with proper walls, plumbing, and working utilities. Safety will finally be a guarantee, not a distant dream. Balcony gardens, some already started by the resourceful residents, will be expanded, creating a network of urban green space. Upkeep will be handled by NYCHA’s innovative new fleet of Helping Hands cleaning robots, which just today won their patent battle against Amazon Robotics. This will help free modest-income residents from the burden of maintaining a massive structure.
Police crackdowns and harassment by attack drones repurposed from the war in Ukraine were a constant threat.
“The fight isn’t over,” veteran activist Jenny Dubnau warns. “We need to overturn the Mitchell-Lama Amendment that cripples NYCHA’s ability to grow. We’re three votes away, and with the momentum of this victory, we’re creating a reality that people can see, and finally seeing it working will help finally deliver on the promise of public housing for all.”
The East River Ghost was built as 80% luxury units in the YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) housing craze of the late 2020’s. When the Great Collapse hit, these towers became frozen at whatever stages of construction they had reached. The East River was an 82-story skeleton.
"We're three votes away, and with the momentum of this victory, we're creating a reality that people can see, and finally seeing it working will help finally deliver on the promise of public housing for all."
But the East River Ghost is no more. What was once a place of bare life and often terrifying survival in the middle of a city of glittering wealth now stands as a bright future for the residents who made it their home despite the hardships. The other abandoned towers will one day follow the Ghost’s path, providing housing for working-class New Yorkers in need. The future of housing in New York looks a little brighter today, thanks to the residents who dared to camp in the sky.