Where can prospective buyers find the most favorable balance between pre-construction pricing advantages and reduced construction risk? The answer increasingly points toward near-completion condominiums targeting 2026 and 2027 occupancy, a segment defined as projects within 12 to 18 months of projected temporary certificate of occupancy. These developments have typically reached significant construction milestones, including topped-out superstructures and substantially complete facade installations, which materially reduce the uncertainties inherent in earlier-stage purchases.
Long Island City in Queens has emerged as a particularly active submarket for this product category. Vesta at 11-36 45th Road, a 124-unit, 19-story condominium developed by New Empire Real Estate with ODA Architecture, carries a 2026 estimated completion date and currently offers 20 active availabilities starting around $915,000. The development features amenities including a lobby, courtyard, lounge, children’s playroom, and gym.
Radiant, another 2026-estimated project in the same corridor, features a modern design characterized by curved corners, an undulating facade, and setback windows. Construction had topped out by mid-2025. Loft 21 at 11-50 45th Road presents a 66-unit, 6-story condominium by Century Development and Lu Ning Architecture. It is positioned near the Court Square transit hub with residential levels above retail and 27 parking spaces.
Urban 21 at 46-30 21st Street, a 71-unit, 9-story development by Urban Construction & Development, similarly targets 2026 completion. It offers private balconies on a majority of units alongside building amenities including a fitness center and lounge with city views.
Manhattan’s Upper East Side presents comparable opportunities at higher price points. The 43-story, 178-unit condominium at 400 East 84th Street, developed by Related Companies with Costas Kondylis & Partners, maintains 13 active availabilities priced roughly from $960,000 to $5.1 million, with an estimated 2026 completion. The building, originally a 1990s rental property, is undergoing a comprehensive reimagining by Ingrao Inc. that includes unobstructed views of the Manhattan skyline and East River.
Naftali Group’s 255 East 77th Street, designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects, features 62 units with no more than four residences per floor. Additionally, Alchemy Properties is developing a 24-story, 45-residence tower at East 88th Street and Second Avenue, designed by Hill West Architects with a 2026 target. Increasingly, buyers demonstrate preference for properties featuring smart homes and eco-friendly developments that align with evolving environmental consciousness.
Speculator and investor interest tends to concentrate at this construction stage due to clearer delivery timelines and substantially reduced entitlement risk, particularly in dense urban submarkets demonstrating strong rental demand.
